Understanding Bible Terms (by Joe Hons)

Bible words that have more than one meaning.  (studied to dispute people who use “damned” verses saying salvation can be lost.)

Hate/hated

  • Luke 14:26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple
  • Matt 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
  • Gen 29:30-31 And he went in also unto Rachel, and he loved also Rachel more than Leah, and served with him yet seven other years.  And when the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren. (Jacob)
  • (There are specific reasons why Jesus spoke this.  He’s not talking about salvation, that is a free gift, he is talking about being his disciple.  He explains in other places that there is a cost involved when choosing to be a disciple of the Lord and you need to count that cost before you decide.  Loving him more than others and being willing to put him first is part of that cost.)
  • (Cross references on hating your life, taking up/bearing your cross, follow me John 12:25; Luke 9:23-26; 14:27-33; Matthew 10:32-39 Mark 8:34-38)

Damned/damnation

  • Jesus using the word damned/damnation
    • Matthew 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
    • Mark 3:29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
    • Mark 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. (don’t believe the gospel)
    • John 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
  • Paul using the words damned/damnation
    • Romans 13:1-2 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. (government)
    • Romans 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
    • 2 Thessalonians 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (don’t believe on Jesus)
    • 1 Timothy 5:11-12 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. (they got tired of serving the Lord and married)
    • (Damnation can mean going to hell but can also be very similar to be condemned/to be declared guilty or to be under judgment.  Context is important.)

Love

  • Mark 12:38 And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,
  • 2 Samuel 13:1-4: And it came to pass after this, that Absalom the son of David had a fair sister, whose name was Tamar; and Amnon the son of David loved her.  And Amnon was so vexed, that he fell sick for his sister Tamar; for she was a virgin; and Amnon thought it hard for him to do any thing to her.  But Amnon had a friend, whose name was Jonadab, the son of Shimeah David’s brother: and Jonadab was a very subtil man. 
  • And he said unto him, Why art thou, being the king’s son, lean from day to day? wilt thou not tell me? And Amnon said unto him, I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister. (italicized words are the only words Amnon actually spoke in these verses.)
  • (Strong desire toward something/someone, affection, to be pleased with, or sacrificial love like John 3:16.  Love seems to have a great many definitions based on what it’s directed toward.  It even appears to be equated with “like” in certain places.)

Ask yourself who is speaking.  (to understand the bible records individual’s conversations, always compare to narrator/scripture.)

  • Certain times in the bible, it records what some people say.  When this happens, you need to be careful to cross reference it with other passages and use discernment.  For instance, the above passage with Amnon is often preached on that he didn’t really love his sister when he said “I love Tamar”.  We all know that this is a form of lust, but if you read carefully, the bible/narrator itself says “Amnon the son of David loved her”. 
  • John 7:52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.  Jonah was for sure from Galilee.  There is good evidence Micah and Elijah were also from Galilee region.  There is also speculation that other prophets could also be from that region.
  • Saul killed himself vs another man said he killed Saul.
  • 1 Sam 31:4-5 Then said Saul unto his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took a sword, and fell upon it.  And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise upon his sword, and died with him. (Bible is narrating the story)
  • 2 Sam 1:8-10 And he said unto me, Who art thou? And I answered him, I am an Amalekite.  He said unto me again, Stand, I pray thee, upon me, and slay me: for anguish is come upon me, because my life is yet whole in me.  So I stood upon him, and slew him, because I was sure that he could not live after that he was fallen: and I took the crown that was upon his head, and the bracelet that was on his arm, and have brought them hither unto my lord. (Amalekite is narrating the story)  (Ask yourself who is speaking.  You know the Amalekite was lying because he thought David would be pleased)
  • People in the bible say that Joseph is Jesus’s father but the narrator says it’s his supposed father.  Below is the bible/narrator speaking.
  • Luke 2:33 And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.
  • Luke 2:43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.
  • Luke 3:23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,

Below is the bible recording people speaking.    

  • John 6:42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
  • John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
  • Luke 2:48-49 And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.  And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
  • (Bryan also mentioned before about the Eliphaz’s ghost story in Job chapter 4.)

