Adam:
Red, a
Babylonian word, the generic name for man, having the same meaning in the
Hebrew and the Assyrian languages. It was the name given to the
first man, whose creation, fall, and subsequent history and that of his
descendants are detailed in the first book of Moses (Gen. 1:27-ch. 5).
"God created man [Heb., Adam] in his own image, in the image of God
created he him; male and female created he them." Adam was absolutely the
first man whom God created. He was formed out of the dust of the earth (and hence
his name), and God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and gave him
dominion over all the lower creatures (Gen. 1:26; 2:7). He was placed after his
creation in the Garden of Eden, to cultivate it, and to enjoy its fruits under
this one prohibition: "Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou
shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely
die."
Adam, a type:
The apostle Paul speaks of Adam
as "the figure of him who was to come." On this account our Lord is
sometimes called the second Adam. This typical relation is described in Rom.
5:14-19.
Adultery: conjugal
infidelity. An adulterer was a man who had illicit intercourse with a married
or a betrothed woman, and such a woman was an adulteress. Intercourse between a
married man and an unmarried woman was fornication. Adultery was regarded as a
great social wrong, as well as a great sin.
The Mosaic law (Num. 5:11-31) prescribed that the
suspected wife should be tried by the ordeal of the "water of jealousy."
There is, however, no recorded instance of the application of this law. In
subsequent times the Rabbis made various regulations with the view of
discovering the guilty party, and of bringing about a divorce. It has been
inferred from John 8:1-11 that this sin became very common during the age
preceding the destruction of
Idolatry, covetousness, and apostasy are spoken of as
adultery spiritually (Jer. 3:6, 8, 9; Ezek. 16:32; Hos. 1:2:3; Rev. 2:22). An
apostate church is an adulteress (Isa. 1:21; Ezek. 23:4, 7, 37), and the Jews
are styled "an adulterous generation" (Matt. 12:39). (Comp. Rev. 12.)
Amen:
This Hebrew word means firm, and hence also faithful. It is frequently used by our Savior to give emphasis to His words, where it is translated "verily." It is used as an epithet of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev. 3:14).
Angel:
A word signifying, both in the Hebrew and Greek, a
"messenger," and hence employed to denote any agent God sends forth
to execute His purposes.
The practice of anointing with
perfumed oil was common among the Hebrews and was significant of consecration
to a holy or sacred use; hence the anointing of the high priest (Ex. 29:29;
Lev. 4:3) and of the sacred vessels (Ex. 30:26). The high priest and the king
are thus called "the anointed" (Lev. 4:3, 5, 16; 6:20; Ps. 132:10).
Anointing a king was equivalent to crowning him (1 Sam. 16:13; 2 Sam. 2:4,
etc.). Prophets were also anointed (1 Kings 19:16; 1 Chr. 16:22; Ps. 105:15).
The expression, "anoint the shield" (Isa. 21:5), refers to the custom
of rubbing oil on the leather of the shield so as to make it supple and fit for
use in war.
Anointing was also an act of hospitality and also applied
to the sick to wounds. The bodies of the dead were sometimes anointed. The promised
Deliverer is called the "Anointed" or Messiah (Ps. 2:2; Dan. 9:25,
26), because he was anointed with the Holy Ghost (Isa. 61:1), figuratively
styled the "oil of gladness" (Ps. 45:7; Heb. 1:9). Jesus of Nazareth
is this anointed One, (John 1:41; Acts 9:22; 17:2, 3; 18:5, 28), the Messiah of
the Old Testament.
Apostle:
A person sent by another; a
messenger; envoy. This word is once used as a descriptive designation of Jesus
Christ, the Sent of the Father (Heb. 3:1; John 20:21). It is, however, generally
used as designating the body of disciples to whom he entrusted the organization
of his church and the dissemination of his gospel, "the twelve," as
they are called (Matt. 10:1-5; Mark 3:14; 6:7; Luke 6:13; 9:1). We have four
lists of the apostles, one by each of the synoptic evangelists (Matt. 10:2-4;
Mark 3:16; Luke 6:14), and one in the Acts (1:13). No two of these lists,
however, perfectly coincide.
Ark of the Covenant
The Ark of
the Covenant (or Testimony) was a rectangular box, 2 ½ cubits long x 1 ½ cubits
wide x 1 ½ cubits deep. The
The prince of the angels. (1Thess. 4:16; Jude 1:9)
Astrology- the divination of the supposed influences of the stars and planets on human affairs and terrestrial events by their positions and aspects
Is 47:13
Atonement:
The
meaning of the word is simply at-one-ment, i.e., the state of being at one or
being reconciled, so that atonement is reconciliation. Thus it is used to
denote the effect which flows from the death of Christ. But the word is also
used to denote that by which this reconciliation is brought about, viz., the
death of Christ itself; and when so used it means satisfaction, and in this
sense to make an atonement for one is to make satisfaction for his offences
(Ex. 32:30; Lev. 4:26; 5:16; Num. 6:11), and, as regards the person, to reconcile,
to propitiate God in his behalf.
Baal:
Lord. The name appropriated to the principal male god of the Phoenicians.
Backslide:
To draw back or
apostatize in matters of religion (Acts 21:21;
2 Thess. 2:3; 1 Tim. 4:1). This
may be either partial (Prov. 14:14) or complete (Heb. 6:4-6; 10:38, 39). The
apostasy may be both doctrinal and moral.
Baptism, Christian:
An ordinance immediately
instituted by Christ (Matt. 28:19, 20), and designed to be observed in the
church, like that of the Supper, "till he come."
Bible:
Bible,
the English form of the Greek name Biblia, meaning "books,"
the name which in the fifth century began to be given to the entire collection
of sacred books, the "Library of Divine Revelation." The
name Bible was adopted by
Bishop:
An
overseer. In apostolic times, it is quite manifest that there was
no difference as to order between bishops and elders or presbyters (Acts
20:17-28; 1 Pet. 5:1, 2; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3).
Only in Luke 23:33, the Latin
name Calvaria, which was used as a translation of the Greek word Kranion,
by which the Hebrew word Gulgoleth was interpreted, "the place of a
skull." It probably took this name from its shape, being a hillock or low,
rounded, bare elevation somewhat in the form of a human skull. It is nowhere in
Scripture called a "hill." The crucifixion of our Lord took place
outside the city walls (Heb. 13:11-13) and near the public thoroughfare.
Carnal:
Unconverted men are so called (1 Cor. 3:3). They are
represented as of a "carnal mind, which is enmity against God" (Rom.
8:6, 7).
