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Where is the Scripture? What does it mean?
Using Concordances and Lexicons Concordances and lexicons are useful in finding Scriptures
in the Bible and also in finding the meanings of words, and hence the lessons
those Scriptures teach. Concordances There are at least four notable concordances for each testament, keyed to the King James Version (KJV or AV). Each gives the word in a phrase, along with the citation in which the word occurs. Cruden’s Complete Concordance: Cruden’s gives the English-Bible words in alphabetical order. The more common words may be grouped according to frequent phrases, as ‘heavens’ has sixteen entries for the phrase ‘in the heavens’. Where changes in wording are made in the Revised Version (1881-1885) or the American Standard Version (1901), it is indicated by an asterisk (*) or dagger (†) respectively. Occasionally a comment is given to clarify the meaning of a word. Cruden’s is usually the fastest in which to find a Bible text where an English word in it is known. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: For each English-Bible word all texts using it are listed in Biblical order of usage, along with a number for each text (for Greek words the number is italicized). Each number corresponds to a word in the appendix, where its derivation (etymology) is given, then Strong’s definition of the Hebrew or Greek word, and after a colon (:) all the ways the KJV translates it into English. (Strong’s definitions are more likely to exhibit theological biases than are Young’s.) Strong’s is a good all-around concordance and lexicon. Young’s Analytical Concordance: Texts under each English-Bible word are grouped according to the Hebrew (or Greek) word from which it is translated, making it easier to distinguish meanings. Each word is given a brief but usually adequate English definition. Each Hebrew (or Greek) word is given an English transliteration; so one may look it up in the appendix to find all the English words into which it has been translated in the Bible, and how many times it is translated into each. Young’s makes it easy, for example, to distinguish ‘hell’ according to whether it is translated from ‘Hades’, ‘Gehenna’ or ‘Tartarus’. Young’s is a good analytical concordance. Englishman’s Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance [G.V. Wigram]: All Old Testament English texts are grouped according to the Hebrew word from which the English word (italicized) is translated. This arrangement is best for narrowing the meanings of each Hebrew word (exceeding even Young’s). However, one must go to the second index to get from an English word to the Hebrew word. To find a text from a remembered English word, Englishman’s is the slowest; but to understand the complete Biblical usage of the Hebrew word Englishman’s is the best. Englishman’s Greek Concordance of the New Testament [G.V. Wigram]: All New Testament English texts are grouped according to the Greek word from which the English word (italicized) is translated. A new edition (AP&A, 1972) associates the Greek words with Strong’s numbers. Otherwise, the comments for Englishman’s Old Testament concordance may be adapted to the New Testament concordance here.
With over a hundred English translations (versions), there is a growing
preference for computerized versions and search routines instead of
concordances. Lexicons Wm. Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament (transl. S.P. Tregelles) is analytical and very good. The Baker edition has now coded the Hebrew words to the Strong’s numbers. Also notable: Bagster’s oft-reprinted Hebrew Students Manual (which teaches Hebrew) gives an interlinear Hebrew-English Psalms, plus a succinct Hebrew lexicon. William Wilson’s Old Testament Word Studies is another useful reference. For the Greek New Testament, J.H. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (transl. from German of C.L.W. Grimm) is extensive, though sometimes well beyond what a Bible Student wants to know. Arndt and Gingrich (Walter Bauer) is comparably thorough. Liddell & Scott’s A Greek-English Lexicon is still more thorough and emphasizes usages by the classical authors more than by the Bible [an oft-reprinted abridged edition sometimes differs materially from the unabridged]. Other noteworthy smaller lexicons include G.R. Berry (with a good appendix on synonyms), Alexander Souter, and J.W. Gingrich. B.M. Newman’s in the back of the U.B.S. Greek New Testament is convenient though not outstanding. W.E. Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words is also useful. Interlinear Testaments Jay Green has both a Hebrew-English Old Testament and a Greek-English New Testament. Green rejects the testimony of the ancient Greek manuscripts, and apparently does little to suppress his theological bias in the New Testament. John R. Kohlenberger III has a Hebrew-English Old Testament associated with the NIV. It also is of just fair accuracy, but either is better than no interlinear version. For a Greek-English interlinear New Testament, six are of high quality, while the other two are substandard for both Greek text and accuracy of translation. Paul R. McReynolds’ Word Study Greek-English New Testament (1999) might be the best, with an English concordance organized by Greek words. Alfred Marshall, Kingdom Interlinear, Comfort, Brown, and Douglas merit high marks for Greek text, while the Concordant (difficult to use), Benjamin Wilson, and Alfred Marshall are somewhat better for translation. Bagster’s (Thomas Newberry; reprinted by G.R. Berry) and Jay Green’s are not recommended for accuracy. Example—Adoption Question: What does the word ‘adoption’ mean in the Bible? [See also pages 9, 10.] Begin by using a concordance. All four concordances above will find all five times the word appears in the New Testament (‘adoption’ does not occur in the Old Testament), though Englishman’s requires a stop first in the appendix. Cruden’s gives a comment on the meaning of the word. The other three can be used to discover that ‘adoption’ is always translated from the same Greek word, and that this Greek word is translated no other way (but here Strong’s and Young’s require a visit to their appendices). Strong’s gives adoption Ro 8:15 ye have received the Spirit of a , 5206 23 waiting for the a , to wit, the 5206 9:4 to whom pertaineth the a , and 5206 Ga 4:5 we might receive the a of sons 5206 Eph 1:5 unto the a of children by Jesus 5206 If the Greek word huiothesia means adopted, then Christians are not begotten sons, though James 1:18 and 1 John 5:18 says they are. Some suggest ‘sonship’ is the better word, although that does not fit the literal definition of the word (placing as a son). Romans 8:23 says we are waiting for it, but we have the spirit of it already—which fits neither sonship nor adoption! However, the context of Galatians 4:1-5 appears to give the clue. “so long as the heir is a child, he differeth nothing from a bondservant though he is lord of all: but is under guardians and stewards until the day appointed of the father. So we also, when we were children, were held in bondage under the rudiments of the world: but when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law covenant, that he might redeem them that were under the law covenant, that we might receive the placement as sons” (Galatians 4:1-5, RVIC). Thus, the ‘adoption’, or ‘placing as a son’, is likened to a father’s investiture of his mature son into a position of authority over the farm or business. That is, the Christian is as a bondservant now while being educated in the Lord’s ways, but when he has proven faithful, then in the first resurrection, he will be placed in a position of responsibility in the divine family. Example—Soul Question: What is the soul, as used in the Bible? Using the two Englishman’s concordances, the word ‘soul’ appears 726 times in the Old Testament and 104 times in the New Testament. The adjective form of the Greek word is used another six times. [It would be faster to look in the appendix of Young’s, where the number of times that it is translated into each English word is given; adding them up, the count is nearly the same: 724, 103, and 5 respectively.] The most diverse uses of the word are summarized by more than fifty texts in the appendix below. From these we learn:
The word soul is used four times for fish and animals before it is used for man.
The combining of body and breath forms the soul, although the soul is said to be
in the blood. The soul may be either living or dead. The soul can eat but cannot
keep itself alive. If one soul slays another, then that soul is to be slain. The
soul can be risked in one’s own hand; or it can be poured out, as Jesus poured
out his soul unto death—as a sin-offering. Souls can be (wrongfully) bought and
sold. One may disregard his own soul and yet find it unto eternal life. The soul
can go to hell and yet come back. Appendix on the Word ‘Soul’ A comparative list, selected from the 830 places the word for ‘soul’ is used in the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament, is given here, featuring the most diverse usages. nephesh [noun ‘soul’; ‘breathing being’, ‘sentient being’] [39 of 726 uses] Gen 1:20-21 Let the waters swarm with swarms of living souls, … And God created the great sea-monsters, and every living soul that moveth, wherewith the waters swarmed, after their kind, [see also Ezek 47:9] Gen 1:24 Let the earth bring forth the living soul after its kind, cattle, and creeping things, and beasts of the earth after their kind: and it was so. Gen 1:29-30 I have given you every herb yielding seed, … and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for food: and to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is a living soul, I have given every green herb for food: and it was so. Gen 2:7 Jehovah God formed the man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living soul. Gen 35:18 it came to pass, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-oni: but his father called him Benjamin. Ex 21:23-24 if any harm follow, then thou shalt give soul for soul, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, … Lev 17:11 the soul of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh atonement by reason of the soul. Lev 22:6 the soul that toucheth any