Methods of Bible Study Part 5–Word Study

V. Study of the Original Language Words

A. This is the first Bible study method suggested here which requires an outside Bible study tool, namely, an exhaustive concordance.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance is best for the whole Bible. Young’s Analytical Concordance is another possible choice. For the New Testament alone, J. B. Smith’s Tabular Greek-English Concordance is the best choice.

Bible software packages often contain features which will also permit original language word study. The e-Sword Bible software available at www.e-sword.net for free is one example.

The Old Testament was originally written in Hebrew. The New Testament was originally written in Greek. Most of us are readers of the English Bible, which is a translation from the original languages of Hebrew and Greek.

It so happens that when translating words from one language into equivalent words in another language that there is never a perfect match between them. Each language possesses its own unique idioms, grammar, and words themselves possess unique semantic features like connotation and denotation which are never exactly matched between languages. But these features are what makes word study very interesting.

But these features also lead to certain hazards, common mistakes and fallacies which need to be avoided when doing word study. There is even a “word study fallacy,” and it frequently occurs when authors and students over-refine word meanings beyond the evidence, or fail to observe the distinctions or refinements required by the evidence, or fail to account for the meaning of words as defined by the context or contexts where they occur. The meaning of a word is not determined by a dictionary definition alone, or the definition featured in a Greek or Hebrew lexicon. Where (and how) did the dictionary or lexicon get its definition? By careful study, students of words must learn to get the definitions of words from the same place they do, and that place is the many contexts where the word is used.

B. It often happens that one Greek word is translated by several English words, or that one English word word is a translation of several different words in the New Testament.

C. Make up a chart to display how a word has been translated.

As mentioned before, my keyboard won’t let me create the charts I have made for my own notes, so I’ll have to present the same information as an outline.

An interesting and instructive word to start with is the Greek word argos, αργος, Strong’s Dictionary Number G692.

This Greek word is translated by the English words:

idle

Matthew 12:36. 20:3, 6, 6.
1 Timothy 5:13, 13.

slow

Titus 1:12

barren

2 Peter 1:8

Looking more particularly at Matthew 12:36 and 2 Peter 1:8,

Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

2Pe 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

It might be possible to properly suggest that an “idle word” is a word that is “barren” or unfruitful, that produces no good result.

Some words can be profitably studied with a view to practical understanding and application. Other words may be studied because they have an important bearing upon Bible doctrine.

A careful, even meticulous study of “atonement words” in the New Testament will demonstrate that currently popular and fervently believed doctrines pertaining to the atonement of Christ are very mistaken. Such a study would involve not only specific words relating to atonement, but a study of grammatically associated prepositions used with atonement words. Careful discrimination of how such words are used in atonement contexts would show there is a difference to be accounted for compared to how these prepositions are used generally. That, of course, is a somewhat deeper study than most English Bible readers are equipped to pursue. But it is a most important study.

Similarly, there are many mistaken notions held about the doctrine of eternal punishment, and the place where it takes place, namely the doctrine of hell.

The English word hell is used to translate two different Greek words, hades and gehenna, in the New Testament. To further the confusion, the Greek word hades is once translated “grave” at 1 Corinthians 15:55.

This is hardly justification to suggest that hades always designates “grave,” or “the common grave of mankind,” for there are other Greek (and Hebrew) words which more regularly and properly designate “grave.”

Similarly, even more confusion arises over the words “soul” and “spirit.” Few have accounted for all the lexical categories these words possess as they are used in the Bible. Failure to observe all the nuances of the many categories has led to much false doctrine and a misrepresentation of what the Bible teaches. The basic error engaged in is failure to make a complete induction of all the evidence the Bible presents. I have presented the lexical categories in both The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible in full.

A practical study may be made of the word “meditate” starting from Genesis 24:63.

Gen 24:63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.

The Hebrew word is Strong Number H7742.

This word occurs 22 times and is translated by eight different English words in the King James or Authorized Version:

commune

Psalm 77:6.

complain

Job 7:11. Psalm 77:3.

declare

Isaiah 53:8.

meditate

Genesis 24:63. Psalm 119:15, 23, 48, 78, 148.

muse

Psalm 143:5.

pray

Job 15:4. Psalm 55:17.

speak

Judges 5:10. Job 12:8. Psalm 69:12. 145:5.

talk

1 Chronicles 16:9. Psalms 77:12. 105:2. 119:27. Proverbs 6:22.

I wrote the following observations and conclusions while I was a student in high school, if I recall correctly:

1. Observe the following rule of interpretation: The rendering which is most frequent (in this case, “meditate,” 6 times) is the basic meaning of the word.

For example, in 2 Peter 1:20, it is stated that “no prophecy is of any private interpretation.” Many believe that this indicates that we, as individuals, must not seek to interpret Scripture. Thus they would foist upon the text this reading: “no portion of Scripture can be interpreted by individual persons”–which they claim is the correct sense.

The whole problem lies with the meaning of “private.” This English word occurs but once as the translation of the underlying Greek word in the English New Testament. But the Greek word occurs more than 170 times in the New Testament. It is rendered “its own” 90% of the time. Thus the passage should read “no prophecy of Scripture is of its own interpretation”–that is, the scope of any prophetic statement must be understood in the light of the whole body of prophetic truth revealed in Scripture. [Another valid option is to understand “their own” as a reference to the authors of prophecy did not write their own opinion, but wrote as they were inspired and directed by the Holy Spirit, a meaning supported by the immediate context. Both options are doubtless true.]

2. Compare the renderings in several modern speech translations. The Hebrew word underlying “meditate” outlined above is also translated “consider,” “quiet worship,” “my mind goes over your acts,” “declare and proclaim,” “relate wondrous works,” “meditate and make a noise.”

Analyzing and arranging these renderings, the word involves three concepts in Christian living:

(1) quiet worship–thinking upon God’s Acts;
(2) meditation–thinking upon God’s Words;
(3) proclamation–getting others to think of God’s words and acts.

To which I would add,

(4) prayer–talking to God.

The Christian walk could be seen as a three-legged stool:

(1) As we read God’s Word, He talks to us;
(2) As we pray, we talk to Him;
(3) As we witness to others, we talk for Him.

All three activities are essential to the Christian walk and life. A stool won’t stand up if it has less than three legs.