Charming- possessing or using or characteristic of or appropriate to supernatural powers; "charming incantations"; "magic signs that protect against adverse influence"; "a magical spell"; "'tis now the very witching time of night"- Shakespeare; "wizard wands"; "wizardly powers"
Deut 18:11
Christ:
Anointed, the Greek translation of the Hebrew word
rendered "Messiah", the official title of our Lord, occurring five
hundred and fourteen times in the New Testament. It denotes that he was
anointed or consecrated to his great redemptive work as Prophet, Priest, and
King of his people. He is Jesus the Christ (Acts 17:3; 18:5; Matt. 22:42), the
Anointed One. He is thus spoken of by Isaiah (61:1),
and by Daniel (9:24-26),
who styles him "Messiah the Prince."
Christian:
The name
given by the Greeks or Romans, probably in reproach, to the followers of Jesus. It was
first used at
(Ex. 34:28; Deut. 10:4) The Decalogue,
is a summary of the immutable moral law. These commandments were first given in
their written form to the people of Israel when they were encamped at Sinai,
about fifty days after they came out of Egypt (Ex. 19:10-25). They were written
by the finger of God on two tables of stone. The first tables were broken by
Moses when he brought them down from the mount (Ex. 32:19), being thrown by him
on the ground. At the command of God he took up into the mount two other
tables, and God wrote on them "the words that were on the first
tables" (Ex. 34:1). These tables were afterwards placed in the ark of the
covenant (Deut. 10:5; 1 Kings 8:9). Their subsequent history is unknown. They
are as a whole called "the covenant" (Deut. 4:13), and "the
tables of the covenant" (Deut. 9:9, 11; Heb. 9:4), and "the
testimony."
Fellowship with God (Gen. 18:17-33; Ex. 33:9-11; Num. 12:7, 8),
between Christ and his people (John 14:23),
by the Spirit (2 Cor. 13:14;
Phil. 2:1),
of believers with one another (Eph. 4:1-6). The
Lord's Supper is so called (1 Cor. 10:16, 17), because in it there is
fellowship between Christ and his disciples, and of the disciples with one
another.
The turning of a sinner to God (Acts 15:3).
In a general sense the heathen are said to be "converted" when they
abandon heathenism and embrace the Christian faith; and in a more special sense
men are converted when, by the influence of divine grace in their souls, their
whole life is changed, old things pass away, and all things become new (Acts
26:18). Thus we speak of the conversion of the Philippian jailer (16:19-34), of
Paul (9:1-22), of the Ethiopian treasurer (8:26-40), of Cornelius (10), of
Covenant:
A
contract or agreement between two parties. In the Old Testament the
Hebrew word berith is always thus translated. Berith is derived
from a root which means "to cut," and hence a covenant is a
"cutting," with reference to the cutting or dividing of animals into
two parts, and the contracting parties passing between them, in making a
covenant (Gen. 15; Jer. 34:18, 19).
The corresponding word in the
New Testament Greek is diatheke, which is, however, rendered
"testament" generally in the Authorized Version. It ought to be
rendered, just as the word berith of the Old Testament,
"covenant."
Covetousness:
A strong
desire after the possession of worldly things (Col. 3:5; Eph. 5:5; Heb. 13:5; 1
Tim. 6:9, 10; Matt. 6:20). It assumes sometimes the more
aggravated form of avarice, which is the mark of cold-hearted worldliness.
Creation:
"In the beginning" God created, i.e., called
into being, all things out of nothing. This creative act on the part of God was
absolutely free, and for infinitely wise reasons. The cause of all things
exists only in the will of God. The work of creation is attributed (1) to the
Godhead (Gen. 1:1, 26); (2) to the Father (1 Cor. 8:6); (3) to the Son (John
1:3; Col. 1:16, 17); (4) to the Holy Spirit (Gen. 1:2; Job 26:13; Ps. 104:30).
The fact that he is the Creator distinguishes Jehovah as the true God (Isa.
37:16; 40:12, 13; 54:5; Ps. 96:5; Jer. 10:11, 12). The one great end in the
work of creation is the manifestation of the glory of the Creator (Col. 1:16;
Rev. 4:11; Rom. 11:36). God's works, equally with God's word, are a revelation
from him; and between the teachings of the one and those of the other, when
rightly understood, there can be no contradiction.
Cross:
In the New Testament the
instrument of crucifixion, and hence used for the crucifixion of Christ itself
(Eph. 2:16; Heb. 12:2; 1 Cor. 1:17, 18; Gal. 5:11; 6:12, 14; Phil. 3:18). The
word is also used to denote any severe affliction or trial (Matt. 10:38; 16:24;
Mark 8:34; 10:21).
Crucifixion:
A common
mode of punishment among heathen nations in early times. It is
not certain whether it was known among the ancient Jews; probably it was not.
The modes of capital punishment according to the Mosaic law were, by the sword
(Ex. 21), strangling, fire (Lev. 20), and stoning (Deut. 21).
This was regarded as the most
horrible form of death, and to a Jew it would acquire greater horror from the
curse in Deut. 21:23.
Curse:
Denounced by God against the
serpent (Gen. 3:14), and against Cain (4:11). These divine maledictions carried
their effect with them. Prophetical curses were sometimes pronounced by holy
men (Gen. 9:25; 49:7; Deut. 27:15; Josh. 6:26). Such curses are not the
consequence of passion or revenge, they are predictions.
Day's journey:
The usual length of a day's
journey in the East, on camel or horseback, in six or eight hours, is about 25
or 30 miles. The "three days' journey" mentioned in
Ex. 3:18 is simply a journey which would occupy three days in going and
returning.
Daystar:
Which precedes and accompanies the sun-rising. It is
found only in 2 Pet. 1:19, where it denotes the manifestation of Christ to the
soul, imparting spiritual light and comfort. He is the "bright and morning
star" of Rev. 2:28; 22:16. (Comp. Num. 24:17.)
Deacon:
Anglicized form of the Greek
word diaconos, meaning a "runner," "messenger,"
"servant." For a long period a feeling of mutual jealousy had existed
between the "Hebrews," or Jews proper, who spoke the sacred language
of
Deaconess:
(Rom. 16:1, 3, 12; Phil. 4:2, 3;
1 Tim. 3:11; 5:9, 10; Titus 2:3, 4). In these passages it is evident that
females were then engaged in various Christian ministrations. Pliny makes
mention of them also in his letter to Trajan (A.D. 110).
Devil:
(Gr.
diabolos), a slanderer, the arch-enemy of man's spiritual interest (Job 1:6;
Rev. 2:10; Zech. 3:1). He is called also "the accuser of the
brethren" (Rev. 12:10).
