Basic HTML Version
2.
(
)
, 1079), “a being born, or the hour of birth” (related to
, “race,
generation”), is connected with
, “to become, to be born,” and is used in John
9:1.¶
Notes
(1) For
and
see
FRUIT
,
GENERATION
,
NATURE
.
(2) In Gal. 4:19,
, “to have birth pangs,” is rendered “travail in birth,”
KJV
;
RV
,
“am in travail.” See Rev. 12:2.
BIRTHDAY
(
!
, 1077), a neuter plural (akin to
, “lineage,” from
),
primarily denoted “the festivities of a birthday, a birthday feast,” though among the
Greeks it was also used of a festival in commemoration of a deceased friend. It is found
in Matt. 14:6 and Mark 6:21. Some have regarded it as the day of the king’s accession,
but this meaning is not confirmed in Greek writings.¶
BIRTHRIGHT
(
$
, 4415), a birthright” (from
, “first,”
, “to beget”),
is found in Heb. 12:16, with reference to Esau (cf.
, firstborn). The “birthright”
involved preeminence and authority, Gen. 27:29; 49:3. Another right was that of the
double portion, Deut. 21:17; 1 Chron. 5:1-2. Connected with the “birthright” was the
progenitorship of the Messiah. Esau transferred his “birthright” to Jacob for a paltry mess
of pottage, profanely despising this last spiritual privilege, Gen. 25 and 27. In the history
of the nation God occasionally set aside the “birthright,” to show that the objects of His
choice depended not on the will of the flesh, but on His own authority. Thus Isaac was
preferred to Ishmael, Jacob to Esau, Joseph to Reuben, David to his elder brethren,
Solomon to Adonijah. See
FIRSTBORN
.¶
BISHOP (Overseer)
1.
(
# &
, 1985), lit., an overseer” ( , “over,”
, “to look or
watch”), whence Eng. “bishop,” which has precisely the same meaning, is found in Acts
20:28; Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:7; 1 Pet. 2:25. See
OVERSEER
.¶
: &
8 $
, “an elder,” is another term for the same person as bishop or
overseer. See Acts 20:17 with verse 28. The term “elder” indicates the mature spiritual
experience and understanding of those so described; the term “bishop,” or “overseer,”
indicates the character of the work undertaken. According to the divine will and
appointment, as in the NT, there were to be “bishops” in every local church, Acts 14:23;
20:17; Phil. 1:1; Titus 1:5; Jas. 5:14. Where the singular is used, the passage is describing
what a “bishop” should be, 1 Tim. 3:2; Titus 1:7. Christ Himself is spoken of as “the …
Bishop of our souls,” 1 Pet. 2:25. See
ELDER
.
2.
(
#
)
, 1984), besides its meaning, “visitation,” e.g., 1 Pet. 2:12 (cf.
the Sept. of Exod. 3:16; Isa. 10:3; Jer. 10:15), is rendered “office,” in Acts 1:20,
RV
(
KJV
,
“bishoprick”); in 1 Tim. 3:1 “the office of a bishop,” lit., “(if any one seeketh)
overseership,” there is no word representing office.