Posts Tagged ‘terminology’
What is the difference between a Greek and a Gentile?
Question: Can someone help me understand who is referred to when the Bible speaks of a Greek and Gentile? For instance, Timothy’s father was Greek. Does that mean he was a Gentile? And Paul said in Romans 1, “It is the power of God … to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Is…
Read MoreHow can we be children of God and slaves of God at the same time?
Question: I have been struggling with the concept of “children of God.” I understand we are made children of God when we becoming Christians, yet we are bondservants to God and Christ — we are servants. I was wondering when it refers to us being children of God, is it a general reference like the…
Read MoreAn Urgent Need to Study
Text: II Timothy 2:8-19 I. It is fascinating to read well crafted prose or poetry. With just a few words, the author can communicate not only a message, but even a mood. A. Individual words are not flat. Even synonyms carry subtle differences in meaning. B. And the idea is not restricted to the English language. Languages…
Read MoreWhat did Jesus mean by “eat my flesh and drink my blood?”
Question: I would like to know in John 6:53-56 what does Jesus mean by “eat my flesh and drink my blood”? What do flesh and blood represent here? Answer: The statement is found in a discourse recorded in John 6. In the context, Jesus had feed over 5,000 people miraculously and this created a crowd…
Read MorePlease explain the “baptism of fire”
Question: Please explain the “baptism of fire.” Thank you. Answer: The concept of a baptism of fire comes from a statement made by John the Baptist. “And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the…
Read MoreWhat is meant when Paul said we are by nature children of wrath?
Question: In Ephesians 2:3 it talks about by nature we are children of wrath, My own opinion is that it’s referring not to children, which is plain and clear, but to people who have already sinned. I’m trying to get this point across to my friend, but he believes in a sin nature and says…
Read MoreGospel, Word, Truth, Seed, Doctrine
by Carl A. Allen The denominational world has tried to seek unity by teaching we are to believe the Gospel and not enforce “doctrine.” According to them we should not divide over baptism, the Lord’s Supper, instruments of music, tithing, marriage, and divorce, etc. because all of this falls into “doctrine,” and we have no…
Read MoreWhat are a jot and a tittle?
Question: In Matthew 5: 17-18, it says, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till…
Read MoreWhat does “Who is Abimelech, and who is Shechem?” mean?
Question: I am teaching the book of Judges this evening and am not sure about one thing I read in 9:28 and hope you can help me. It is my understanding that Shechem is a city. This is a figure of speech called metonymy – where one thing represents another. Examples: I have 300 head…
Read MoreOnce for All
by Billy Norris via Gospel Guide, Vol. 27, No. 12, December 1995 “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints…” (Jude 3). The original…
Read MoreWhat does “gnashing of teeth” refer to?
Question: I hope you are doing well. I really like your new look on your web site, and the convenience it offers. Great work! Thanks, it makes it easier to navigate. I have a question about something that Jesus said more than once, usually (I think) during the telling of parables. It concerns passages in…
Read MoreDoes regeneration and being born again mean the same thing?
Question: Does regeneration and being born again mean the same thing? Answer: “But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom…
Read MoreNotes on the Words and Terms Used In Our Songs
by Roger and Becky Williams -A- Abba – Aramaic for father; Mark 14:36 abhor – to shrink away from with disgust abide – to continue to stay; remain; wait abode – a dwelling place; home acclamation – strong approval or loud applause accord – being in agreement; harmony adoration – devoted love, respect, and honor…
Read MoreIs the commandment “You shall not kill” or “You shall not murder”?
Question: Is the commandment “You shall not kill” or “You shall not murder”? Answer: The Hebrew word in Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17 is ratsach. It is not the commonly used words for killing, which are haragh (to slay) and muth (to die). Ratsach is most frequently used in Numbers 35 where rules are given to determine if the death of a…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between a revival and a Gospel meeting?
Question: What is the difference between having a “revival” and a “Gospel meeting?” Answer: Depending on who you talk to the answer can range from not much too quite a bit. One definition of a revival is “an evangelistic meeting intended to reawaken interest in religion.” Where a Gospel meeting focuses on teaching some aspect…
Read MoreWhat does personal accountability mean?
Question: What does the term personal accountability mean? Answer: The phrase is not used in the Bible, but we sometimes speak about our personal accountability before God. By this, we are referring to the fact that each one of us must give an account to God regarding the things we personally have done. “So then…
Read MoreDoes Psalm 58:3 show that at least some children are born sinful?
Question: Psalms 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. I looked up in one concordance what “estranged” means: to be strange, be a stranger (Qal) to become estranged strange, another, stranger, foreigner, an enemy (participle) loathsome (of breath) (participle) strange woman, prostitute, harlot…
Read MoreCan you explain what it means that the sins of the fathers are put on the children?
Question: I found the passages that relate to the sins of the father, maybe you can give me a view on what they mean. I see how people can make their case, but let me know what it all means, or if needed, put it into context. “You shall not worship them or serve them;…
Read MoreCould you explain the phrase, “consider the lilies?”
Question: Please explain to me exactly what Jesus meant when He said, “Consider the lilies.” Thank you. Answer: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where…
Read MoreWhat is the law in Romans 7?
Question: I would like to ask what is the “law” which Paul was referring to in Romans 7:14-25. Thank you. Answer: The Bible speaks of many different types of laws, so we need to examine the context to see what law is being discussed. Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those…
Read MoreWhat is the eternal covenant?
