What does the Bible mean when it refers to a remnant?
A remnant is a left-over amount from a larger portion or piece, whether it is food, material from which a garment is fashioned, or even a group of people. Although remnants could be looked upon as worthless scraps, and many times are, God assigned high value to those of His people whom He had set…
What is the meaning of the Hebrew word hesed?
Many biblical words such as mercy, compassion, love, grace, and faithfulness relate to the Hebrew word hesed (חֶסֶד), but none of these completely summarize the concept. Hesed is not merely an emotion or feeling but involves action on behalf of someone who is in need. Hesed describes a sense of love and loyalty that inspires…
What is phileo love?
The Bible speaks of two types of love: phileo and agape. Both are Greek terms and appear at different points throughout Scripture. The Greek language also had terms for two other types of love, eros and storge, which do not expressly appear in the Bible. To better understand phileo love, we need to take a…
What does it mean to be sacrilegious?
Sacrilege is irreverence toward a sacred person, place, or thing. Sacrilege occurs when someone purposefully misuses a consecrated object, desecrates a hallowed place, or speaks in an irreverent manner of something related to God or religion. The word has Latin roots: sacer (“sacred”) and legere (“to steal”). At first the term sacrilege likely referred to…
What is agape love?
The Greek word agape is often translated “love” in the New Testament. How is “agape love” different from other types of love? The essence of agape love is goodwill, benevolence, and willful delight in the object of love. Unlike our English word love, agape is not used in the New Testament to refer to romantic…
What is the meaning of the Greek word apostello?
The Greek verb apostello [αποστελλω] occurs 132 times in the New Testament. It means to “send away,” “send out,” or “send off.” The noun form is apostolos, which means “one who is sent out” and is the origin of the English word apostle. It is used throughout the New Testament to refer to persons or…
What is the meaning of exousia in the Bible?
Exousia is a Greek word most often translated as “authority” or “power.” It is especially used in terms of moral influence. Exousia can also be thought of in terms of jurisdiction or dominion over a certain realm, right, privilege, or ability. Exousia is used in Matthew 7. Verses 28–29 say, “When Jesus had finished saying…
What is a publican in the Bible?
The word publican is an English translation of the Greek word telónés, which means “tax-farmer.” A publican had the job of collecting taxes. In the Roman world, publicans collected additional fees to pad their already-extravagant salaries. In the Bible, publicans were Jews who worked for the hated Roman government to collect taxes from Jewish citizens.…
What is the definition of enmity?
In Latin, an enemy was an “inimicus.” From that word we get enmity, which we use as a synonym for animosity or hatred. Hostility and ill will are often signs of enmity. The Bible speaks of enmity in several places. In the Garden of Eden, as God pronounces the judgment on the serpent, He says,…
What is the meaning of epektasis?
Epektasis is derived from a Greek word found in verses such as Philippians 3:13, where it is translated as “straining toward.” The term implies something that is becoming, striving, or developing. It has alternately been understood as “evolving” or “growing.” As it pertains to Christian theology, epektasis implies that true joy in Christian living is…