1:2. ‘Word’
Greek #3056 lŏgŏs: times translated by KJV: ‘word’ 218; ‘saying’ 50; ‘account’ 8; ‘speech’ 8; ‘Word’ (Christ) 7; ‘thing’ 5; not translated 2, misc; 32; total 330 times.
In John 1:1 it denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, the personal wisdom and power in union with God, his minister in creation and government of the universe, the cause of all the world’s life both physical and ethical, which for the procurement of man’s salvation put on human nature in the person of Jesus the Messiah, the second person in the Godhead, and shone forth conspicuously from His words and deeds.
The Greek logos is probably from the Hebrew word ’imrâh, (#0565) used poetically as a ‘word’, ‘speech’, and especially as the ‘Word of God’. ‘Imrâh is used in Ps. 18:31; 119:38, 50, 103, 140, and also as a ‘hymn’, ‘sacred poem’ in Gen. 4:23; Deut. 32:2; Ps. 17:6.
The root word ’âmar (#565) means (1) ‘to bear forth’; hence, ‘to bring to light’, ‘to say’, ‘to be pointed out’. It is sometimes used of a hymn or sacred poem. So the term used so often: “And God said,” may mean that He spoke in a poetic hymn.
The root radicals of ‘amar, with different vowel points, (vowel points did not exist in the original), is the same as ‘imar, (#563) meaning a ‘lamb’…hence, a ‘progeny of the flock’. This ties together the two concepts of Christ as both the Word, ‘amar, and the Lamb, ‘imar.
Another word using the same radicals is ‘omer (#562) ‘a poetic word’, (1) ‘a word’, ‘speech’, Ps. 19:4; (2) spec. ‘a poem’, ‘hymn’, Ps. 19:3…68:12; Hab. 3:9; (3) ‘a promise of God’, Ps. 77:9.
Hebrew # 0565, #0562 and #0561 are all forms of the same word sometimes translated ‘speech’; ‘commandment’; ‘utterance’; ‘word’; ‘word of God, the Torah’.
#0562 ‘omer: Times translated: KJV ‘word’ 2, ‘speech’ 2, ‘thing’ 1, ‘promise’ 1; total 6 times. It also is used to mean ‘a saying or command’.
(#01697) dâbâr: Times translated: KJV: ‘word 807’, ‘thing’ 231, ‘matter’ 63, ‘acts’ 51, ‘chronicles’ 38, ‘saying’ 25, ‘commandment’ 20, misc 204; Total 1439 times.
Greek #4487 rhēma: times translated by KJV: ‘word’ 56; ‘saying’ 9; ‘thing’ 3; ‘no thing’ + #3756 1; not translated 1; total 70 times. It often signifies that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, ‘thing spoken’, ‘word’.
1:2. ‘Witness’
Greek #3140 marturĕō to be a witness, testify. Forms of this word are also translated ‘bare record’, ‘testimony(ies)’.
Corresponding Hebrew words are forms of `ed or `edah, or `eduwth (see below #5707). They are translated ‘testimony’, ‘witness’, or ‘psalm’.
1:3: ‘Time’
Greek #2540 kairŏs, ‘an occasion’, i.e., ‘a set or proper time’. Used here and at Revelation 12:14; 22:10.) Greek kairos translates Hebrew #4150.
Hebrew #4150 môw‛êd, meaning ‘an appointment’, i.e. ‘a fixed time or season’; specifically ‘a festival’; conventionally, ‘a year’; by implication, ‘an assembly’…; technically ‘the congregation’, by extension, ‘the place of meeting’; also ‘a signal (as appointed beforehand)’.
Strong derives mô`êd from #3259 yâ`ad, meaning ‘to fix upon by agreement or appointment’; by implication, ‘to meet (at a stated time)’, ‘to summon (to trial)’, ‘to direct (in a certain quarter or position)’, ‘to engage (for marriage)’.
Mô`êd occurs 223 times and is translated by the KJV as: ‘congregation’ 150, ‘feast’ 23, ‘season’ 13, ‘appointed’ 12, ‘time’ 12, ‘assembly’ 4, ‘solemnity’ 4, ‘solemn’ 2, ‘days’ 1, ‘sign’ 1, ‘synagogues’ 1.
#5707 `êd… meaning ‘a witness’; abstractly, ‘a testimony’; specifically, ‘a recorder’, i.e. a prince, derived by Strong as a contraction from the root #5749, `ûwd, The root `ûwd, (#5749), means ‘to duplicate or repeat’, akin to ‘ôwd, ‘iteration or continuance’.
#5732 `iddân, meaning ‘set time’, derived from #5708, `êd meaning ‘to set a period’.
The following words relate to ‘time’ in that the yearly cycles ‘return’ again and again:
#7725 (shûwb) …’to turn back’… (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point.)
