G1012 βουλή (boulḗ)

Counsel (1012) (boule) when used of man expresses a decision, a purpose or a plan which is the result of inner deliberation. Boule is that which has been purposed and planned. Boule has in it the ideas of intelligence and deliberation. In other words boule describes the result of deliberate determination which in the present context reflects the product of not just a "mastermind" but God's heart of infinite love. NIDNTT says that in secular Greek boule... denotes an intention, a deliberation. It also stands for the result of a deliberation in the sense of a decision of the will, a resolution, a counsel or an edict. So already in Homer (Il. 2, 53) an assembly of men is called a boule, when it became an institutional body (e.g. the Council of the Five Hundred in Athens, Herodotus 5, 72; 9, 5). Boule also occurs well over 100 times in the Septuagint (LXX) by contrast with thelema (see below), mainly for Hebrew 'etsah (06098) (74 times). It denotes... (a) the weighty preconsideration which precedes the effecting of the will (e.g. Dt 32:28). It can even be found in the sense of “wisdom” (e.g. "discretion" [Hebrew = mezimmah - 04209 = purpose, discretion, device] in Pr 2:11; Pr 8:12 = "prudence"; Pr 20:5 = "plan"). The Spirit “of counsel”, i.e. of considered reflection, is a gift of God (Is 11:2); (b) counsel (e.g. Isa. 9:6 as a characteristic of the Messiah) and advice, whether good (Ge 49:6; 1Ki. 12:8) or foolish (Ps 1:1; Ps 106:43, Pr 21:30 = "counsel", Is 19:11); (c) as in secular Greek, the council as a political institution, e.g. the assembly of the people (1Macc. 14:22), the deliberations of such a board (Jdg 2:2), and the resolution of an assembly (3 Macc. 7:17); "council of the holy ones" (Ps 89:7), "company" (Ps 111:1) "assembly" in Ps 1:5 (d) also, and above all, the counsel or purpose of God (e.g. “The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to naught...the counsel of the LORD stands for ever”, Ps 33:10, 11; “Thou dost guide me with Thy counsel”, Ps 73:24, 106:13, 107:11, Pr 8:14, 19:21). God’s purposes are trustworthy and true; Israel can therefore rely on them (Is 25:1). His purpose includes Israel’s salvation (Is 14:26; cf. also Is 5:19; Mic 4:12). (Brown, Colin, Editor. New International Dictionary of NT Theology. 1986. Zondervan) Boule - 118 x in Septuagint (LXX) translated variously as "counsel", "advice", "discretion", "counselor" - Ge 49:6; Nu 16:2; Dt 32:28; Jdg 19:30; 20:7; 2Sa 15:31, 34; 16:20, 23; 17:7, 14, 23; 1Kgs 12:8, 13, 14, 24; 2Kgs 18:20; 1Chr 12:19; 2Chr 10:8, 13, 14; 22:5; Ezra 4:5; 10:8; Neh 4:15; Esther 4:17; 9:31; Job 5:12, 13; 10:3; 12:13; 18:7; 22:18; 29:21; 38:2; 42:3; Ps 1:1, 5; 13:2; 14:6; 20:4; 21:11; 33:10f; 66:5; 73:24; 89:7; 106:13, 43; 107:11; 111:1; Pr 1:25, 30; 2:11, 17; 3:21; 8:12, 14; 9:10; 11:13f; 15:22; 19:21; 20:5; 21:30; 22:20; 25:28; 31:4; Eccl 2:12; Isa 3:9; 4:2; 5:19; 7:5, 7; 8:10; 9:6; 10:25; 11:2; 14:26; 19:3, 11, 17; 25:1, 7; 28:8; 29:15; 30:1; 31:6; 32:7, 8; 36:5; 41:21; 44:25, 26; 46:10; 47:13; 55:7, 8; Je 18:18, 23; 19:7; 32:18; 49:7, 20, 30; 50:45; Ezek 7:26; 11:2; 27:9; Da 2:14; 4:27; 6:4; 7:8; Ho 10:6; Mic 4:9, 12; 6:16; Zech 6:13. Here is an interesting use in the Septuagint (LXX) where the Greek seems to amplify the thrust of the Hebrew text (source of the NAS)... NAS = Proverbs 25:28 Like a city that is broken into and without walls Is a man who has no control over his spirit. LXX = Proverbs 25:28 As a city whose walls are broken down, and which is unfortified, so is a man who does anything without counsel (boule). Richards says that... Boule is a strong term, indicating God's fixed intention. That which is his purpose stands utterly fixed and cannot be changed by any action of others. Of its twelve occurrences in the NT, seven times boule is used in reference to God's will and purpose (Lk 7:30; Ac 2:23; 4:28; 13:36; 20:27; Ep 1:11; He 6:17). When used of human beings, the word has a weaker force, expressing an intention or plan that may or may not be achieved. (Richards, L O: Expository Dictionary of Bible Words: Regency) Ellicott says boule solemnly represents the almighty will as displayed in action; thelema designating the will generally, boule the more special expression of it John Eadie... Thelema therefore, is will, the result of desire—voluntas; boule is counsel, the result of a formal decision—propositum. Here (Ep 1:11) boule is the ratified expression of will—the decision to which His will has come. The Divine mind