In Lev. 17:7 the word
"devil" is the translation of the Hebrew sair, meaning a
"goat" or "satyr" (Isa. 13:21; 34:14), alluding to the
wood-daemons, the objects of idolatrous worship among the heathen.
In Deut. 32:17 and Ps. 106:37 it
is the translation of Hebrew shed, meaning lord, and idol, regarded by
the Jews as a "demon," as the word is rendered in the Revised
Version.
In the narratives of the Gospels
regarding the "casting out of devils" a different Greek word (daimon)
is used. In the time of our Lord there were frequent cases of demoniacal
possession (Matt. 12:25-30; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 4:35; 10:18, etc.).
Disciple:
A scholar, sometimes applied to
the followers of John the Baptist (Matt. 9:14), and of the Pharisees (22:16),
but principally to the followers of Christ. A disciple of Christ is one who (1)
believes his doctrine, (2) rests on his sacrifice, (3) imbibes his spirit, and
(4) imitates his example (Matt. 10:24; Luke 14:26, 27, 33; John 6:69).
Divination- the art or practice that seeks to
foresee or foretell future events or discover hidden knowledge usually by the
interpretation of omens or by the aid of supernatural powers
Deut
18:14
Divorce
- The dissolution of the marriage tie was regulated by the
Mosaic law (Deut. 24:1-4). The Jews, after the Captivity, were required to
dismiss the foreign women they had married contrary to the law (Ezra 10:11-19).
Christ limited the permission of divorce to the single case of adultery. It
seems that it was not uncommon for the Jews at that time to dissolve the union
on very slight pretences (Matt. 5:31, 32; 19:1-9; Mark 10:2-12; Luke 16:18). These
precepts given by Christ regulate the law of divorce in the Christian Church.
Dispersion - (Gr.
diaspora, "scattered," James 1:1; 1 Pet. 1:1) of the Jews. At various
times, and from the operation of divers causes, the Jews were separated and
scattered into foreign countries "to the outmost parts of heaven"
(Deut. 30:4). From the time of Pompey the Great (B.C. 63) numbers of Jews from
Door-keeper - This
word is used in Ps. 84:10 (R.V. marg., "stand at the threshold of,"
etc.), but there it signifies properly "sitting at the threshold in the
house of God." The psalmist means that he would rather stand at the door
of God's house and merely look in, than dwell in houses where iniquity
prevailed. Persons were appointed to keep the street door leading into the
interior of the house (John 18:16, 17; Acts 12:13). Sometimes females held this
post.
Dove - In their
wild state doves generally build their nests in the clefts of rocks, but when
domesticated "dove-cots" are prepared for them (Cant. 2:14; Jer.
48:28; Isa. 60:8). The dove was placed on the standards of the Assyrians and
Babylonians in honor, it is supposed, of Semiramis (Jer. 25:38; Vulg.,
"fierceness of the dove;" comp. Jer. 46:16; 50:16). Doves and
turtle-doves were the only birds that could be offered in sacrifice, as they
were clean according to the Mosaic law (Ge. 15:9; Lev. 5:7; 12:6; Luke 2:24).
The dove was the harbinger of peace to Noah (Gen. 8:8, 10). It is often
mentioned as the emblem of purity (Ps. 68:13). It is a symbol of the Holy
Spirit (Gen. 1:2; Matt. 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32); also of tender
and devoted affection (Cant. 1:15; 2:14). David in his distress wished that he
had the wings of a dove, that he might fly away and be
at rest (Ps. 55:6-8). There is a species of dove found at
Dross:
The
impurities of silver separated from the one in the process of melting (Prov.
25:4; 26:23; Ps. 119:119). It is also used to denote the base metal itself,
probably before it is smelted, in Isa. 1:22, 25.
Easter:
Originally a Saxon word
(Eostre), denoting a goddess of the Saxons, in honor of whom
sacrifices were offered about the time of the Passover. Hence the name came to
be given to the festival of the Resurrection of Christ, which occurred at the
time of the Passover. In the early English versions this word was frequently
used as the translation of the Greek pascha (the Passover). When the Authorized
Version (1611) was formed, the word "Passover" was used in all
passages in which this word pascha occurred, except in Act 12:4. In the Revised
Version the proper word, "Passover," is always used.
East gate:
(Jer.
19:2), properly the Potter's gate, the gate which led to the potter's field, in
the
Delight. (1.) The garden in which our first parents dwelt (Gen. 2:8-17).
No geographical question has been so much discussed as that bearing on its site.
It has been placed in
The name of Esau, Gen. 25:30,
"Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage [Heb. haadom, haadom,
i.e., 'the red pottage, the red pottage'] ...Therefore was his name called
Election of Grace:
The Scripture speaks (1) of the
election of individuals to office or to honor and privilege, e.g., Abraham,
Jacob, Saul, David, Solomon, were all chosen by God for the positions they
held; so also were the apostles. (2) There is also an election of nations to
special privileges, e.g., the Hebrews (Deut. 7:6;
Men are elected "to salvation," "to the adoption of sons," "to be holy and without blame before him in love" (2 Thess. 2:13; Gal. 4:4, 5; Eph. 1:4). The ultimate end of election is the praise of God's grace (Eph. 1:6, 12).
End:
In Heb. 13:7, is the rendering
of the unusual Greek word ekbasin, meaning "outcome", i.e.,
death. It occurs only elsewhere in 1 Cor. 10:13, where it is rendered
"escape."
Epistles:
The
apostolic letters. The New Testament contains twenty-one in all. They
are divided into two classes. (1.) Paul's Epistles, fourteen in number,
including Hebrews. These are not arranged in the New Testament in the order of
time as to their composition, but rather according to the rank of the cities or
places to which they were sent. Who arranged them after this manner is unknown.
Paul's letters were, as a rule, dictated to an amanuensis, a fact which
accounts for some of their peculiarities. He authenticated them, however, by
adding a few words in his own hand at the close.
Eternal death:
The miserable fate of the wicked
in hell (Matt. 25:46; Mark 3:29; Heb. 6:2; 2 Thess. 1:9; Matt. 18:8; 25:41;
Jude 1:7). The Scripture as clearly teaches the unending duration of the penal
sufferings of the lost as the "everlasting life," the "eternal
life" of the righteous. The same Greek words in the New Testament (aion,
aionios, aidios) are used to express (1) the eternal existence of God (1 Tim.
1:17; Rom. 1:20; 16:26); (2) of Christ (Rev. 1:18); (3) of the Holy Ghost (Heb.
