There are words in the Bible that we use today that mean different things in our day-to-day language today than what they mean in the Bible. I don’t bring this up to make you lose confidence in your Bible translation at all. I bring these up so you will understand the differences of the words actually used to give you a better understanding of how they are used in the Bible. Let’s talk about it.
Hope
Today we think of hope as a desire for something we wish would happen. Hope in our conversations comes with uncertainty such as “I hope it doesn’t rain tomorrow”. ‘Hope’ in the Bible is a certainty and an eager expectation, it isn’t wishful thinking and it doesn’t contain any uncertainty. Biblical hope contains NO DOUBT.
Faith
We think of faith as belief. But, in the New Testament, the word used ties more to allegiance, loyalty, and active trust. It is a commitment of loyalty to a king, not just a mental opinion that God exists. This understanding gives deeper meaning to James 2:17 about ‘faith’ without works being dead doesn’t it?
Love
People think of love as a feeling, romance, or affection but Biblical love is an action you do for another person. It has nothing to do with your emotional connection to them and that action often costs you something. God loved the world by sending His Son to save it. Love is action.
Holy
Typically, people think holy means righteous or morally perfect, but the Hebrew word used for ‘holy’ means ‘set apart’ or ‘separated out’. Let me show you what the Lord is telling us regarding holiness:
… you shall not walk in the customs of the nation that I am driving out before you … I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from the peoples (Lev 20:23-24)
You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine. (Lev 20:26)
God separates His people out from the world. He used Israel in the Old Testament as an example of what He does for His people and what He expects of His people. As Eph 1:4 shows us, God chose each of His people from before the world was formed to be separated out from the world and made blameless:
For He chose us in Him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight. (Eph 1:4)
God made you holy, separated out, from the world to belong to Him.
God also wants His people to be holy, separated out, from the world. He told the Israelites not to be like the nations around them and He expects us not to be like the world today. So, He made you holy, separated out, to Him … AND … He wants you to live holy, separated out, from the world.
Fear (as in “Fear of the Lord”)
Fear in the Bible is not terror or panic, it means overwhelming awe, deep reverence, and great respect. To fear God is to be in awe of Him and revere Him.
Meek
When we think of a meekness we think of a weak, spineless, wishy-washy person. The truth of the original Biblical language is that meekness means “power under control.” Jesus told us He was meek (Mt 11:29) and showed is that by going to the Cross. Instead of lashing out to the people who were against Him, He was meek and exercised supreme control not to use His power to destroy them or avoid the cross.
Jealous
God calls Himself jealous (Ex 34:14) and jealous for His people (Joel 2:18). This is not the human version of jealousy that means envy or insecurity. God’s jealousy is a protective passion for His people.
Then the Lord became jealous for His land and spared His people. (Joel 2:18)
2 “The Lord of Hosts says this: I am extremely jealous for Zion; I am jealous for her with great wrath.” (Zech 8:2)
2 The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord takes vengeance and is fierce in wrath … He cares for those who take refuge in Him. (Nah 1:2, 7)
His jealousy is like a loving husband being protective of his wife and marriage. For example, a husband rises up to protect his wife and marriage when another man is trying to romance her. It isn’t a flaw but proof of his love.
In the same way, God views His relationship with His people as a marriage covenant. When His people chase after “idols” they commit spiritual adultery. God’s jealousy is the fierce reaction of a fiercely loving spouse wanting his bride back.
Repent
Repenting is not a feeling (sorrow, guilt) when you sin. Repenting means to ‘change your mind’ or ‘turn around’. When you sin, it is good to feel a spiritual and emotional conviction, but that is not repenting of the sin. Repenting is to make a life change regarding that sin. You need to change your mind and life to not commit that sin again.
Think about it
What are some word meanings that surprised you?
Do any of these explanations help you to understand some Scripture even better?