such shall be unclean until the even, Num 9:6-7 there were certain men who were unclean by reason of 2 the dead soul of a man, so that they could not keep the passover on that day: and they came before Moses and before Aaron on that day: and those men said unto him, We are unclean by reason of the dead soul of a man: [See verse 10; also Hag 2:13] Num 23:10 Let my soul die the death of the righteous, Num 31:19 whosoever hath killed any soul, and whosoever hath touched any slain, purify yourselves on the third day and on the seventh day, [similarly Josh 20:3, 9] Num 31:28 levy a tribute unto Jehovah of the men of war that went out to battle: one soul of five hundred, both of the persons, and of the oxen, and of the asses, and of the flocks: Deut 12:23 Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the soul; and thou shalt not eat the soul with the flesh. Judges 16:30 And Samson said, Let my soul die with the Philistines. 1Kg 17:21-22 I pray thee, let this child’s 3 soul come into him again. And Jehovah hearkened unto the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. Job 11:20 refuge is perished from them; and their hope shall be the soul breathing its last. Job 27:8 what is the hope of the godless, though he get him gain, when God taketh away his soul? Psalm 7:1-2 deliver me, Lest they tear my soul like a lion, Psalm 16:10 thou wilt not leave my soul to Sheol [hell]; neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Psalm 22:29 All they that go down to the dust shall bow before him, even he that cannot keep his soul alive. Psalm 78:18 they tempted God in their heart by asking food for their soul. Psalm 119:109 My soul is continually in my hand; yet do I not forget thy law. [similarly 1 Samuel 28:21] Proverbs 11:30 he that is wise winneth souls. Proverbs 12:10 A righteous man regardeth the soul of his beast; Isaiah 53:10 when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, Isaiah 53:12 he poured out his soul unto death, [similarly 1 Samuel 1:15; Job 30:16] Jer 15:9 she hath let her soul expire; her sun is gone down while it was yet day; Ezek 18:20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die: [also in 18:4] Ezek 27:13 they were thy traffickers; they traded the souls of man and vessels of copper for thy merchandise. Amos 6:8 The Lord Jehovah hath sworn by his soul, saith Jehovah, the God of hosts: Hab 2:5 wine is treacherous, a haughty man, that keepeth not at home, who enlargeth his soul as Sheol [hell], and he is as death, and cannot be satisfied, Haggai 2:13 If one that is unclean by reason of a dead 4soul touch any of these, shall it be unclean? And the priests answered and said, it shall be unclean. psyche [noun ‘soul’] [18 + 1 of 104 uses] Matt 6:25 Be not anxious for your 5 soul, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the soul more than the food, and the body than the raiment? Matt 10:28 And be not afraid of them that kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Matt 20:28 the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his soul a ransom for many. Luke 14:26 If any man cometh unto me, and 6 hateth not his own father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yes, and his own soul also, he cannot be my disciple. John 10:15 I know the Father; and I lay down my soul for the sheep. [Similarly verse 11.] John 12:25 He that loveth his soul loseth it; and he that hateth his soul in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. [similarly in Matt 10:39, and four times in Matt 16:25-26] Acts 2:27, 31 Because thou wilt not leave my soul unto Hades [hell], neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption… he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was he left unto Hades [hell], nor did his flesh see corruption. Acts 15:25-26 Barnabas and Paul, men that have hazarded their souls for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 20:10 Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Make ye no ado; for his soul is in him. 1Thess 5:23 may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. Heb 4:12 the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of a heart. 1John 3:16 he laid down his soul for us: and we ought to lay down our souls for the brethren. Rev 6:9 I saw underneath the altar the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God, and for the witness which they held: Rev 8:9 there died the third part of the creatures which were in the sea, even they that had souls; [Compare Gen 1:20-21] psychikos [adjective ‘soulical’ or, ‘of the soul’] [4 of 6 uses] 1Cor 15:44-46 it is sown a soulical [natural] body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a soulical body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is soulical [natural]; afterwards that which is spiritual. Jude 19 These are they who make separations, soulical [sensual], having not the spirit.
________________________ The soul’s departure and return is perhaps like some thing dehydrated (of breath) and reconstituted. Lit. a soul of Adam, And in vs. 7. Or, life or, being And in vs. 22. Or, body Hb. nephesh Or, life Gk. psyche [yuch], four times in Matt 16:25, 26. Or, disregardeth See note in NASB mar gin. |