Biblical Terms Defined By Their Context

What makes a riddle a mental challenge? Consider the following:

▸ What has a horn and delivers milk? – A milk truck!
▸ What has a tongue but cannot talk? – A shoe!
▸ Why do leopards have a hard time hiding? –They are always spotted!
▸ How do you fix a broken pizza? – Tomato paste!
▸ Which object is king of the classroom? – A ruler!

You will notice that the terms “horn”, “tongue”, “spotted,” “paste”, and “ruler” all have multiple meanings. This is called a double entendre or adianoeta which means a word or expression that has two different meanings.

For example, the word “strike” has various meanings in the sentences which follow:

■ “The prospectors made a strike yesterday up in the mountains.”
■ “The union went on strike this morning.”
■ “The batter made his third strike and was called out by the umpire.”
■ “Strike up the Star-Spangled Banner.”
■ “The fisherman got a good strike in the middle of the lake.”

How does one know whether or not the work means “a military attack” or “a pitched ball that is in the strike zone or is swung at and is not hit fair” or “a pull on a fishing rod” or “a work stoppage by a body of workers to enforce compliance with demands made on an employer” or “to play or produce by hitting or plucking keys or strings” or “to discover something”? Reading the word in its context is the best clue as to the meaning.

Now take a look at some Biblical examples.

 Levite

The Levite can be a person who originates from the Tribe of Levi. “Now a man from the family of Levi married a Levite woman” (Ex. 2:1; HCSB). In this case a Levite could be a man or a woman or even a child.

A Levite could be a male who is a member of the tribe of Levi and not a descendent of Aaron who serves the priests in the Tabernacle and then the Temple. “Take a census of the sons of Kohath from among the children of Levi, by their families, by their fathers’ house, from thirty years old and above, even to fifty years old, all who enter the service to do the work in the tabernacle of meeting” (Num. 4:2,3).

 Church

The term “church” comes from the term ekklesia which means those who have been called out. It is most often used in reference to the idea of God calling His people out of the World into the Kingdom of His Son. In this way it is used of the Local church. “Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Th. 1:1). The Christians in Thessalonica are called out of their homes and the world to meet with one another as a congregation at a specific location. The term also is used of many local congregations. “The churches of Christ greet you” (Rom. 16:16). Finally, it can be employed to indicate the universal church as when Jesus said to Peter, “on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18b).

The term ekklesia is used in the Book of Acts for a general gathering of people or a group who are congregating in public. Stephen used the term “church” in reference the gathering of the Israelites in the wilderness. “This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us” (Acts 7:38). Luke calls the mob gathered at Ephesus protesting Paul an ekklesia (Acts 19:39). Hebrews 2:12 uses the Greek word in quoting Psalm 22:22.

 Elder

The Greek term presbuteros is used in 1 Timothy 5:1-2 in reference to an older person: “Do not rebuke an older man, but exhort him as a father, younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, younger women as sisters, with all purity.” The term does not always denote an aged person but also used to compare one person’s age to that of a younger person. The elder brother in Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son is not claiming he was advanced in years but was older that the prodigal son.

The term “elder” has been used to reference to Jewish religious leaders (Luke 7:3) or civic leaders in a Jewish community (Matt. 16:21).

Paul told Titus “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you” (Tit. 1:5). Certainly, Paul was not telling Titus to go around and appoint people to old age. He was referring to the office of the church where a qualified leader was appointed to the eldership. The same use is found in both 1 Timothy 5:17 and Philippians 1:1.

 Shepherd

Likewise, the term “shepherd” could mean someone who tends a flock or keeps sheep (John 10:2-4). David as well as Amos the prophet were both known to be shepherds.

Spiritually speaking, God and Christ are shepherds of our souls. “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant” (Heb. 13:20).  The term “shepherd” is used for a leader in the local church being a synonymous term for elder. The verb form is used of the elders of Ephesus by Paul in Acts 20:28: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” The term for shepherd is translated into the older English word for shepherd (pastor) in Eph. 4:11: “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.

 Overseer

The term “overseer” could be in reference to a leader in a local congregation being synonymous with “elder” and “shepherd” (1 Phil. 1:1b; 1 Tim. 3:1). It is also used of Christ. “For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25). Additionally, it has been used in a secular sense describing someone who is a government administrator like a governor.

 Servant

The Greek word diakonos often translated “servant” literally was a slave. As when Jesus’ mother, Mary, told the servants to fill the water pots to the wedding at Cana in John 2:5,6.

Christ is called a slave or servant by Paul in Romans 15:8: “Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers.” (Eph. 6:21). Phoebe was also such a servant to the members at the church in Cenchrea (Rom. 16:1). An official use of the word is used of those who are qualified and appointed to an office of service in a local congregation. Paul wrote of their qualifications. “Likewise deacons must be reverent, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy for money” (1 Tim. 3:8). They are mentioned apart from the members called “saints” who met at Philippi and also apart from the bishops (Phil. 1:1b).

 Breaking of Bread

The phrase “breaking of bread” is used in the New Testament meaning a common meal or a spiritual meal also referred to as the Lord’s Supper. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart” (Acts 2:42,46; also see 20:7,11).

 Laying on of Hands

The phrase “laying on of hands” has several meanings in the Bible. It could be used of blessing someone. “And He laid His hands on them and departed from there” (Matt. 19:15). The act of healing someone has been demonstrated with the laying on of hands. “So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them. Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed’” (Mark 1:31,41; also see Acts 8:17,18). It has been used to appoint someone to a position. As the apostles laid their hands on the seven men of the church of Jerusalem to assign them to duty of caring for the widows of the congregation (Acts 6:6). The Church at Antioch appointed Barnabas and Saul at the direction of the Holy Spirit to go on the first missionary journey (Acts 13:2,3). The phrase has even been used to describe arresting someone (Acts 5:18). Finally, the phrase “laying on of hands” has a specific use in reference to the imparting of spiritual gifts through an apostle (Acts 8:14f).

How does one figure out the meaning of a phrase or word which has several different definitions? The meaning can be determined by examining the term or phrase as it is being used within the context. Other terms which had multiple meanings in the Bible are world, baptism, heaven(s), kingdom, cup, father, etc.

– Daniel R. Vess