is not in a state of indifference, it has exercised thelema—will; and that will is not a lethargic velleity, for it has formed a defined purpose, boule, which it determines to carry out. His desire and His decrees are not at variance, but every resolution embodies His unthwarted pleasure. This divine fore-resolve is universal in its sweep—“He worketh all things after the counsel of His own will.” The plan of the universe lies in the omniscient mind, and all events are in harmony with it. Power in unison with infinite wisdom and independent and undeviating purpose, is seen alike whether He create a seraph or form a gnat—fashion a world or round a grain of sand—prescribe the orbit of a planet or the gyration of an atom. The extinction of a world and the fall of a sparrow are equally the result of a free pre-arrangement. Our “inheritance” in Christ springs not from merit, nor is it an accidental gift bestowed from casual motive or in fortuitous circumstances, but it comes from God's fore-appointment, conceived in the same independence and sovereignty which guide and control the universe. Earle... Salmond says: "The distinction between boule and thelema is still much debated, scholars continuing to take precisely opposite views of it." Nevertheless he concludes: In a connection like the present it is natural to look for a distinction, and in such cases theidea of intelligence and deliberation seems to attach to the boule. This appears to be supported by the usage which prevails in point of fact in the majority of NT passages, and particularly by such occurrences as Matt. 1:19. Here, therefore, the will of God which acts in His foreordaining purpose or decree, in being declared to have its boule or "counsel," is set forth not arbitrarily, but intelligently and by deliberation, not without reason, but for reasons, hidden it may be from us, yet proper to the Highest Mind and Most Perfect Moral Nature (Earle, R. Word Meanings in the New Testament). Wuest in commenting on o 8:29 has an interesting thought noting first that boule is used in classical Greek of a council convened for the purpose of administering the affairs of government, such as the Roman Senate, or of the camp-fire council of Xenophon and his officers on their march back to Greece. Out from the deliberations of this latter council, for instance, would come counsel, a pre-determined course of action that would best meet the circumstances they had to face on the march. Here (Ro 8:29) we have the Triune God in council convened, the purpose of which was to select out from the three Persons of the Godhead, the Lamb for sacrifice who would pay the penalty for man’s sin. The result of the deliberations of this council, namely, the counsel that came from these deliberations was that the Son of God was to die on Calvary’s Cross. The word boule (counsel) is described by the perfect participle of horizo, “to mark out the boundaries or limits” of any place or thing, “to determine or appoint.” This verb tells us that these deliberations were for the purpose of determining something, and the fact that it is in the perfect tense shows that these deliberations had reached a successful conclusion and the counsel of the council was fixed and unchangeable. (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos) Boule - 12x in 12v - NAS = counsel(1), decision(1), motives(1), plan(4), purpose(5). Luke 7:30 But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God's purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John. Luke 23:51 (he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God; Acts 2:23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. Acts 4:28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur. Acts 5:38 "So in the present case, I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; Acts 13:36 "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep, and was laid among his fathers and underwent decay; Acts 20:27 "For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. Acts 27:12 Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there. Acts 27:42 The soldiers' plan was to kill the prisoners, so that none of them would swim away and escape; 1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives ("secret thoughts") of men's hearts; and then each man's praise will come to him from God. Ephesians 1:11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, Hebrews 6:17 In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/ephesians_111-12.htm#c