Maybe this will help-
θέλημα
thélēma; gen. thelḗmatos, neut. noun from thélō (G2309), to will. The suffix -ma indicates that it is the result of the will. Will, not to be conceived as a demand, but as an expression or inclination of pleasure towards that which is liked, that which pleases and creates joy. When it denotes God's will, it signifies His gracious disposition toward something. Used to designate what God Himself does of His own good pleasure.
(I) Will, active volition, wish, good pleasure (Mat_26:42; Act_21:14; 1Co_16:12; Eph_5:17; 1Pe_2:15; 1Pe_4:2-3, 1Pe_4:19; 1Jn_5:14); the will of the flesh, carnal desire (Joh_1:13; Sept.: Psa_1:2; Dan_8:4; Dan_11:3).
(II) By metonymy, will, what one wills to do or have done (Mat_7:21; Mat_12:50; Mat_21:31; Mar_3:35; Joh_5:30; Joh_6:38; Act_13:22; Rom_12:2; Eph_6:6; Heb_13:21); the desires of the flesh (Eph_2:3; Sept.: 1Ki_5:8-9; Psa_103:21; Psa_143:10). By implication, will, i.e., purpose, counsel, decree, law (Mat_18:14; Joh_6:39-40; Act_22:14; Heb_10:7, Heb_10:9-10, Heb_10:36). The will of God means the counsels or eternal purposes of God (Mat_6:10; Luk_11:2).
(III) By metonymy, will, the faculty of willing, free will (Luk_23:25; 1Co_7:37; 2Pe_1:21); of God (Eph_1:5, Eph_1:11; 1Pe_3:17).
(IV) In the NT there are two principal verbs indicative of will: thélō (G2309), to will, wish, implying volition and purpose, frequently a determination or execution of that which is desired; and boúlomai (G1014), to wish or will deliberately which expresses more strongly than thélō the deliberate exercise of the will but not necessarily the execution of it. Among the nouns derived from thélō, thélēma refers almost entirely to God, with exceptions in Eph_2:3 (cf. Eph_1:11); 2Pe_1:21. The word is generally sing., but the pl. occurs in Act_13:22; Eph_2:3. In Heb_2:4, thélēsis (G2308) is the act of the will or the process used. The thélēma is that which results from the process of determination. What God determines to do is the result of His thélēsis and it is His thélēma.
There are two corresponding nouns derived from boúlomai (G1014) which means to will deliberately but not necessarily to execute that will. They are boúlēma (G1013), a resolve or purpose, and boulḗ (G1012), a counsel, determination. In both, there is the initiation of one's purpose. In thélēma, however, there is the finalization and the execution of that purpose. The differentiation in the meaning of the two nouns thélēma and boúlēma indicates why the first is used primarily of God and the second is always used of man. When God purposes something, He always has the power to bring it to execution, but man, not necessarily. There is a finality about God's thélēma, but there is not finality in regard to man's boúlēma. Man may determine to do what he may never fulfill.
(V) The only exceptions to the above are in Eph_2:3 where it is in the pl., thelḗmata, referring to the desires of the flesh and of the mind which clearly indicates the sinful desires from which Christ liberates a believer. An unbeliever, on the other hand, is free to consider and accomplish sin.
The same phrase, thélēma sarkós (sárx [G4561], flesh) "the will of the flesh" (a.t.) that we find in Eph_2:3 relating thélēma to the flesh is found in Joh_1:13, which should also be taken as referring to the physical desire of the flesh for the reproductive act. The meaning of this expression induces us to believe that Joh_1:13 should not be linked directly to Joh_1:12 which refers to those who receive Jesus Christ and to whom He gives the right to become the children of God. Observe there is no kaí (G2532), "and," as a connective between verses twelve and thirteen. Joh_1:13 should rather be connected to the Lógos (G3056), the Word of verse one, which is the basic and general subject of this passage, the Word becoming flesh.
The main subject of this entire passage is that the "Word [Lógos {G3056}] . . . became flesh [sárx {G4561}]" (Joh_1:1, Joh_1:14) The flesh of Jesus, however, was different from any other flesh in that it was sinless (Heb_4:15). It was hósios (G3741), sacred, pure, without the inherited sin of Adam (Rom_5:12; Heb_4:15), subject to natural growth (Luk_2:40, Luk_2:52), but not to decomposition and corruption at death (Psa_16:8-11; Act_2:27, Act_2:31; Act_13:35). Jesus therefore took upon Himself a body, fully human (Php_2:6-8), capable of dying and yet incorruptible.