9:14); and (4) the eternal duration of the sufferings of the lost (Matt. 25:46;
Jude 1:6).
Their condition after casting
off the mortal body is spoken of in these expressive words: "Fire that
shall not be quenched" (Mark 9:45, 46), "fire unquenchable"
(Luke 3:17), "the worm that never dies," the "bottomless
pit" (Rev. 9:1), "the smoke of their torment ascending up for ever
and ever" (Rev. 14:10, 11).
The idea that the "second
death" (Rev. 20:14) is in the case of the wicked their absolute
destruction, their annihilation, has not the slightest support from Scripture,
which always represents their future as one of conscious suffering enduring for
ever.
The supposition that God will
ultimately secure the repentance and restoration of all sinners is equally
unscriptural. There is not the slightest trace in all the Scriptures of any
such restoration. Sufferings of themselves have no tendency to purify the soul
from sin or impart spiritual life. The atoning death of Christ and the
sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit are the only means of divine appointment
for bringing men to repentance. Now in the case of them that perish these means
have been rejected, and "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins"
(Heb. 10:26, 27).
Eternal life:
This expression occurs in the
Old Testament only in Dan. 12:2 (R.V., "everlasting life"). It occurs
frequently in the New Testament (Matt. 7:14; 18:8, 9; Luke 10:28; comp. 18:18).
It comprises the whole future of the redeemed (Luke 16:9), and is opposed to
"eternal punishment" (Matt. 19:29; 25:46). It is the final reward and
glory into which the children of God enter (1 Tim. 6:12, 19; Rom. 6:22; Gal.
6:8; 1 Tim. 1:16; Rom. 5:21); their Sabbath of rest (Heb. 4:9; comp. 12:22).
The newness of life which the
believer derives from Christ (
Evangelist:
A
"publisher of glad tidings;" a missionary preacher of the gospel
(Eph. 4:11). This title is applied to Philip (Acts 21:8), who
appears to have gone from city to city preaching the word (8:4, 40). Judging
from the case of Philip, evangelists had neither the authority of an apostle,
nor the gift of prophecy, nor the responsibility of pastoral supervision over a
portion of the flock. They were itinerant preachers, having it as their special
function to carry the gospel to places where it was previously unknown. The
writers of the four Gospels are known as the Evangelists.
Expiation:
Guilt is said to be expiated
when it is visited with punishment falling on a substitute. Expiation is made
for our sins when they are punished not in ourselves
but in another who consents to stand in our room. It is that by which
reconciliation is effected. Sin is thus said to be "covered" by
vicarious satisfaction.
Faith:
Faith is in
general the persuasion of the mind that a certain statement is true. Its
primary idea is trust. It admits of many
degrees up to the full assurance of faith, in accordance with the evidence on
which it rests. “Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
Fall of man:
An expression probably borrowed
from the Apocryphal Book of Wisdom, to express the fact of the revolt of our
first parents from God, and the consequent sin and misery in which they and all
their posterity were involved. The effects of this first sin upon our first
parents themselves were (1) "shame, a sense of degradation and pollution;
(2) dread of the displeasure of God, or a sense of guilt, and the consequent
desire to hide from his presence. These effects were unavoidable. They prove
the loss not only of innocence but of original righteousness, and, with it, of
the favor and fellowship of God. The state therefore to which Adam was reduced
by his disobedience, so far as his subjective condition is concerned, was analogous to that of the fallen angels. He was entirely
and absolutely ruined" (Hodge's Theology).
But the unbelief and
disobedience of our first parents brought not only on themselves this misery
and ruin, it entailed also the same sad consequences on all their descendants.
(1.) The guilt, i.e., liability to punishment, of that sin comes by imputation
upon all men, because all were represented by Adam in the covenant of works. 2.)
Hence,
also, all his descendants inherit a corrupt nature. In all by nature there is
an inherent and prevailing tendency to sin. This universal depravity is taught
by universal experience. All men sin as soon as they are capable of moral
actions. The testimony of the Scriptures to the same effect is most abundant
(Rom. 1; 2; 3:1-19, etc.). (3.) This innate depravity is total: we are by
nature "dead in trespasses and sins," and must be "born
again" before we can enter into the kingdom (John 3:7, etc.). (4.)
Resulting from this "corruption of our whole nature" is our absolute
moral inability to change our nature or to obey the law of God.
Familiar spirit:
Sorcerers or necromancers, who
professed to call up the dead to answer questions, were said to have a
"familiar spirit" (Deut. 18:11; 2 Kings 21:6; 2 Chr. 33:6; Lev.
19:31; 20:6; Isa. 8:19; 29:4). Such a person was called by the Hebrews an 'ob,
which properly means a leathern bottle; for sorcerers were regarded as vessels
containing the inspiring demon. This Hebrew word was equivalent to the pytho of
the Greeks, and was used to denote both the person and the spirit which
possessed him (Lev. 20:27; 1 Sam. 28:8; comp. Acts 16:16). The word
"familiar" is from the Latin familiaris, meaning a "household
servant," and was intended to express the idea that sorcerers had spirits
as their servants ready to obey their commands.
Fear of the Lord, The:
Is in the Old Testament used as
a designation of true piety (Prov. 1:7; Job 28:28; Ps. 19:9). It is a fear
conjoined with love and hope, and is therefore not a slavish dread, but rather
filial reverence. (Comp. Deut. 32:6; Hos. 11:1; Isa. 1:2; 63:16; 64:8.) God is
called "the Fear of Isaac" (Gen. 31:42, 53), i.e., the God whom Isaac
feared. A holy fear is enjoined also in the New Testament as a preventive of carelessness
in religion, and as an incentive to penitence (Matt. 10:28; 2 Cor. 5:11; 7:1;
Phil. 2:12; Eph. 5:21; Heb. 12:28, 29).
Fellowship:
(1.) With God, consisting in the
knowledge of his will (Job 22:21; John 17:3); agreement with his designs (Amos
3:2); mutual affection (Rom. 8: 38, 39); enjoyment of his presence (Ps. 4:6);
conformity to his image (1 John 2:6; 1:6); and participation of his felicity (1
John 1:3, 4; Eph. 3:14-21).
(2.) Of saints with one another,
in duties (Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:1; 1 Thess. 5:17, 18); in ordinances (Heb.
10:25; Acts 2:46); in grace, love, joy, etc. (Mal. 3:16; 2 Cor. 8:4); mutual
interest, spiritual and temporal (Rom. 12:4, 13; Heb. 13:16); in sufferings
(Rom. 15:1, 2; Gal. 6:1, 2; Rom. 12:15; and in glory (Rev. 7:9).
