Category: Bible Terms

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

Bible Term: Tribe

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

The descendants of Jacob, which later became the nation of Israel, were divided into tribes.

Abraham’s grandson, Jacob (later called Israel) had twelve sons. As the result of deception and competition, they were born to four different women (Jacob’s two wives and their respective maidservants).

The descendants of these twelve men would later become known as the twelve tribes of Israel or the nation of Israel.

The sons of Jacob’s first wife, Leah, were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun.
The sons of Jacob’s second wife, Rachel, were Joseph and Benjamin.
The sons of Rachel’s maidservant, Bilhah, were Dan and Naphtali.
The sons of Leah’s maidservant, Zilpah, were Gad and Asher.

Later, when the nation of Israel was divided, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin split off, perpetuating the royal line of King David; they were known as the nation of Judah.

This is covered in Second Chronicles as well as First and Second Kings.

Key verse about Tribe: His descendants settled in the area from Havilah to Shur, near the eastern border of Egypt, as you go toward Ashur. And they lived in hostility toward all the tribes related to them. (Genesis 25:17-19, 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: Transgression

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

Transgress is a verb that means to violate a law, to exceed a limit, to commit a crime, or to sin. Typical uses of transgressing in the Bible are to sin against God or to break his laws and commandments.

Transgression is the noun form of transgressing, which means a crime, a sin, or a breach or violation of the Law. In the Bible, the Israelites were often chastised by the prophets for their transgressions, that is for breaking the Law of God.

Key verse about Transgression: Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. (1 John 3:3-5, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Tithe

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

A tithe is an Old Testament command where one-tenth or ten percent is given to God; this was a matter of law and therefore a requirement.

God, however, doesn’t appreciate tithes given out of obligation. He desires tithes and offerings to be given freely, as a result of love and gratitude towards him.

Today, some people maintain the rule of a tithe as presented in the Old Testament, whereas others feel this changed with Jesus, viewing a tithe more as a concept, than a command.

It’s often said a tithe should go to the local church, but a more correct understanding is that a tithe goes to God, be it through a local church or some other means.

Key verse about Tithe: Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress. In this way you also will present an offering to the Lord from all the tithes you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the Lord’s portion to Aaron the priest. You must present as the Lord’s portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.’ (Numbers 18:27-29,NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Theology

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

At its simplest, theology is the study of God.

Specifically, Christian theology is a look at the elements of the Christian faith as revealed by Jesus and portrayed in the Bible.

Key verse about theology: “Then the Jews were perplexed. They said, ‘How did this man become learned [so versed in the Scriptures and theology] without formal training?'” (John 7:15, AMP).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Testament

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

The word testament has three usages or applications in the Bible:

Testament is another name for a covenant, specifically an agreement between God and mankind.
Testament can refer to someone’s will, as in their last will and testament.
Lastly, the Bible is divided into two sections or testaments, so named because each encompasses a major covenant from God.

The first is the Old Testament, which refers to being made right with God by following a strict code of conduct and rules.

The second is the New Testament, which refers to being made right with God by following Jesus.

Although virtually all Bibles include the sections of Old Testament and New Testament, this usage is not actually found in the Bible’s text.

Key verse about testament (second definition): “For where there is a will and testament involved, the death of the one who made it must be established,for a will and testament takes effect [only] at death, since it is never in force as long as the one who made it is alive (Hebrews 9:16-17, AMP).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Ten Commandments

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

The Ten Commandments are listed in Exodus 20:3-23 and Deuteronomy 5:6–21. Interestingly, neither of these passages calls this list the Ten Commandments (although the phrase is used in Exodus 34:28, Deuteronomy 4:13, and Deuteronomy 10:4). The Ten Commandments are:

Do not have any other gods.
Do not worship idols.
Do not use God’s name wrongly.
Keep the Sabbath day holy.
Honor your parents (there is a promise of blessing if we do)
Do not murder
Do not commit adultery
Do not steal
Do not lie (give false testimony)
Do not covet

When asked which command was the greatest, Jesus said we should love God fully; the second greatest is to love others as much as ourselves. He concluded by saying everything else hinges on these two principles of loving God and loving others.

Key verse about Ten Commandments: Then the Lord spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice. He declared to you his covenant, the Ten Commandments, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. And the Lord directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws you are to follow in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess. (Deuteronomy 4:12-14, NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Temple

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

In general, a temple is a holy meeting place for religious activity.

In the Bible, there are several temples. The first is Solomon’s temple, which was later pillaged and destroyed. It was grand and extravagant.

The temple was reconstructed by Zerubbabel and sometimes referred to as the temple of Zerubbabel; it was more basic and simpler, akin to Moses’ tabernacle.

Later, King Herod greatly expanded Zerubbabel’s temple. However, his motives were selfish and not God-honoring.

Herod’s goal was to call attention to himself and garner the favor of the Jewish people. This temple was later destroyed by Roman soldiers, just as Jesus predicted (Luke 19:41-44).

In other uses, Jesus’ body is called a temple (John 2:19-21), the bodies of Jesus’ followers are temples (1 Corinthians 6:19), and heaven itself is God’s temple (Revelation 7:15).

Key verse about Temple: Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the Lord. Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places. (1 Kings 3:1-3, NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Tabernacle

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

The general usage of the tabernacle in the Bible is the tent where Moses kept the ark of the covenant; it was a holy and revered place.

Later, the tabernacle was effectively replaced with the temple, built by King Solomon.

In a more general sense, a tabernacle is any holy place.

Key verse about Tabernacle: “Then have them make a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell among them. Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you. (Exodus 25:8-9, NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Synoptic Gospels

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

Three of the four books in the Bible about Jesus’ life (Gospels) are quite similar, likely based on a common reference source. They are Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

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

Despite their similarities, each of the Gospels was written with a different purpose or audience in mind and with a specific focus or intent. As such, we see many similarities, as well as uniqueness, between these three Gospels.

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Synagogue

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 4, 2014

A synagogue is a Jewish meeting place and house of prayer.

In a strict sense, it is not a temple.

Jesus often taught in synagogues (Matthew 13:54 et al) and the early church met in synagogues as well (Acts 13:14 et al), although they later met in houses (1 Corinthians 16:19 et al).

Key verse about Synagogue: “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:4-6, NIV)

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