Category: Bible Terms

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

Bible Term: Ransom

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

The price paid to free someone from slavery, bondage, or kidnappers. Jesus ransomed us from a life of slavery to selfishness and godlessness.

Ransom can also be used as a verb, which means the act of obtaining someone’s release.

See redeem.

Key verse about Ransom: “When you take a census of the Israelites to count them, each one must pay the Lord a ransom for his life at the time he is counted. Then no plague will come on them when you number them (Exodus 30:12, 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: Rabbi

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

In the Bible, a Rabbi is a teacher or leader of Jewish law, customs, and practices.

The word only appears in the New Testament and then only in three of the biographies about Jesus: Matthew, Mark, and John. In all cases Rabbi is used as a title of respect for Jesus.

Key verse about Rabbi: “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers (Matthew 23:8, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Propitiation

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

In the general sense, propitiation is the act of appeasing an offended power; to reconcile, to attain friendship or goodwill, attempt to make compatible.

In a spiritual sense, God is the power whom we have offended by our wrong actions and behaviors. In and of ourselves, we cannot appease him or gain good standing with him, but Jesus has acted on our behalf to accomplish that as our propitiation.

A related word, that is more commonly used in the Bible, is atonement.

Key verse about propitiation: “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (Romans 3:25, NTL).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Prophet

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

A prophet can mean the same thing as a preacher. It can also refer to someone who has insight into the future or predicts future events, which are called prophecies.

Many books in the Old Testament were written by or about prophets and contain their messages for repentance or of predictions for future events. Many of these prophetic predictions anticipated Jesus, though some had a more current focus, while a few looked at the end times.

See the list of prophetic books in the Bible.

Key verse about Prophet: If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed (Deuteronomy 18:22, NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Prophecy

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

A prophecy is a God-inspired prediction about a future event.

In Old Testament times, prophecies were often warnings about what could happen (God’s wrath) if certain conditions were not met. Sometimes prophecies included promises or blessings that would be given for obedience or repentance.

One who gives a prophecy is a prophet.

Key verse about Prophecy: the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened (Numbers 24:4, NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Promised Land

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

The Promised Land was literally the land, or territory, that God promised to give to Abraham (initially named Abram) and his descendants. This promise was repeated to Abraham’s son Isaac and grandson Jacob (who would later be called Israel).

Some 400 years later, the promise was reaffirmed to Moses when he led the enslaved Israelites out of Egypt to return to this area.

Since the Canaanites inhabited the land at that time, it’s sometimes called the land of Canaan or simply Canaan.

In addition to the Canaanite territory, the Promised Land also included the area inhabited by the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Girgashites, and Jebusites.

Although God promised this territory, the Israelites still needed to conquer and overcome the people living there, to which they did with varying degrees of success.

The historical area of Canaan is approximately present-day Israel.

Key verse about Promised Land: By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country (Hebrews 11:9, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Priest

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

A priest is someone set apart to act as God’s representative and to be a liaison between God and his people. The priesthood was established by Moses; the priests served the nation of Israel.

Some versions of the Bible use the phrase chief priests. This is likely a descriptive label and not a title; they can best be thought of as leading priests.

One priest was selected to be the high priest, a position they would hold for life The first high priest was Moses’ brother, Aaron.

Jesus effectively changed the role of the priests. It’s through him that we no longer need a liaison to God, as we can approach God directly. As such, Jesus became our high priest, forever (Hebrews 6:20).

Also see Melchizedek.

Key verse about Priest: “‘You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites” (Exodus 18:1, NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Prayer

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

Prayer is communication with God. This can be through spoken words, written words, thoughts, meditation, or song.

God desires us to commune with him; prayer is one way of doing this.

Prayer is not intended for us to selfishly ask God for things (as in “give me this”) but to honor and glorify God by spending time with him.

Many people think of prayer as being one-directional — us talking to God. Yet prayer should be bi-directional, with us also listening to what God has to tell us.

God can speak to us through the Bible, through others, through circumstances, but especially through his Holy Spirit, who can put specific words and thoughts in our minds and even communicate via audible words.

[For some verses on God’s audible communication, see 1 Samuel 3:4-14, Psalm 18:13, Luke 3:22, Acts 9:4, 2 Peter 1:18.]

Key verse about Prayer: I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers (Ephesians 1:16, NIV).

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Praise

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

In the Bible, praise is to worship God; to express admiration or thanks to God.

The word praise is often used interchangeably with bless and exalt.

See blessing.

Key verse about Praise: saying, “Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives” (Genesis 24:27, NIV)

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Bible Terms

Bible Term: Pharisee

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 3, 2014

The Pharisees were a prevalent Jewish sect that sought to separate themselves from others.

The Pharisees were frequently criticized by Jesus, who often called them hypocrites (Matthew 23:13).

Compare to Sadducees.

Key verse about Phraise: Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to (Matthew 23:13, NIV).

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