Foreknowledge of God:
Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29; 11:2; 1
Pet. 1:2), one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to him the
full import of which we cannot comprehend. In the most absolute sense his
knowledge is infinite (1 Sam. 23:9-13; Jer. 38:17-23; 42:9-22, Matt. 11:21, 23;
Acts 15:18).
Forerunner:
John the Baptist went before our
Lord in this character (Mark 1:2, 3). Christ so called (Heb. 6:20) as entering
before his people into the holy place as their head and guide.
Forgiveness of sin:
One of the constituent parts of justification. In pardoning sin, God absolves the sinner from the condemnation of the law, and that on account of the work of Christ, i.e., he removes the guilt of sin, or the sinner's actual liability to eternal wrath on account of it. All sins are forgiven freely (Acts 5:31; 13:38; 1 John 1:6-9). The sinner is by this act of grace for ever freed from the guilt and penalty of his sins. This is the peculiar prerogative of God (Ps. 130:4; Mark 2:5). It is offered to all in the gospel.
Genesis:
The five books of Moses were
collectively called the Pentateuch, a word of Greek origin meaning "the
five-fold book." The Jews called them the Torah, i.e., "the
law." It is probable that the division of the Torah into five books proceeded
from the Greek translators of the Old Testament. The names by which these
several books are generally known are Greek. The first book of the Pentateuch is called
by the Jews Bereshith, i.e., "in the beginning", because this is the
first word of the book. It is generally known among Christians by the name of
Genesis, i.e., "creation" or "generation," being the name
given to it in the LXX. as designating its character, because
it gives an account of the origin of all things. It contains, according
to the usual computation, the history of about two thousand three hundred and
sixty-nine years. Genesis is divided into two principal parts. The first part
(1-11) gives a general history of mankind down to the time of the Dispersion.
The second part presents the early history of
There are five principal persons brought in succession under our notice in this book, and around these persons the history of the successive periods is grouped, viz., Adam (1-3), Noah (4-9), Abraham (10-25:18), Isaac (25:19-35:29), and Jacob (36-50). In this book we have several prophecies concerning Christ (3:15; 12:3; 18:18; 22:18; 26:4; 28:14; 49:10). The author of this book was Moses. Under divine guidance he may indeed have been led to make use of materials already existing in primeval documents, or even of traditions in a trustworthy form that had come down to his time, purifying them from all that was unworthy; but the hand of Moses is clearly seen throughout in its composition.
Gehenna:
A deep, narrow glen to the south of
Oil-press, the name of an
olive-yard at the foot of the
Ghost:
An old Saxon word equivalent to soul or spirit. It is
the translation of the Hebrew nephesh_ and the Greek _pneuma, both
meaning "breath," "life," "spirit," the
"living principle" (Job 11:20; Jer. 15:9; Matt. 27:50; John 19:30).
The expression "to give up the ghost" means to die (Lam. 1:19; Gen.
25:17; 35:29; 49:33; Job 3:11).
Glorify - (1.) To
make glorious, or cause so to appear (John 12:28; 13:31, 32; 17:4,5). (2.) Spoken of God to "shew forth his praise"
(1 Cor. 6:20; 10:31).
God:
(A.S.
and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the
Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew 'El, from a
word meaning to be strong; (2) of 'Eloah_, plural _'Elohim. The singular
form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly
used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah, the only other word
generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the
Authorized Version by "LORD," printed in small capitals. The
existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any
argument to prove it. He who disbelieves this truth is spoken of as one devoid
of understanding (Ps. 14:1).
Godhead:
(Acts 17:29; Rom. 1:20; Col.
2:9), the essential being or the nature of God.
Godliness:
The
whole of practical piety (1 Tim. 4:8; 2 Pet. 1:6).
"It supposes knowledge, veneration, affection, dependence, submission,
gratitude, and obedience." In 1 Tim. 3:16 it denotes the substance of
revealed religion.
The
common name of the spot where Jesus was crucified. It is
interpreted by the evangelists as meaning "the place of a skull"
(Matt. 27:33; Mark 15:22; John 19:17). This name represents in Greek letters
the Aramaic word Gulgaltha, which is the Hebrew Gulgoleth (Num. 1:2; 1 Chr.
23:3, 24; 2 Kings 9:35), meaning "a skull." It is identical with the
word
Goodness of God:
A
perfection of his character which he exercises towards his creatures according
to their various circumstances and relations (Ps. 145:8, 9; 103:8; 1 John 4:8). Viewed
generally, it is benevolence; as exercised with respect to the miseries of his
creatures it is mercy, pity, compassion, and in the case of impenitent sinners,
long-suffering patience; as exercised in communicating favor on the unworthy it
is grace. "Goodness and justice are the several aspects of
one unchangeable, infinitely wise, and sovereign moral perfection. God
is not sometimes merciful and sometimes just, but he is eternally infinitely
just and merciful." God is infinitely and unchangeably good (Zeph. 3:17),
and his goodness is incomprehensible by the finite mind (Rom. 11: 35, 36).
"God's goodness appears in two things, giving and forgiving."
Gospel:
A word of Anglo-Saxon origin,
and meaning "God's spell", i.e., word of God, or rather, according to
others, "good spell", i.e., good news. It is the rendering of the
Greek evangelion, i.e., "good message." It denotes (1)
"the welcome intelligence of salvation to man as preached by our Lord and
his followers. (2.) It was afterwards transitively applied to each of the four
histories of our Lord's life, published by those who are therefore called
'Evangelists', writers of the history of the gospel (the evangelion). (3.) The
term is often used to express collectively the gospel doctrines; and 'preaching
the gospel' is often used to include not only the proclaiming of the good
tidings, but the teaching men how to avail themselves of the offer of
salvation, the declaring of all the truths, precepts, promises, and
threatenings of Christianity." It is termed "the gospel of the grace
of God" (Acts 20:24), "the gospel of the kingdom" (Matt. 4:23),
"the gospel of Christ" (Rom. 1:16), "the gospel of peace (Eph.
6:15), "the glorious gospel," "the everlasting gospel,"
"the gospel of salvation" (Eph. 1:13).
Grace:
(1.) Of
form or person (Prov. 1:9; 3:22; Ps. 45:2). (2.)
Favor, kindness, friendship (Gen. 6:8; 18:3; 19:19; 2 Tim. 1:9). (3.) God's
forgiving mercy (Rom. 11:6; Eph. 2:5). (4.) The gospel as distinguished from
the law (John 1:17; Rom. 6:14; 1 Pet. 5:12). (5.) Gifts freely bestowed by God;
as miracles, prophecy, tongues (Rom. 15:15; 1 Cor. 15:10; Eph. 3:8). (6.)