The manner in which this Lógos became flesh must be different than the ordinary manner in which all of us were conceived. Jesus Christ as the God-Man was not conceived out of an ordinary human desire of the flesh (ek [G1537] of, thelḗmatos sarkós [G4561], flesh) but of God. Tertullian was the first to propose that the hós (G3739) who, the relative pron. in the sing. referring to the Lógos, Word (which is also in the sing.), was changed to hoi in the pl. to correspond to hósoi ([G3745], pl.), "as many as" of verse twelve. Because of the proximity of the two verses, it seems quite possible that the scribes who were copying the text changed the hós, who, (referring to ho Lógos, the Word of Joh_1:1) to hoi, which, in the pl. referring to "as many" (hósoi). Therefore they had to change egennḗthē (aor. pass. of gennáō [G1080]) "was born," from the 3d person sing. to egennḗthēsan, the 3d person pl. "were born" to refer to hósoi rather than to the Lógos. If verse thirteen is taken with hós referring to the Word and the verb is egennḗthē, "who [in the sing. referring to the Lógos] was born" (a.t.), then what it states in the body of the verse fully applies to the virgin birth of Jesus Christ who was born not as a result of the interaction of a man with a woman (Mat_1:20, Mat_1:23, Mat_1:25; Luk_1:30, Luk_1:34-35). Jesus was not conceived out of the fleshly desire of a man, resulting in corruption. In Joh_1:13, the expression oudé ek thelḗmatos andrós (oudé [G3761], nor; ek [G1537], of; thélēma, desire; andrós, gen. sing. of anḗr [G435], husband, man) should be translated, "nor of the desire of a husband" (a.t.). The declaration is that the Lógos, Jesus Christ in His preexistence as the Son (Joh_1:12, Joh_1:14, Joh_1:18), became flesh, not because of the desire of the flesh, nor the desire of a husband (since it is usually the husband who initiates the act of reproduction), but of God. Here the word "husband" is used to impress the legitimacy of marriage and human reproduction. The meaning of the previous expression thélēma sarkós, "the will of the flesh," is exactly the same in Eph_2:3, this being one of the exceptions of the use of thélēma, referring not to the will of God but the desire of the flesh of man.
(VI) Another exception to the word thélēma referring especially to man is found in 2Pe_1:21, "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." This verse declares that the true and trustworthy prophecy of 2Pe_1:19 was neither initiated nor brought forth by man. Any such prophecy initiated in the mind of and expounded by man must be considered false prophecy. True prophecy, conceived in the mind of God, was brought forth or executed, not by man, but by the Holy Spirit who prompted holy men of God to speak. It is interesting indeed to realize that the word for "spoke" in Gr. is elálēsan, the aor. of the verb laléō (G2980), to speak. They faithfully reiterated that which was declared to them. See laléō (G2980) as it contrasts with légō (G3004), to speak or express one's thought.
(VII) The word thélēma, with the meaning of fatherly desire for the good of his daughter, is used in 1Co_7:37, "Nevertheless he that standeth steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will (thélēma), and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well." This verse speaks of the determination of a virgin's father for her to stay at home without marrying because it is his will to protect her against an undesirable marriage.
(VIII) In Act_13:22, the word thélēma is used in the pl., thelḗmata, as in Eph_2:3, but in this instance it is used in regard to God and His precepts.
(IX) The corresponding noun boúlēma (G1013), resolve, purpose, is used only in three instances.
(A) First it is used in Act_27:43, where both the verb boúlomai and the subst. boúlēma are found: "But the centurion, willing (boulómenos) to save Paul, kept them from their purpose (boulḗmatos); and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land." This concerned Paul in regard to the shipwrecked boat in which he and others were sailing. The verb expresses the centurion's desire to rescue Paul, and the subst. relates to the determination of the soldiers to kill the prisoners on board. Both the verb and the noun refer to the will or purpose of human beings.
Lengthy eh?
J.
