Romans 8:19

The earnest expectation of creation (h apokaradokia th ktisew). This substantive has so far been found nowhere save here and Philippians 1:20 , though the verb apokaradokew is common in Polybius and Plutarch. Milligan (Vocabulary) thinks that Paul may have made the substantive from the verb. It is a double compound (apo, off from, kara, head, dokew, Ionic verb, to watch), hence to watch eagerly with outstretched head. Waiteth for (apekdecetai). See on 1 Corinthians 1:7 ; Galatians 5:5 for this rare word (possibly formed by Paul, Milligan). "To wait it out" (Thayer). The revealing of the sons of God (thn apokalupsin twn uiwn tou qeou). Cf. 1 John 3:2 ; 2 Thessalonians 2:8 ; Colossians 3:4 . This mystical sympathy of physical nature with the work of grace is beyond the comprehension of most of us. But who can disprove it?