For shûwb Gesenius gives ‘to turn about’ ‘to return’. Followed by another verb, ‘to return and do’, or ‘to return to do (anything)’ is the same as ‘to do again’. In some forms it means ‘to restore, renew’. It is used of “the return of the year” in 1 Kings 20:22, 26.
These words relate to the following in the time concept of a ‘week’, ‘seven’:
#7650 shâba‛ prop. ‘to be complete’, but used only as a denominative from #7651; ‘to seven oneself’, i.e. ‘swear’.
#7651 sheba‛ a primitive cardinal number; ‘seven (as the sacred full one)’; also (adv) ‘seven times’; by implication ‘a week’; by extension ‘an indefinite number’.
#7620 shâbû‛ah … properly a passive participle of #7650, as a denominative of #7651; literally. ‘sevened’, i.e. ‘a week (specifically of years)’, ‘seven’, ‘week’.
#7621 shebu`ah feminine passive participle of #7650; properly ‘something sworn’, i.e. ‘an oath’.
1:4. ‘Jehovah’
Hebrew #3068 ‘Yahweh’ or ‘Yehôvâh’ from #1961 hâyâh, ‘to exist’, i.e., ‘be or become’, ‘come to pass’.
Hebrew yêsh #3426 is also a verb of ‘being, existence’. It is from the root yâshâh, not found in Hebrew but widely spread in other ancient languages from which also comes the word tûshîyyah, ‘a setting upright … uprightness, truth,… Properly, ‘to stand’, ‘to stand out’, ‘to stand upright’, hence ‘to be’” (Ges. Lexicon).
Hebrew #226 ’ôwth [II] is defined from the Jewish writings as: “(1) mark, sign, emblem, test, signal, military ensign…. (2) letter, writing, symbol ….the quadriliteral Name [i.e. ‘Yahweh’, ‘I Am’].”
While this word indicates the most sacred name of God, later Jewish writings made it a derogatory title for Jesus. The word ’ôwth [III] is defined as: “(1) indicator of objective case, – (2) Used with pronominal suffixes of third person …, the law …. (3) euphemism for pudenda. [In later Jewish writings frequently used for Jesus of Nazareth; ‘pudenda’ is the external genital organs. More broadly, something that causes shame. (Jastrow Dictionary, s.v.)
The untranslated word, ’eth, grammatical indicator of the direct object (the same radicals as ’ôwth), is probably the reason why the Kabbalist Rabbins said that God created the world by means of the letters of the alphabet! Having lost the true meaning of the concept of order which the alphabet portrays, they use the letters as magical amulets for witchcraft purposes. They consider the alphabetic letters themselves to have power in a magical sense if one knew how and when to use them. In the Talmudic age, Gnostic amulets, called ‘Abraxis,’ (or alphabet), were worn bearing the “name of God” inscribed in various forms. (See articles: “Amulets,” “Abraxis”, “Aruk“, JE, Vol. II s.v.)
In a more rational vein, the Hebrew expression for ‘dictionary’ is Aruk and corresponds to the Arabic ta–alif (tau–aleph). The name is derived from Job 32:14, ‘arranged words’, i.e. ‘order’. (‘Words’ here is the Hebrew millin.)
“The work generally quoted as ‘Aruk‘ is the great Talmudical dictionary composed by Nathan ben Jehiel of Rome and completed in 1101….Of this greater work different compendia were made later on for the use of larger circles of readers, with the explanation in modern languages of difficult words, under the title ‘Sefer ha `aruk ha–Kazer’ (Book of The Smaller Aruk), and were used by Sebastian, Munster, Reuchlin, and other Christian scholars,” (ibid.). These scholars follow to some degree the tradition passed down by the Pharisees through the Talmudic writings of Judaism and are therefore sometimes at variance with Christian tradition.
Jastrow’s Dictionary gives more on the word spelled with aleph ve tau: “III. הוא (’âvâh)…to mark, to designate, to describe….This signification is manifest both in the noun תוא (’oth)…a mark, and in the words, Num. 34:10…’ye shall mark out for you (the borders).”
This passage in Numbers shows that the land was surveyed using the heavenly signs, the ’ôwth, as the prime reference point for the survey, another example of how the earthly was to reflect the heavenly.
The word ta’, (את the letters aleph and tau in reversed order), appears to spring from tau (ות) meaning ‘a sign…mark…’ The verb tavah (הות) is the same as ta’ah, (האת) ‘to mark, to delineate.’ The verb ’avah (הוא) also means ‘to mark, to designate, to describe.’ From this latter verb is derived the word ’ôwth, (aleph ve tau), as a cognate meaning ‘a sign,’ i.e. ‘something marked out’, ‘delineated’, or ‘designated’. In all of these related words there are various combinations of the basic letters aleph ve tau.
A form of the same word, ta’ah, meaning ‘to mark, to delineate…’, also means ‘to outrun’ which Gesenius takes as the source of the word te’o, (tau, aleph, vau), meaning ‘gazelle, oryx’. Targum ‘wild bull.’ Again we have a word combining the same three letters and meaning a bull, or animal with horns.
