Passing (4340) (proskairos from pros = for, toward + kairos = an opportune time) means literally for a season and just like a season comes and goes, so proskairos conveys that sense (passing). The idea is that something lasts for only for a short or limited time (= temporary, transient). Proskairos is essentially the diametric opposite of eternal or everlasting. In a secular religious writing we read "behold, all the property of my father P. is transitory and evanescent (tending to vanish like vapor - proskairos), but the bounties of your inheritance, Lord, are incorruptible and eternal’" In the letter of Diogenes proskairos is used to described the fire of persecution as proskairos or only for a short time. In another secular use proskairos was used to describe a person as one who "lasts only a little while (proskairos)". This latter meaning is especially poignant to those who have been redeemed and now have a divine purpose for their life (cp Eph 2:10-note), the brevity of our life serving to spur us on to make every effort to redeem every moment (cp Ep 5:16-note). In another non-Biblical use we read "the present world (kosmos - created things) is transitory (proskairos) but the coming is everlasting Proskairos is used 4 times in the NT (no uses in the non-apocryphal Septuagint)... Matthew 13:21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. Mark 4:17 and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. 2 Corinthians 4:18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Hebrews 11:25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin; Sin (266) (hamartia) in simple terms is missing the mark, specifically missing God's will for us, a will which is good and acceptable and perfect (Ro 12:2b-note). Sin is what you do when you obey your fallen flesh, instead of obeying the Holy Spirit (cp Gal 5:16-note, Gal 5:17-note). The apostle John has a good "working" definition of sin writing that sin is lawlessness (anomia > a = without + nomos = law - behaving as if one had no supreme, divine law ruling their flesh, cp Jdg 21:25-note) (1John 3:4). In Romans 5 and 6 Paul explains that Sin refers to the inherent propensity to commit specific sins a propensity that entered the human heart of Adam and as a result constituted or made him a sinner by nature. Adam then passed the inherent sinful nature (the "sin virus") he possessed to all of his offspring (which is every person ever born) (Ro 5:12-note, Ge 5:3 = "in his own likeness", not God's as in Ge 1:26!). This same "Adamic" nature which always seeks to satisfy self will (cp "lovers of self" -2Ti 3:2-note) rather than God's will is present in every person at the moment of conception when the "sin virus" is passed to the fertilized ovum (Ps 51:5-note, Ps 58:3-note, Job 25:4). Sin appears to be fair ("you deserve this little treat"!), but is in fact filthy. It appears pleasant ("it will make you feel so good"), but belies its pernicious character and finally it promises much pleasure ("you'll be better for having done this", cp "passing pleasures" He 11:25), but performs nothing good, in the end bringing only death (to our fellowship with God if we are believers, eternal death/separation if unbelievers). ><>><>><> Pleasure Versus Joy - The world offers "passing pleasures" (Hebrews 11:25), but the Lord Jesus offers to give us full and lasting joy (John 15:11). Pleasure is dependent on circumstances, but joy is inward and is not disturbed by one's environment. Pleasure is always changing, but joy is constant! Worldly delights are often followed by depression. True joy is grounded in Jesus Christ, who is "the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). To keep experiencing pleasure, we must run from one stimulus to another, for it refuses to be permanently grasped. Joy is just the opposite. It is a gift we receive from God. Pleasure is built on self-seeking, but joy is based on self-sacrifice. The more we pursue self-gratification, the more empty we feel. If a pint of pleasure gives momentary happiness today, a gallon of excitement and thrills is necessary for the same effect tomorrow. Joy, however, is based on the sacrificial giving of ourselves. As we learn what it means to focus on the needs of others, we find greater fulfillment in God Himself, who meets our every need. Only when you seek the things of Christ can you find abiding joy. — Henry G. Bosch (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved) There is joy beyond all measure In abiding in the Lord; It is promised most abundant And enduring in His Word. —McQuat For joy that will last, always put Christ first. ><>><>><> An ark of safety in the flood of vanities? (Henry Law, "The Burning Bush") "It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be treated as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the great reward that God would give him." Hebrews 11:24-26 Worldly pomp is very dazzling! Worldly luxury is very entrancing! Worldly pleasures are very ensnaring! But there is an ark of safety in the flood of vanities, as in the flood of waters. Moses