Rhema ... A Word to Live By

In Matthew 4:4 we read Jesus said,

'"It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word (rhema) that proceeds out through the mouth of God."'

The New Testament, being written in Greek, has two words logos and rhéma which are translated into English as word.
The Old Testament, written in Hebrew, only has one word dabar for which the English translation is word.

The Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament translates dabar interchangeably as either logos or rhéma. That suggests to me, as a Gentile, the Hebrew mindset (aided by a prompting of the Holy Spirit) would incline the translators to use one in preference to the other, depending on context.

In Matthew 4:4 Jesus is quoting Deuteronomy 8:3 using the Septuagint Greek translation of the Old Testament, with which Jesus and the early church would have been familiar. The Hebrew dabar, translated elsewhere in the Old Testament as word, does not appear in that passage. The Septuagint Greek translators use of the word rhéma here suggests that they understood our need to live by ‘the word of God spoken for a specific occasion’, this understanding being affirmed by Jesus in his usage of this passage.

Strong's Greek concordance entry 4487 lists 70 occurrences of ῥῆμα (rhéma).
Below is a short list of examples where I have tried to prioritise those which refer to God (Jahweh) speaking a rhéma (as opposed to man's careless/idle rhéma).

In addition I have highlighted a few where rhéma is used instead my expectation of logos.
I'm reminded of John 10:27 My sheep hear my voice.
... a voice speaking rhémata - words appropiate for a given situation.

  • Mathew 4:4 Your life depends on rhémata (cf Deuteronomy 8:3, Revelation 14:6-7 springs of water).
  • Matthew 27:14 Jesus kept his mouth shut (cf 1 Samuel 3:1).

  • Mark 9:32 Jesus warning the 12 (+?), but they did not understand him.
  • Mark 14:72 Peter remembers what Jesus had said to him earlier, a rhéma Peter had poured scorn on.

  • Luke 1:37 Every rhéma of God will come to pass (cf Isaiah 55:11 rhéma).
  • Luke 1:38 Mary agreeing with the rhéma of God.
  • Luke 2:15 Recognising a rhéma and going to investigate.
  • Luke 2:17 Telling others about a rhéma.
  • Luke 2:19 Pondering a rhéma and expectantly waiting to see the outcome.
  • Luke 2:29 Recognising a rhéma as a promise.
  • Luke 2:50 A rhéma not being understood.
  • Luke 2:51 Treasuring a rhéma in her heart (implies not being openly discussed - even with Joseph?).
  • Luke 3:2 John was a single rhéma preacher.
  • Luke 4:4 See Matthew 4:4.
  • Luke 5:5 Simon recognised Jesus's rhéma had authority.
  • *** Luke 6:47 Building a life on logos foundation, not rhēma.
  • Luke 7:1 Jesus had been speaking rhēmata based upon the foundation of the logos.
  • Luke 9:45; Luke 18:34 A concealed rhéma (cf Proverbs 25:2).
  • Luke 20:26 The purity of Jesus's rhéma (cf founded upon the logos of Psalm 12:6).
  • Luke 22:61 The startling remembrance of a rhéma which had been rejected.
  • Luke 24:822:61 A forgotten rhéma being brought back to memory and applied to current circumstances (cf Acts 2:16).

  • John 3:34 God sending someone with a rhéma (cf Luke 3:2).
  • John 6:63 God's rhéma brings life (cf Mathew 4:4).
  • John 12:47-48 The seriousness of ignoring Jesus's rhēmata (cf Matthew 12:31).
  • John 14:10;17:8 Jesus's rhēmata come from the throne of God.
  • John 15:7 Answered prayer depends on knowing Jesus's rhēma (for the situation) - not knowing the logos (cf Matthew 7:21-23).

  • Acts 5:20 Presenting the Gospel using rhēma (for the situation) not logos.
  • Acts 5:32; Acts 11:14 Rhēmatōn / rhēma in witnessing / presenting the Gospel.
  • Acts 11:16 The promise of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a rhēma from God.

  • Ephesians 5:26 Cleansed through the rhēmata, not the logos.
  • Ephesians 6:17 The sword of the Spirit is weilding the rhēma, not the logos.

  • Hebrews 1:3; 12:19 Rhēma is powerful.

  • 1 Peter 1:25  Use of Rhēma when preaching the gospel, not the logos.

  • Jude 1:17 Do not neglect to remember rhēmata, not the logos.

There are instances in scripture where logos is used and some might initially assume it to be rhéma!
For instance:

  • John 5:24 Someone hearing to whole counsel of God.
    cf Romans 12:2 Testing and approving of God's purposes.

Quote from Jack W. Hayford:

"Jesus is the living Logos (John 1:1), the Bible is the written logos (Hebrew 4:12), and the Holy Spirit utters the spoken logos (1 Corinthians 2:13).

...The meaning of rhema in distinction to logos is illustrated in Ephesians 6:17, where the reference is not to the Scriptures as a whole, but to that portion which the believer wields as a sword in the time of need."

Quote from Watchman Nee:

In Matthew 4:4 Jesus said, '"It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every rhema that proceeds out through the mouth of God."'

...Can we say that man shall not live by bread alone, but by the Word of God recorded in the Bible? No. We are not saying that the written Word of God is of no use, but that logos—the Word of God recorded in the Bible—is of no use to us by itself.

...Both logos and rhema are the Word of God, but the former is God's Word objectively recorded in the Bible, while the latter is the word of God spoken to us at a specific occasion.

When God inspires a prophetic Word, this Rhema carries with it, the power to produce the result."
The Hebrew word memra is used to express this.

'The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it fell upon Israel' Isaiah 9:8
'He sent his word, and healed them' Psalm 107:20
'His word runs swiftly...' Psalm 147:18
'He sends His word...' Psalm 147:18

 

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