Sometimes there can be two things true at the same time. (dispute people who say “is it this or is it that? Contradiction?”)

  • Jesus is God and is the Son of God; Angels are ministering spirits but we are told there are celestial bodies, you could be classified as a sinless saint or a saved sinner.  Jesus was on the earth but also in Heaven in John.  The Father was on the throne but also in Jesus. 
  • Jesus gave his life, He was murdered; 
  • Acts 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
  • John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
  • Jesus took his life up, God raised him up.
  • Acts 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
  • People are alive and also dead.  Luke 20:37-38 God of the living (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Acts 2:29 David is dead. (The body dies but the soul lives on.)

Similarity between John the Baptist and Paul’s preaching. (people who are against works? Just an interesting correlation.)

  • John the Baptist: some people think that John preached a works based salvation.
  • Matthew 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
  • Luke 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (John went on to tell them what he expected of them)
  • Paul: Jesus told Paul to preach this. 
  • Acts 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.  (Jesus gave Paul this message when he was converted in 34 AD.)
  • John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
  • Often quoted by many to teach belief in Jesus Christ for salvation. Interesting thing about this; this is a quote from John the Baptist.  

Chronology of books of the bible and what it means. (disputing hyper-dispensationalism/people who divide the bible with chainsaw)

  • Book of Acts 30 AD, Paul saved 34 AD, Paul’s first epistle 48 AD, end of book of Acts 62 AD, Paul martyred in 66 AD, Gospel of John 85 AD
  • Paul wrote in Galatians 1:8-9 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.  As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (written about 48 AD and often used for nitpicking)
  • In John 20:30-31 you have a writer’s note that says “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”  At the time around 85 AD, about 25 years after Paul died, about 55 years after Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection, John wrote a gospel to tell you how to have eternal life.  If this gospel contradicted what Paul wrote, John would have to take out that note, be accursed, or written it with a post date for the future.
  • Some people might say that the Jews only had to believe when Jesus was alive but now we have to do “X”.  Then there was no point in John writing this.

What was preached in Gospel of John. (disputing the idea that Jesus preached believe only in John and works in other 3 gospels)

  • Throughout the entire Gospel of John you read about believing in, receiving, and believing in the name of Jesus to be saved and have eternal life. 
  • Feeding of 5,000: Matt 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 6:1-14. Unlike other gospels John 6:22-65 records Jesus preaching to the people:
  • 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
  • 37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
  • 40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
  • Feast of tabernacles teaches in temple, John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
  • Jesus told Pharisees in John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
  • (Why don’t other gospels record this then?  2 verses. Just because it’s not recorded doesn’t mean Jesus didn’t preach it. John didn’t fabricate stories.)
  • John 21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. (Try remembering all the sermons Bryan has preached the last 3 years, multiply that by 100)
  • John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (The Holy Ghost had them remember and write what He wanted them to.)

Using Gospel of John (85 AD) (disputing that water baptism is required for salvation.  Jesus was by a pool and didn’t baptism them)

  • Impotent man pool of Bethesda John 5:6 Jesus asks “Wilt thou be made whole?” John 5:8 “Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.
  • Blind man pool of Siloam John 9:7 “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” later Jesus asks John 9:35 “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

Name of the Lord Jesus (Keeping John 20:31, belief in Jesus, Jesus name, death burial resurrection are all 3 preached interchangeably)

  • John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
  • John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
  • John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
  • 1 John 2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
  • Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
  • Acts 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. (Cornelius saved)
  • Romans 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
  • 1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Job possible timeline: (Job 15:10 Eliphaz says he is older than Job’s father), (Gen 46:13 Job is Issachar’s son/Jacob’s grandson), (1 Chron 1:35 & Gen 36:15 Eliphaz is Esau’s son) (Gen 26:34 Esau married at 40, Jacob married at least 75 years old (if you calculate from point of death and Joseph’s age), which would fit Eliphaz being much older than Job’s father…if these are the correct Job and Eliphaz in Genesis.)  If these names are correct then Job is assumed to have lived sometime between Jacob and Moses…maybe 1800-2000 BC.  They were really smart back then.