The noun “baptism” and the corresponding verb “baptize” come directly from Greek into English with only slight spelling changes. The word literally denotes to immerse, dip, or submerge. When used m...

Several Hebrew words are rendered by the English “wine,” the most common of which are yayin (134 times) and tirosh (33 times). The basic term for “wine” in the Greek New Testament is oinos (33 time...

Justification may be defined as the divine process by which God acquits the sinner and reckons him as righteous. The noun dikaiosis (“justification”) is used but twice in the N.T. (Rom. 4:25; 5:18)...

“Suffering” is a term that embraces the various physical and emotional ills to which the human family is heir. Skeptics charge that human suffering is irreconcilable with the idea of an all-powerfu...

Expediency is sometimes defined as the method by which a determined goal is achieved, regardless of the moral consequences. This is not the biblical concept of expediency.

In Bible parlance, a me...

Dispensationalism is a system that divides history into seven dispensations, each corresponding to one day of creation week. C.I. Scofield popularized the theory in his Reference Bible (1909). Thes...

The word “agnostic” does not appear in the English Bible. The term derives, however, from Greek roots suggesting the idea “not known.”

When Paul visited Athens, he noted that the pagans there had ...

Characters in the book of Joshua present interesting and valuable studies that offer powerful, transforming spiritual lessons

The English word “obey” translates both Hebrew and Greek words that express parallel ideas: listening and being attentive to someone who possesses authority. Thus, the words suggest an active respo...

The term “grace” occurs about 155 times in the New Testament. The word relates to the Greek term chairo, meaning “to rejoice,” and grace itself comes to mean favor, gratification, or gratitude — d...

The term “slave” (Grk. doulos) is used in the Bible in both a literal and a figurative sense. (a) Literal slaves were common in the ancient world. A person could be purchased as a slave, become a s...

The word “accursed” (KJV) translates the Greek anathema four times in the New Testament. It carries the weighty idea of being “devoted to destruction,” a term that should be approached with caution...

Marriage is a covenant between a man and woman, whereby they pledge to belong to one another in a life-long union. There are several elements relative to this institution that are important to unde...

The Greek term pascha has been mistranslated as “Easter” in the King James Version of the Bible (Acts 12:4). The term is consistently rendered “passover” elsewhere in the New Testament (see Mt. 26:...

The act of “laying on of hands” served several functions in the N.T. (a) Some parents brought their children that Jesus might lay his hands upon them (Mt. 19:13). This involved no magical ritual; r...

The idea of “intercession” is expressed in both Testaments of the Bible. The Greek verb entunchano suggests the concept of making an appeal to someone with reference to another person. It can mean ...

The English word “atonement” derives from an Anglo-Saxon term that practically signifies “a making at one.” Though the English term “atonement” is common to the Old Testament, it is found only once...

The Flood, recorded in Genesis 6-8, was the most widespread disaster ever to affect this planet. Waters from the atmosphere above and from chasms beneath the earth inundated the entire globe (Gen. ...

Many analysts see some serious “flaws” in what is called “the new Christian generation.” It does appear there are serious problems with many who identify themselves with Jesus Christ.

The term Catholic originates with a Greek word, katholikos, which means “general” or “universal.” The expression is not found in the Scriptures but has been employed in various senses in church his...