θέλημα
thélēma; gen. thelḗmatos, neut. noun from thélō (G2309), to will. The suffix -ma indicates that it is the result of the will. Will, not to be conceived as a demand, but as an expression or inclination of pleasure towards that which is liked, that which pleases and creates joy. When it denotes God's will, it signifies His gracious disposition toward something. Used to designate what God Himself does of His own good pleasure.
(I) Will, active volition, wish, good pleasure (Mat_26:42; Act_21:14; 1Co_16:12; Eph_5:17; 1Pe_2:15; 1Pe_4:2-3, 1Pe_4:19; 1Jn_5:14); the will of the flesh, carnal desire (Joh_1:13; Sept.: Psa_1:2; Dan_8:4; Dan_11:3).
(II) By metonymy, will, what one wills to do or have done (Mat_7:21; Mat_12:50; Mat_21:31; Mar_3:35; Joh_5:30; Joh_6:38; Act_13:22; Rom_12:2; Eph_6:6; Heb_13:21); the desires of the flesh (Eph_2:3; Sept.: 1Ki_5:8-9; Psa_103:21; Psa_143:10). By implication, will, i.e., purpose, counsel, decree, law (Mat_18:14; Joh_6:39-40; Act_22:14; Heb_10:7, Heb_10:9-10, Heb_10:36). The will of God means the counsels or eternal purposes of God (Mat_6:10; Luk_11:2).
(III) By metonymy, will, the faculty of willing, free will (Luk_23:25; 1Co_7:37; 2Pe_1:21); of God (Eph_1:5, Eph_1:11; 1Pe_3:17).
(IV) In the NT there are two principal verbs indicative of will: thélō (G2309), to will, wish, implying volition and purpose, frequently a determination or execution of that which is desired; and boúlomai (G1014), to wish or will deliberately which expresses more strongly than thélō the deliberate exercise of the will but not necessarily the execution of it. Among the nouns derived from thélō, thélēma refers almost entirely to God, with exceptions in Eph_2:3 (cf. Eph_1:11); 2Pe_1:21. The word is generally sing., but the pl. occurs in Act_13:22; Eph_2:3. In Heb_2:4, thélēsis (G2308) is the act of the will or the process used. The thélēma is that which results from the process of determination. What God determines to do is the result of His thélēsis and it is His thélēma.
There are two corresponding nouns derived from boúlomai (G1014) which means to will deliberately but not necessarily to execute that will. They are boúlēma (G1013), a resolve or purpose, and boulḗ (G1012), a counsel, determination. In both, there is the initiation of one's purpose. In thélēma, however, there is the finalization and the execution of that purpose. The differentiation in the meaning of the two nouns thélēma and boúlēma indicates why the first is used primarily of God and the second is always used of man. When God purposes something, He always has the power to bring it to execution, but man, not necessarily. There is a finality about God's thélēma, but there is not finality in regard to man's boúlēma. Man may determine to do what he may never fulfill.
(V) The only exceptions to the above are in Eph_2:3 where it is in the pl., thelḗmata, referring to the desires of the flesh and of the mind which clearly indicates the sinful desires from which Christ liberates a believer. An unbeliever, on the other hand, is free to consider and accomplish sin.
The same phrase, thélēma sarkós (sárx [G4561], flesh) "the will of the flesh" (a.t.) that we find in Eph_2:3 relating thélēma to the flesh is found in Joh_1:13, which should also be taken as referring to the physical desire of the flesh for the reproductive act. The meaning of this expression induces us to believe that Joh_1:13 should not be linked directly to Joh_1:12 which refers to those who receive Jesus Christ and to whom He gives the right to become the children of God. Observe there is no kaí (G2532), "and," as a connective between verses twelve and thirteen. Joh_1:13 should rather be connected to the Lógos (G3056), the Word of verse one, which is the basic and general subject of this passage, the Word becoming flesh.
The main subject of this entire passage is that the "Word [Lógos {G3056}] . . . became flesh [sárx {G4561}]" (Joh_1:1, Joh_1:14) The flesh of Jesus, however, was different from any other flesh in that it was sinless (Heb_4:15). It was hósios (G3741), sacred, pure, without the inherited sin of Adam (Rom_5:12; Heb_4:15), subject to natural growth (Luk_2:40, Luk_2:52), but not to decomposition and corruption at death (Psa_16:8-11; Act_2:27, Act_2:31; Act_13:35). Jesus therefore took upon Himself a body, fully human (Php_2:6-8), capable of dying and yet incorruptible.
