This thread is about the meaning of G4400, Procheirzo; and this compound word presents the idea of the hand of God choosing someone beforehand for His purpose. So “grasping beforehand” or choose someone beforehand seems to be the literal meaning. To leave "pro" meaning beforehand out of the translation hides the full message of God, or so I believe.
Lets look at the usage of this word in scripture:
Acts 3:20, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you,
Here, the predetermined nature of the selection is hidden, but a literal translation, “the Christ chosen beforehand for you" presents the full message of God.
Acts 22:14, And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.
Again, The God of our fathers has chosen beforehand for you to know… preserves the predetermined aspect of the word.
Acts 26:16 But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;
And once again, “to reveal that you were chosen beforehand to be a minister and a witness … presents the full meaning of our word.
Thus, before creation, the Second Person of the Trinity was chosen to be the Lamb of God, the Redeemer, and this fact is presented in Acts 3:20. In Acts 22:14 we see God chose beforehand to let Paul know His will. And in Acts 26:16 God is carrying out that revelation.
Lets look at the usage of this word in scripture:
Acts 3:20, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you,
Here, the predetermined nature of the selection is hidden, but a literal translation, “the Christ chosen beforehand for you" presents the full message of God.
Acts 22:14, And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth.
Again, The God of our fathers has chosen beforehand for you to know… preserves the predetermined aspect of the word.
Acts 26:16 But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you;
And once again, “to reveal that you were chosen beforehand to be a minister and a witness … presents the full meaning of our word.
Thus, before creation, the Second Person of the Trinity was chosen to be the Lamb of God, the Redeemer, and this fact is presented in Acts 3:20. In Acts 22:14 we see God chose beforehand to let Paul know His will. And in Acts 26:16 God is carrying out that revelation.