The Greek term palingenesia consists of two components. Palin means “again, back,” and genesis, denotes “to become, come about, birth.” The word thus signifies a rebirth or a renewal. The actual wo...

Repentance has a variety of uses in the Scriptures. (a) One form of “repentance” is simply a feeling of remorse. It was in this sense that Judas “repented” (Mt. 27:3) just before he hanged himself ...

The revelation of God has to do with the processes by which the Creator has made himself known to his rational creation. (a) Jehovah has revealed himself to humanity in the abstract features of the...

Righteous is the state or quality of being right. (a) Only Deity is righteous in the absolute sense (Rom. 3:10). To speak of the righteousness of God is to affirm his absolute morality, and the exp...

Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome develops the theme of God’s gospel plan of justification for sinful man on the ground Christ’s atoning death. The book demonstrates that redemption could not...

The book of Ruth has to do with a godly Moabite woman, Ruth by name, who joined herself to the Hebrew people during the days of the judges. She was a widow who married an Israelite by the name of B...

This word is derived from a Greek term meaning “separated.” (a) “Saint” refers to an ordinary member of Christ’s church who has submitted to gospel obedience (Phil. 1:1; 4:21; 2 Thes. 1:10). (b) A ...

This book contains the historical record of the change in Israel’s form of government from judges to that of the kings. The nation, in an act of rejecting God, desired a king to be like their pagan...

This book contains the record of the forty-year administration of the Hebrews’ most illustrious ruler, David, who was an ancestor of the Lord Jesus Christ. The book details David’s victories, his w...

The Hebrew term satan (“adversary” – one who “cherishes animosity”) comes over into Greek as diabolos (“slanderer, accuser”). Satan is a spirit-being who is the arch-enemy of God and man. His chara...

The Greek term graphe (“writing”) comes into the English Bible (via Latin, scriptura) as “scripture.” The word almost always has the definite article “the scriptures.” The expression may refer to a...

The Septuagint is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. It dates from the third century before Christ. The “Letter of Aristeas” (cir. 100 B.C.) suggests that this version was translated ...

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...

This small book contains one of the 1,005 songs penned by king Solomon (1 Kgs. 4:32). It extols the passion and bliss of wedded love, and praises the king’s “beloved.” Many scholars have suggested ...

The word “soul” is used in several senses in the Bible. (a) It may signify an individual person (Ezek. 18:20). (b) It may be employed of mere biological life (Gen. 1:30). (c) It can have to do with...

The adjective “spiritual” has several senses. (a) It may refer to a being that is “spirit” in nature, e.g., angels (Eph. 6:12). (b) Spiritual may denote that which is from God, thus is lofty in its...

The term “synoptic” derives from the Greek word sunoptikos, which means “seeing the whole together.” The word is used to describe the first three Gospel narratives — Matthew, Mark, and Luke — bec...

The role of the Christian teacher is sobering indeed, for those who presume to “teach” will receive a “heavier judgment” (Jas. 3:1). This warning is not designed to discourage teaching (a divine ob...

The original words that are rendered by the English “tempt” are employed in two broad senses in the Scriptures, depending upon the context in which they are found. First, the concept may be that of...

The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew (with certain minor portions in Aramaic), while the New Testament was penned in Koine Greek. None of the original documents (called autographs) of...