The manner in which this Lógos became flesh must be different than the ordinary manner in which all of us were conceived. Jesus Christ as the God-Man was not conceived out of an ordinary human desire of the flesh (ek [G1537] of, thelḗmatos sarkós [G4561], flesh) but of God. Tertullian was the first to propose that the hós (G3739) who, the relative pron. in the sing. referring to the Lógos, Word (which is also in the sing.), was changed to hoi in the pl. to correspond to hósoi ([G3745], pl.), "as many as" of verse twelve. Because of the proximity of the two verses, it seems quite possible that the scribes who were copying the text changed the hós, who, (referring to ho Lógos, the Word of Joh_1:1) to hoi, which, in the pl. referring to "as many" (hósoi). Therefore they had to change egennḗthē (aor. pass. of gennáō [G1080]) "was born," from the 3d person sing. to egennḗthēsan, the 3d person pl. "were born" to refer to hósoi rather than to the Lógos. If verse thirteen is taken with hós referring to the Word and the verb is egennḗthē, "who [in the sing. referring to the Lógos] was born" (a.t.), then what it states in the body of the verse fully applies to the virgin birth of Jesus Christ who was born not as a result of the interaction of a man with a woman (Mat_1:20, Mat_1:23, Mat_1:25; Luk_1:30, Luk_1:34-35). Jesus was not conceived out of the fleshly desire of a man, resulting in corruption. In Joh_1:13, the expression oudé ek thelḗmatos andrós (oudé [G3761], nor; ek [G1537], of; thélēma, desire; andrós, gen. sing. of anḗr [G435], husband, man) should be translated, "nor of the desire of a husband" (a.t.). The declaration is that the Lógos, Jesus Christ in His preexistence as the Son (Joh_1:12, Joh_1:14, Joh_1:18), became flesh, not because of the desire of the flesh, nor the desire of a husband (since it is usually the husband who initiates the act of reproduction), but of God. Here the word "husband" is used to impress the legitimacy of marriage and human reproduction. The meaning of the previous expression thélēma sarkós, "the will of the flesh," is exactly the same in Eph_2:3, this being one of the exceptions of the use of thélēma, referring not to the will of God but the desire of the flesh of man.
(VI) Another exception to the word thélēma referring especially to man is found in 2Pe_1:21, "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." This verse declares that the true and trustworthy prophecy of 2Pe_1:19 was neither initiated nor brought forth by man. Any such prophecy initiated in the mind of and expounded by man must be considered false prophecy. True prophecy, conceived in the mind of God, was brought forth or executed, not by man, but by the Holy Spirit who prompted holy men of God to speak. It is interesting indeed to realize that the word for "spoke" in Gr. is elálēsan, the aor. of the verb laléō (G2980), to speak. They faithfully reiterated that which was declared to them. See laléō (G2980) as it contrasts with légō (G3004), to speak or express one's thought.
(VII) The word thélēma, with the meaning of fatherly desire for the good of his daughter, is used in 1Co_7:37, "Nevertheless he that standeth steadfast in his heart, having no necessity, but hath power over his own will (thélēma), and hath so decreed in his heart that he will keep his virgin, doeth well." This verse speaks of the determination of a virgin's father for her to stay at home without marrying because it is his will to protect her against an undesirable marriage.
(VIII) In Act_13:22, the word thélēma is used in the pl., thelḗmata, as in Eph_2:3, but in this instance it is used in regard to God and His precepts.
(IX) The corresponding noun boúlēma (G1013), resolve, purpose, is used only in three instances.
(A) First it is used in Act_27:43, where both the verb boúlomai and the subst. boúlēma are found: "But the centurion, willing (boulómenos) to save Paul, kept them from their purpose (boulḗmatos); and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land." This concerned Paul in regard to the shipwrecked boat in which he and others were sailing. The verb expresses the centurion's desire to rescue Paul, and the subst. relates to the determination of the soldiers to kill the prisoners on board. Both the verb and the noun refer to the will or purpose of human beings.
Lengthy eh?
J.
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