Christian virtues (2 Cor. 8:7; 2 Pet. 3:18). (7.) The glory hereafter to be
revealed (1 Pet. 1:13).
The process of inoculating fruit-trees (Rom. 11:17-24). It is
peculiarly appropriate to olive-trees. The union thus of branches to a stem is
used to illustrate the union of true believers to the true Church.
Graven image:
Deut. 27:15; Ps. 97:7 (Heb.
pesel), refers to the household gods of idolaters. "Every nation and city
had its own gods...Yet every family had its separate household or tutelary
god."
Hades:
That which is out of sight, a Greek word used to
denote the state or place of the dead. All the dead alike go
into this place. To be buried, to go down to the grave, to descend into hades,
are equivalent expressions.
Hall of Hewn Stones:
The
building in which the Sanhedrin met. It is thought to have been built into the
north wall of the
Hallelujah:
Praise ye Jehovah, frequently
rendered "Praise ye the LORD," stands at the beginning of ten of the
psalms (106, 111-113, 135, 146-150), hence called "hallelujah
psalms." From its frequent occurrence it grew into a formula of praise.
The Greek form of the word (alleluia) is found in Rev. 19:1, 3, 4, 6.
Hallow:
To
render sacred, to consecrate (Ex. 28:38; 29:1). This
word is from the Saxon, and properly means "to make holy." The name
of God is "hallowed", i.e., is reverenced as holy (Matt. 6:9).
Heart:
According to the Bible, the
heart is the center not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations
of human life. "Heart" and "soul" are often used
interchangeably (Deut. 6:5; 26:16; comp. Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33), but this
is not generally the case. The heart is the "home of the personal
life," and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1
Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8, etc.), upright and righteous
(Gen. 20:5, 6; Ps. 11:2; 78:72), pious and good (Luke 8:15), etc. In these and
such passages the word "soul" could not be substituted for
"heart." The heart is also the seat of the conscience (Rom. 2:15). It
is naturally wicked (Gen. 8:21), and hence it contaminates the whole life and
character (Matt. 12:34; 15:18; comp. Eccl. 8:11; Ps. 73:7). Hence the heart
must be changed, regenerated (Ezek. 36:26; 11:19; Ps. 51:10-14), before a man
can willingly obey God. The process of salvation begins in the heart by the
believing reception of the testimony of God, while the rejection of that
testimony hardens the heart (Ps. 95:8; Prov. 28:14; 2 Chr. 36:13).
"Hardness of heart evidences itself by light views of sin; partial
acknowledgment and confession of it; pride and conceit; ingratitude; unconcern
about the word and ordinances of God; inattention to divine providences;
stifling convictions of conscience; shunning reproof; presumption, and general
ignorance of divine things."
Heaven:
The phrase "heaven and
earth" is used to indicate the whole universe (Gen. 1:1; Jer. 23:24; Acts
17:24). Spiritual meaning: The place of
the everlasting blessedness of the righteous; the abode of departed spirits.
(Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 12:4; Rev. 2:7). In heaven the blessedness of the righteous
consists in the possession of "life everlasting," "an eternal
weight of glory" (2 Cor. 4:17), an exemption from all sufferings for ever,
a deliverance from all evils (2 Cor. 5:1, 2) and from the society of the wicked
(2 Tim. 4:18), bliss without termination, the "fulness of joy" for
ever (Luke 20:36; 2 Cor. 4:16, 18; 1 Pet. 1:4; 5:10; 1 John 3:2). The
believer's heaven is not only a state of everlasting blessedness, but also a
"place", a place "prepared" for them (John 14:2).
Hell:
Derived from the Saxon helan, to
cover; hence the covered or the invisible place. In Scripture there are three
words so rendered: Sheol, Hades, and Gehenna. In thirty-one cases in the
Authorized Version this word is rendered "hell," the place of
disembodied spirits.
Holiness:
In the highest sense belongs to
God (Isa. 6:3; Rev. 15:4), and to Christians as consecrated to God's service,
and in so far as they are conformed in all things to the will of God (Rom.
6:19, 22; Eph. 1:4; Titus 1:8; 1 Pet. 1:15). Personal holiness is a work of
gradual development. It is carried on under many hindrances, hence the frequent
admonitions to watchfulness, prayer, and perseverance (1 Cor. 1:30; 2 Cor. 7:1;
Eph. 4:23, 24).
Holy of holies:
The second or interior portion of the tabernacle. It was left in total darkness. No one was permitted to enter it except the high priest, and that only once a year. It contained the ark of the covenant only (Ex. 25:10-16). It was in the form of a perfect cube of 20 cubits.
Holy place:
one of the two portions into
which the tabernacle was divided (Ex. 26:31; 37:17-25; Heb. 9:2). It was 20
cubits long and 10 in height and breadth. It was
illuminated by the golden candlestick, as it had no opening to admit the light.
It contained the table of showbread (Ex. 25:23-29) and the golden altar of
incense (30:1-11). It was divided from the holy of holies by a veil of the most
costly materials and the brightest colors.
Holy Spirit:
The
third Person of the Trinity. His personality is proved (1)
from the fact that the attributes of personality, as intelligence and volition,
are ascribed to him (John 14:17, 26; 15:26; 1 Cor. 2:10, 11; 12:11). He
reproves, helps, glorifies, intercedes (John 16:7-13;
Rom. 8:26). (2) He executes the offices peculiar only to a person. The very
nature of these offices involves personal distinction (Luke 12:12; Acts 5:32;
15:28; 16:6; 28:25; 1 Cor. 2:13; Heb. 2:4; 3:7; 2 Pet. 1:21).
His divinity is established (1)
from the fact that the names of God are ascribed to him (Ex. 17:7; Ps. 95:7;
comp. Heb. 3:7-11); and (2) that divine attributes are also ascribed to him,
omnipresence (Ps. 139:7; Eph. 2:17, 18; 1 Cor. 12:13); omniscience (1 Cor.