is neither dazzled, nor entranced, nor ensnared. He looks above, and sees a splendor far more bright. He deliberately chooses scorn and affliction and loss and poverty, with the people of God. And he finds . . . such scorn to be the truest honor; such affliction to be the purest joy; such loss to be the richest gain; such poverty to be the most enduring wealth. Reader! it is an important principle, that none can tread the world beneath their feet until they see a fairer world above their heads! When the Lord is set before you, your eyes are dim to lower objects. The beauty of the all beauteous One, makes other loveliness unlovely! Moses proves the mighty energy of soul elevating, soul purifying faith. This stirring principle turns his whole course from ease and affluence and self, into one stream of daring activities for God. ><>><>><> Octavius Winslow - Daily Walking with God "Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season." Hebrews 11:25. THE believer should never fail to remember that the present is, by the appointment of God, the afflicted state to him. It is God's ordained, revealed will, that His covenant children here should be in an afflicted condition. When called by grace, they should never take into their account any other state. They become the disciples of the religion of the cross—they become the followers of a crucified Lord—they put on a yoke, and assume a burden: they must, then, expect the cross inward and the cross outward. To escape it is impossible. To pass to glory without it, is to go by another way than God's ordering, and in the end to fail of arriving there. The gate is strait, and the way is narrow, which leads unto life; and a man must become nothing, if he would enter and be saved. He must deny himself—he must become a fool that he may be wise—he must receive the sentence of death in himself, that he should not trust in himself. The wise man must cease to glory in his wisdom, the mighty man must cease to glory in his might, the rich man must cease to glory in his riches, and their only ground of glory in themselves must be their insufficiency, infirmity, poverty, and weakness; and their only ground of glory out of themselves must be, that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." The believer in Jesus, then, must not forget that if the path he treads is rough and thorny, if the sky is wintry, if the storm is severe, and the cross He bears is heavy, that yet this is the road to heaven. He is but in the wilderness, why should He expect more than belongs to the wilderness state? He is on a journey, why should he look for more than a traveler's fare? He is far from home, why should He murmur and repine that he has not all the rest, the comfort, and the luxuries of his Father's house? If your covenant God and Father has allotted to you poverty, be satisfied that it should be your state, yes, rejoice in it. If bitter adversity, if deep affliction, if the daily and the heavy cross, be your portion, yet, breathe not one murmur, but rather rejoice that you are led into the path that Jesus Himself walked in, to "go forth by the footsteps of the flock," and that you are counted worthy thus to be one in circumstance with Christ and his people. Hebrews 11:26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: meizona plouton egesamenos (AMPMSN) ton Aiguptou thesauron ton oneidismon tou Christou, apeblepen (3SIAI) gar eis ten misthapodosian. Amplified: He considered the contempt and abuse and shame [borne for] the Christ (the Messiah Who was to come) to be greater wealth than all the treasures of Egypt, for he looked forward and away to the reward (recompense). (Amplified Bible - Lockman) KJV: Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. NLT: He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the great reward that God would give him. (NLT - Tyndale House) Phillips: He considered the "reproach of Christ" more precious than all the wealth of Egypt, for he looked steadily at the ultimate, not the immediate, reward. By faith he led the exodus from Egypt; he defied the king's anger with the strength that came from obedience to the invisible king. (Phillips: Touchstone) Wuest: he considered the reproach of the Messiah greater wealth than Egypt's treasures, for he looked away to the recompense. (Eerdmans) Young's Literal: having chosen rather to be afflicted with the people of God, than to have sin's pleasure for a season, 26 greater wealth having reckoned the reproach of the Christ than the treasures in Egypt, for he did look to the recompense of reward; CONSIDERING THE REPROACH OF CHRIST GREATER RICHES THAN THE TREASURES OF EGYPT: hegesamenos (AMPMSN) ... ton oneidismon tou Christou meizona plouton hegesamenos (AMPMSN) tôn Aiguptou thêsaurôn: (He 10:33; 13:13; Psalms 69:7,20; 89:50,51; Isaiah 51:7; Acts 5:41; 2Corinthians 12:10; 2Corinthians 12:10; 1Peter 1:11; 4:14) (Psalms 37:16; Jeremiah 9:23,24; 2Corinthians 6:10; Ephesians 1:18; 3:8; Revelation 2:9; 3:18) "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/hebrews_1123-26.htm#p