Question: What is the eternal covenant? What is the difference from other covenants? Answer: “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between being saved and delivered?
Question: What is the difference between being saved (rededicated) and delivered? Answer: In the Scriptures there is little difference between being saved and being delivered; though being saved generally focuses on the person being rescued and being delivered focuses on the person doing the rescue. The term “rededicated” is not found in the Bible. The…
Read MoreWhat does the word “perfect” mean in I Corinthians 13:10?
Question: Regarding speaking in tongues, in the verse that says “when that which is perfect is come,” what does the word “perfect” mean in Greek? Answer: “Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know…
Read MoreWhy is there a “-;” in Exodus 32:32?
Question: First, this is a wonderful website, I have really enjoyed the information I have read and look forward to reading more. My question: What is the meaning of the dash and semicolon in Exodus 32:32? I heard it preached once as “the word Moses could not say” with a further explanation that the word…
Read MoreDoes “Jehovah” always refer to the Father?
Question: Does Jehovah always refer to the Father? It occurred to me that it might also refer to the Godhead in its fullness. Does anyone know and if so, how can we know? What biblical evidence is there for this? Answer: This is really hard to prove since Young’s Literal Translation uses the word Jehovah…
Read MoreDoes “disciple” refer to the apostles or all of Jesus’ followers?
Question: When the scriptures speak of “the disciples” or “his disciples,” how can we know if the apostles are meant? Answer: The only way to tell is to look at the context of how the word is used and even then that is not a guarantee. Obviously, if they are named or if it refers…
Read MoreWhat does lasciviousness mean?
Question: What does lasciviousness mean? And does it speak clearly in the Bible about homosexuality? Answer: Lasciviousness, licentiousness, lewdness, or sensuality, depending on the translation of your Bible, means being wanton, lewd, or lustful. William Barclay described it as “a love of sin so reckless and so audacious that a man has ceased to care…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between a birthright and a blessing as in the story of Esau and Jacob?
Question: What is the difference between a birth right and a blessing as in the story of Esau and Jacob? Answer: Birthright: A birthright referred to a person’s inheritance. For most of the world’s history, the firstborn child of a family would receive an extra inheritance from his father. What would happen is that when…
Read MoreWhat did Jesus mean by “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me”?
Question: When Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me. What was he really saying? Answer: “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Peter states basically…
Read MoreDid the disciples receive the Holy Spirit at the last supper or on Pentecost?
Question: A question about John 20:22: “And when he had said this, he breathed on [them], and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” Did the Apostles receive the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost or at this time? Or was Jesus speaking in the future tense corresponding with the other Scriptures? The…
Read MoreAren’t Acts 2:38 and Matthew 26:28 different in some Greek texts?
Question: I read your Acts 2:38 in comparison to Matthew 26:28. Problem is the King James version agrees it’s the same in Greek, but the Nestle makes it more personal where it could read “for the remission of your sins”. Even though I don’t think that matters because it makes it more personal with the…
Read MoreIs the church or Israel the bride of Christ?
Question: Is the church or Israel the bride of Christ? Answer: In the Old Testament, Israel was depicted as God’s bride in several prophecies. But she was declared to be a faithless wife. God declared that He was a husband to Israel (Jeremiah 31:32), but Israel broke the marriage covenant. She became a spiritual adulteress.…
Read MoreWhat does “anointing him with oil” mean?
Question: Will you please explain James 5:14 to me? I am especially interested in understanding “Anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” I have heard of elders in the church just recently who did this to a very sick lady that was on her deathbed. Is this verse to be taken as…
Read MoreWhat does it mean to be converted and become like children?
Question: Would you please elaborate on what it means to be “converted and become like children” as stated in Matthew 18:1-4? Answer: “At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them,…
Read MoreWhat does the sign of the water and blood mean in John 19:34?
Question: In John 19:34, what does the sign of water and blood mean? Answer: “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out” (John 19:34). This is not a sign in the sense that the water and blood represented something greater, it is a statement of…
Read MoreGod Forbid!
by Benjamin M. Shropshire via Lifeline, 7/15/00 My use of the New King James Version in my preaching and teaching was criticized a few years ago on the basis that the phrase “Certainly not!” is used in place of “God Forbid!” in the old King James Version (see Romans 3:4,6, etc.). It was alleged that…
Read MoreSpirits in Prison
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton In a discussion on suffering for righteousness sake, Peter turns to Jesus as an example. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He…
Read MoreAre Christians considered to be Israelites?
Question: Are those who are now under the new covenant, Christians, considered to be Israelites now? Are we the part of the nation of Israel? Figuratively speaking, of course. Answer: Christians are not physically Israelites, but we are the spiritual equivalent. “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that…
Read MoreDid Jesus become the only begotten of God at his baptism?
Question: It appears Christ was only begotten by God at his baptism. Please respond. Answer: The Greek word translated as “only begotten” is monogenes. It is a compound word meaning “the only one of a race” or “the only born.” In literature, it is used to refer an only child and it can be seen…
Read MoreCan you explain the difference between heautou and idios?
Question: I would like to ask for your insight. I am trying to understand two Greek words better. As I was doing a Google search I came upon your website and read many of your articles. I also noticed your apparent love for Greek word studies. Here are the two Greek words I am trying…
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