2:10, 11); omnipotence (Luke 1:35; Rom. 8:11); eternity (Heb. 9:4). (3)
Creation is ascribed to him (Gen. 1:2; Job 26:13; Ps. 104:30), and the working
of miracles (Matt. 12:28; 1 Cor. 12:9-11). (4) Worship is required and ascribed
to him (Isa. 6:3; Acts 28:25;
Hope:
One of
the three main elements of Christian character (1 Cor. 13:13). It is
joined to faith and love, and is opposed to seeing or possessing (Rom. 8:24; 1
John 3:2). "Hope is an essential and fundamental element of Christian
life, so essential indeed, that, like faith and love, it can itself designate
the essence of Christianity (1 Pet. 3:15; Heb. 10:23). In it the whole glory of
the Christian vocation is centered (Eph. 1:18; 4:4)." Unbelievers are
without this hope (Eph. 2:12; 1 Thess. 4:13). Christ is the actual object of
the believer's hope, because it is in his second coming that the hope of glory
will be fulfilled (1 Tim. 1:1; Col. 1:27; Titus 2:13). It is spoken of as
"lively", i.e., a living, hope, a hope not frail and perishable, but
having a perennial life (1 Pet. 1:3). In Rom. 5:2 the "hope" spoken
of is probably objective, i.e., "the hope set before us," namely,
eternal life (comp. 12:12). In 1 John 3:3 the expression "hope in
him" ought rather to be, as in the Revised Version, "hope on
him," i.e., a hope based on God.
Hosanna - Save
now! or Save, we beseech, (Matt. 21:9). This was a customary form of
acclamation at the feast of Tabernacles. (Comp. Ps. 118:25.)
Host of heaven - The sun,
moon, and stars are so designated (Gen. 2:1). When the Jews fell into idolatry
they worshipped these (Deut. 4:19; 2 Kings 17:16; 21:3,5;
23:5; Jer. 19:13; Zeph. 1:5; Acts 7:42).
Husbandman:
One whose business it is to
cultivate the ground. It was one of the first occupations, and was esteemed
most honorable (Gen. 9:20; 26:12, 14; 37:7, etc.). All the Hebrews, except
those engaged in religious services, were husbandmen.
Hymn:
Occurs only Eph. 5:19 and Col.
3:16. The verb to "sing an hymn" occurs
Matt. 26:30 and Mark 14:26. The same Greek word is rendered to "sing
praises" Acts 16:25 (R.V., "sing hymns") and Heb. 2:12. The
"hymn" which our Lord sang with his disciples at the last Supper is
generally supposed to have been the latter part of the Hallel, comprehending
Ps. 113-118. It was thus a name given to a number of psalms taken together and
forming a devotional exercise.
The noun hymn is used only with
reference to the services of the Greeks, and was distinguished from the psalm.
The Greek tunes required Greek hymns. Our information regarding the hymnology
of the early Christians is very limited.
Hypocrite:
One who
puts on a mask and feigns himself to be what he is not; a dissembler in
religion. Our Lord severely rebuked the scribes and Pharisees for
their hypocrisy (Matt. 6:2, 5, 16). "The hypocrite's hope shall
perish" (Job 8:13). The Hebrew word here rendered "hypocrite"
rather means the "godless" or "profane," as it is rendered
in Jer. 23:11, i.e., polluted with crimes.
Idolatry:
Image-worship or divine honor
paid to any created object. Paul describes the origin of idolatry in Rom.
1:21-25: men forsook God, and sank into ignorance and moral corruption (1:28).
Incarnation:
That
act of grace whereby Christ took our human nature into union with his Divine Person, became man. Christ is both God and man. Human
attributes and actions are predicated of him, and he of whom they are
predicated is God. A Divine Person was united to a human nature (Acts 20:28;
Rom. 8:32; 1 Cor. 2:8; Heb. 2:11-14; 1 Tim. 3:16; Gal. 4:4, etc.). The union is
hypostatical, i.e., is personal; the two natures are not mixed or confounded,
and it is perpetual.
Intercession
of Christ:
Christ's
priestly office consists of these two parts, (1) the offering up of himself as
a sacrifice, and (2) making continual intercession for us.
When
on earth he made intercession for his people (Luke 23:34; John 17:20; Heb.
5:7); but now he exercises this function of his priesthood in heaven, where he
is said to appear in the presence of God for us (Heb. 9:12,24).
His
advocacy with the Father for his people rests on the basis of his own
all-perfect sacrifice. Thus he pleads for and obtains the fulfillment of all
the promises of the everlasting covenant (1 John 2:1; John 17:24; Heb. 7:25).
He can be "touched with the feeling of our infirmities," and is both
a merciful and a faithful high priest (Heb. 2:17, 18; 4:15, 16). This
intercession is an essential part of his mediatorial work. Through him we have
"access" to the Father (John 14:6; Eph. 2:18; 3:12). "The communion of his people with the Father will ever be
sustained through him as mediatorial Priest" (Ps. 110:4; Rev. 7:17).
Intercession of the Spirit:
(Rom. 8:26, 27; John 14:26).
"Christ is a royal Priest (Zech. 6:13). From the same throne, as King, he
dispenses his Spirit to all the objects of his care, while as Priest he
intercedes for them. The Spirit acts for him, taking only of his things. They
both act with one consent, Christ as principal, the
Spirit as his agent. Christ intercedes for us, without us, as our advocate in
heaven, according to the provisions of the everlasting covenant. The Holy
Spirit works upon our minds and hearts, enlightening and quickening, and thus
determining our desires 'according to the will of God,' as our advocate within
us. The work of the one is complementary to that of the other, and together
they form a complete whole.", Hodge's Outlines of
Theology.
Jew:
The name derived from the
patriarch Judah, at first given to one belonging to the tribe of Judah or to
the separate kingdom of Judah (2 Kings 16:6; 25:25; Jer. 32:12; 38:19; 40:11;
41:3), in contradistinction from those belonging to the kingdom of the ten
tribes, who were called Israelites.
During the Captivity, and after
the Restoration, the name, however, was extended to all the
Hebrew nation without distinction (Esther 3:6, 10; Dan. 3:8, 12; Ezra 4:12;
5:1, 5).
Originally this people were
called Hebrews (Gen. 39:14; 40:15; Ex. 2:7; 3:18; 5:3; 1 Sam. 4:6, 9, etc.),
but after the Exile this name fell into disuse. But Paul was styled a Hebrew (2
Cor. 11:22; Phil. 3:5).
Justification:
The judicial act of God, by
which he pardons all the sins of those who believe in Christ, and accounts,
accepts, and treats them as righteous in the eye of the law, i.e., as conformed
to all its demands. In addition to the pardon of sin, justification declares
that all the claims of the law are satisfied in respect of the justified. It is
the act of a judge and not of a sovereign. The law is not relaxed or set-aside,
but is declared to be fulfilled in the strictest sense; and so the person
justified is declared to be entitled to all the advantages and rewards arising
from perfect obedience to the law (
(Matt. 6:33; Mark 1:14, 15; Luke 4:43) = "kingdom of
Christ" (Matt. 13:41; 20:21) = "kingdom of Christ and of God"
(Eph. 5:5) = "kingdom of David" (Mark 11:10) = "the
kingdom" (Matt. 8:12; 13:19) = "kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 3:2;
4:17; 13:41), all denote the same thing under different aspects, viz.: (1) Christ's
mediatorial authority, or his rule on the earth; (2) the blessings and
advantages of all kinds that flow from this rule; (3) the subjects of this
kingdom taken collectively, or the Church.
