Category: Bible Terms

Definitions to key words found in the Bible and words that relate to faith and Bible reading.

Bible Term: Heaven

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 1, 2014

Biblical uses of the word heaven have three different meanings: the sky, space, and God‘s home.

The use of heaven to refer to God’s home is the most commonly understood usage. One example is in Acts 3:21 where it says Jesus must remain in heaven for a time. Another example is that followers of Jesus will be with him in heaven (Ephesians 2:6).

Heaven is a popular concept, however, to accept the existence of heaven, one must also acknowledge the possibility of hell, which is not as readily embraced.

Heaven, meaning sky is found in Genesis 8:2: “the floodgates of the heavens had been closed, and the rain had stopped falling from the sky.”

An example of heaven, meaning space, can be found in Genesis 15:5, where it says, “look now towards the heavens and count the stars.”

Key verse about Heaven: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1, NIV)

A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Greek

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 31, 2014

Greek is a language. The New Testament was written in Greek.

Greek is a culture.

Greek is an ethnicity of the people from Greece.

The Bible sometimes uses the label “Greek” as a euphemism for everyone who is not Jewish, classifying people as either Jewish or Creek. In this context, the word Gentile is sometimes used instead of Greek.

Key verse about Greek: The Jews said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we cannot find him? Will he go where our people live scattered among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? (John 7:35, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Great Physician

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 31, 2014

Interestingly, the phrase “Great Physician” is not found in the Bible.

However, Jesus referred to himself as a healer and a physician, caring for people and curing them of their diseases and illnesses. Because of his immense healing ministry he is often called the “Great Physician”and this is a commonly accepted descriptive name for him.

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Grace

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 31, 2014

Grace is getting good things when we don’t deserve them. When we are given a gift, it’s an act of grace.

The good things God gives us are through his grace. God’s grace is unearned, undeserved, and unmerited favor.

The promise of heaven is not something we deserve or can earn, but is given to all who follow Jesus as an act of grace.

Compare and contrast grace to mercy.

Key verse about Grace: She will give you a garland to grace your head and present you with a glorious crown” (Proverbs 4:9, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Gospel

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 31, 2014

The word gospel means good news. In the Bible, gospel refers to the good news of Jesus.

The Bible contains four biographies about Jesus (named Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). The biographies of Jesus are often called Gospels or the Gospels of Jesus, as in the good news about Jesus.

Key verse about Gospel: God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you (Romans 1:9, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Gospels

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 31, 2014

The Bible contains four Gospels, or biographies of Jesus, focusing on his life, ministry, death, and resurrection.

Each of the Gospels was written by a different author, with a different purpose or audience in mind, and with their own individual focus. As such, we see many similarities, as well as uniqueness, between the four accounts.

Taken together, they provide a rich narrative, with deep insight, into the life and teachings of Jesus, as well as his death and resurrection. The Gospels are: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; each named after it’s author.

There are many parallel passages in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, which are sometimes called the synoptic gospels because of their similarities.

Some speculate that Matthew and Luke borrowed passages from Mark or perhaps that all three used a common, but unidentified fourth source. Nevertheless, each provides a valuable contribution to our understanding of Jesus.

John, is the most different of the four Gospels, containing the fewest similarities and the most unique passages.

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Good Shepherd

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 31, 2014

The Good Shepherd is a descriptive title for Jesus. Just as a good shepherd watches over and cares for his sheep, Jesus, our Good Shepherd watches over and cares for those who follow him, that is, his sheep.

Key verse about Good Shepherd: “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me (John 10:14, NIV).

See John 10:1-16; also Psalm 119:176, Isaiah 53:6, Ezekiel 34:11, 1 Peter 2:25, and Matthew 9:36.

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Godhead

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 31, 2014

The Godhead is essentially another name for the Trinity and encompasses the divine nature of God: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Key verse about Godhead: “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:20-21, NKJV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: God

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 31, 2014

God is the supreme spiritual being, the originator and ruler of the universe. God exists in three parts or forms: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (see Trinity).

This three-fold nature of God can be better understood by comparing it to water, which occurs in three forms or states: solid (ice), liquid (also called water), and gas (steam or vapor). Each is still water but exists in a different form. The same holds true for God.

An alternate analogy is to consider an egg: there is the shell, the white, and the yolk. Each part is different, yet each is still part of the egg. So it is with the three forms of God

Key verse about God: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Gentile

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 31, 2014

In the Bible, a Gentile is anyone who is not a Jew. Gentile refers to all non-Jewish people and nations.

To say “Jew and Gentile” (Acts 14:5 or Romans 3:9) encompasses all people.

[Read verses on the Bible using the word Gentile.]

Key verse about Gentile: He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean (Acts 10:28, NIV).

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