Greek word - (elpis G1680)
Quiz - Choose the answer that is closest to what you think HOPE is.
A - trust
B - wish
C - a feeling that a desire will happen
D - anticipation of good
Problem - Misleading
KJV Example - "and rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Romans 5:2b).
Explanation
This word has taken on a meaning of wish and doubt today. If a person wants something, but does not think it will happen, he hopes it will happen. Or if a person wants something, he hopes for it (I hope I get that job).
I once spent considerable time in a home Bible study trying to explain hope to a young man, but he did not believe me. He could not get past the meaning that he gave to hope. He explained how his unsaved relatives on his wife's side of the family had more hope at a funeral than his saved relatives on his side. His unsaved relatives were always saying, "I hope he makes it to heaven." His saved relatives knew the deceased was going to heaven. He couldn't see that his saved relatives actually had the Biblical hope and not his unsaved relatives.
If a word communicates the wrong idea to people, it is the wrong word to use. Unfortunately, most Bibles use the wrong words for today. This is one of them.
Hope in the Bible has a sense of certainty to it. It is expectation, anticipation. It is the opposite of despair. Anticipation and despair both have to do with the future. Anticipation sees good in the future and despair sees bad.
Christians have a good reason to anticipate good: God is in control of everything and He loves them. Good things are in their future, both here on earth and in heaven. When Christians think about the future, a thrill of excitement should fill their body. This is what the Bible describes with the word, hope.
In the Bible, hope is anticipation of good.
Modern Synonym - anticipation
Bible Version Tally (how other versions translate this word) - look forward to (3 of 50), hope (41 of 50)
Breakthrough Version - "and we brag based on anticipation of God's greatness" (Romans 5:2b).