Kinsman:
Heb.
goel, from root meaning to redeem. The goel among the Hebrews was
the nearest male blood relation alive. Certain important obligations devolved
upon him toward his next of kin. (1.) If any one from poverty was unable to
redeem his inheritance, it was the duty of the kinsman to redeem it (Lev. 25:25,28; Ruth 3:9, 12). He was also required to redeem his
relation who had sold himself into slavery (Lev. 25:48, 49). God is the Goel of
his people because he redeems them (Ex. 6:6; Isa. 43:1; 41:14; 44:6, 22; 48:20;
Ps. 103:4; Job 19:25, etc.). (2.) The goel also was the avenger of blood (Num. 35:21) in the case of
the murder of the next of kin.
Law:
A rule
of action. (1.) The Law of Nature is the will of God as to human
conduct, founded on the moral difference of things, and discoverable by natural
light (Rom. 1:20; 2:14, 15). This law binds all men at all times. It is
generally designated by the term conscience, or the capacity of being
influenced by the moral relations of things. (2.) The Ceremonial Law prescribes
under the Old Testament the rites and ceremonies of worship. This law was obligatory
only till Christ, of whom these rites were typical, had finished his work (Heb.
7:9, 11; 10:1; Eph. 2:16). It was fulfilled rather than abrogated by the
gospel. (3.) The Judicial Law, the law that directed the civil policy of the
Hebrew nation. (4.) The Moral Law is the revealed will of God as to human
conduct, binding on all men to the end of time. It was promulgated at Sinai. It
is perfect (Ps. 19:7), perpetual (Matt. 5:17, 18), holy (Rom. 7:12), good,
spiritual (14), and exceeding broad (Ps. 119:96). Although binding on all, we
are not under it as a covenant of works (Gal. 3:17). (5.) Positive Laws are
precepts founded only on the will of God. They are right because God commands
them. (6.) Moral positive laws are commanded by God because they are right.
Law of Moses:
Is the whole body of the Mosaic
legislation (1 Kings 2:3; 2 Kings 23:25; Ezra 3:2). It is called by way of
eminence simply "the Law" (Heb. Torah, Deut. 1:5; 4:8, 44; 17:18, 19;
27:3, 8). As a written code it is called the "book of the law of
Moses" (2 Kings 14:6; Isa. 8:20), the "book of the law of God"
(Josh. 24:26). The great leading principle of the Mosaic law is that it is
essentially theocratic; i.e., it refers at once to the commandment of God as
the foundation of all human duty.
Leaven:
(1.)
Heb. seor (Ex. 12:15, 19; 13:7; Lev. 2:11), the remnant of dough from the
preceding baking that had fermented and become acid.
(2.) Heb. hamets, properly
"ferment." In Num. 6:3, "vinegar of wine" is more correctly
"fermented wine." In Ex. 13:7, the proper rendering would be,
"Unfermented things [Heb. matstsoth] shall be consumed during the seven
days; and there shall not be seen with thee fermented things [hamets], and
there shall not be seen with thee leavened mass [seor] in all thy borders."
The chemical definition of ferment or yeast is "a substance in a state of
putrefaction, the atoms of which are in a continual motion." The use of
leaven was strictly forbidden in all offerings made to the Lord by fire (Lev.
2:11; 7:12; 8:2; Num. 6:15). Its secretly penetrating and diffusive power is
referred to in 1 Cor. 5:6. In this respect it is used to illustrate the growth
of the kingdom of heaven both in the individual heart and in the world (Matt.
13:33). It is a figure also of corruptness and of perverseness of heart and
life (Matt. 16:6, 11; Mark 8:15; 1 Cor. 5:7, 8).
Lewdness:
(Acts 18:14), villany or wickedness, not lewdness in the
modern sense of the word. The word "lewd" is from the Saxon, and
means properly "ignorant," "unlearned," and hence low,
vicious (Acts 17:5).
Light:
The offspring of the divine
command (Gen. 1:3). "All the more joyous emotions of the mind, all the
pleasing sensations of the frame, all the happy hours of domestic intercourse
were habitually described among the Hebrews under imagery derived from
light" (1 Kings 11:36; Isa. 58:8; Esther 8:16; Ps. 97:11). Light came also
naturally to typify true religion and the felicity it imparts (Ps. 119:105;
Isa. 8:20; Matt. 4:16, etc.), and the glorious inheritance of the redeemed
(Col. 1:12; Rev. 21:23-25). God is said to dwell in light inaccessible (1 Tim.
6:16). It frequently signifies instruction (Matt. 5:16; John 5:35). In its
highest sense it is applied to Christ as the "Sun of righteousness"
(Mal. 4:2; Luke 2:32; John 1:7-9). God is styled "the Father of
lights" (James 1:17). It is used of angels (2 Cor. 11:14), and of John the
Baptist, who was a "burning and a shining light" (John 5:35), and of
all true disciples, who are styled "the light of the world" (Matt.
5:14).
Lord's day:
Only once, in Rev. 1:10, was in
the early Christian ages used to denote the first day of the week, which
commemorated the Lord's resurrection. There is every reason to conclude that
John thus used the name.
Lord's Prayer:
The name given to the only form
of prayer Christ taught his disciples (Matt. 6:9-13). The closing doxology of
the prayer is omitted by Luke (11:2-4), also in the R.V. of Matt. 6:13. This
prayer contains no allusion to the atonement of Christ, nor
to the offices of the Holy Spirit. "All Christian prayer is based on the
Lord's Prayer, but its spirit is also guided by that of His prayer in
Lord's Supper:
(1 Cor. 11:20), called also "the Lord's table" (10:21), "communion," "cup of blessing" (10:16), and "breaking of bread" (Acts 2:42). In the early Church it was called also "eucharist," or giving of thanks (comp. Matt. 26:27), and generally by the Latin Church "mass," a name derived from the formula of dismission, Ite, missa est, i.e., "Go, it is discharged." The account of the institution of this ordinance is given in Matt. 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:19, 20, and 1 Cor. 11:24-26. It is not mentioned by John. It was designed, (1.) To commemorate the death of Christ: "