The word ’av (aleph, vau) or its morphosis into a triliteral word ’avah, (aleph, vau, and he) means ‘desire,’ or ‘to turn aside to lodge.’ This word is the source of the concept ‘faith’ as the substance of things hoped for (desired) and the evidence (sign) of things not seen. The faithfully and eternally returning cycles of time are believed in although the aleph ve tau may be out of sight much of the time.
1:4. ‘Spirit’
Greek #4151 pnĕuma. It is used 385 times in the New Testament and is translated by the KJV as: ‘Spirit’ 111, ‘Holy Ghost’ 89, ‘Spirit (of God)’ 13, ‘Spirit (of the Lord)’ 5, ‘(My) Spirit’ 3, ‘Spirit (of truth)’ 3, ‘Spirit (of Christ)’ 2, ‘human (spirit)’ 49, ‘(evil) spirit’ 47, ‘spirit (general)’ 26, ‘spirit’ 8, ‘(Jesus‘ own) spirit’ 6, ‘(Jesus’ own) ghost’ 2, misc 21.
1) the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son
2) the spirit, i.e. the vital principal by which the body is animated
3) a spirit, i.e. a simple essence, devoid of all or at least all grosser matter, and possessed of the power of knowing, desiring, deciding, and acting,
4) the disposition or influence which fills and governs the soul of any one,
5) a movement of air (a gentle blast).
Hebrew #7307 rûwach, used 378 times and is translated by the KJV as: ‘Spirit or spirit’ 232, ‘wind’92, ‘breath’ 27, ‘side’ 6, ‘mind’ 5, ‘blast’ 4, ‘vain’ 2, ‘air’ 1, ‘anger’ 1, ‘cool’ 1, ‘courage’ 1, misc 6.
1:4. ‘Throne’
Greek #2362 thrŏnŏs, ‘a stately seat’, … ‘power’,… ‘a potentate’, ‘throne’.
Hebrew #3678 kiççê’, ‘Throne of God’ from root meaning ‘covered’, probably with implication of security, power, protection; ‘to be covered’ in respect to sin, guilt. ‘To be enthroned’ is to take one’s seat as king, become actually a king, possess royalty.)
1:6. ‘For ever and ever
Greek #165 aiōn: ‘an age, perpetuity’, probably with Hebrew #05769 ‛ôwlâm in mind: ‘eternity’, ‘remote time, future or past’, and #05703 ‛ad ‘as far as’ whether space or time.
1:7. ‘Coming’
Greek #2064 ĕrchŏmai, a form of which, erchomenon is translated ‘coming’.
Hebrew #858 ’âthâh, used in Daniel 7:13 for “came with the clouds” is collateral to ’ûwth, or ’ôwth. Here again we have the letters aleph, ve and tau, corresponding to the Greek alpha and omega.
The meaning of ’ôwth, in the sense of ‘appearing’, is also: ‘a signal (literally or figuratively)’, as ‘a flag, beacon’, ‘evidence’, etc.: ‘mark’, ‘miracle’, ‘(en)sign’, ‘token’. Christ appears as the foretold ensign to all nations, (Isaiah 11:10-12).
The word ’âthâh is also used in the phrase maranatha, 1 Cor. 16:22, “Our Lord Comes, (or has come)”.
Hebrew # 858 ’âthâh ‘to come’, ‘to bring’. The passage in Dan.7:13: “There came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him,” (RSV). ‘Came’, translates the Hebrew word ’âthâh.
This word in its contracted form is spelled with the Hebrew letters aleph, ve, and tau, corresponding to the Greek alpha and omega. This ties the Hebrew word with the Urim ve Thummim of the title word “revelation.” The title, ‘Revelation‘ then would also suggest that the book is about Christ‘s “coming.”
1:7. ‘Earth’
Greek #1093 gē, meaning ‘soil’, ‘a region’, ‘the whole globe’, ‘a country’, ‘land’.
Hebrew #776 ’erets, ‘the earth at large’ or ‘partitively a land’, translated both ‘earth’ and ‘land’.
1:8. ‘Almighty’
Greek #3841 pantŏkratōr ‘God as absolute and sovereign’, ‘Omnipotent’.
Hebrew #7706 Shadday ‘Almighty’.
1:8. ‘Alpha and Omega’
Hebrew (Aleph ve Tau) #0226 ’ôwth, ‘sign’, ‘Ensign’, Num. 2:2 translated ‘ensign(s).’ Meaning ‘a signal’, (literally or figuratively), as ‘a flag’, ‘beacon’, ‘monument’, ‘omen’, ‘prodigy’, ‘evidence’, etc., ‘mark’, ‘miracle’ ‘(en-)sign’, ‘token’. (Used also in Psalms 74:4.)
1:9. ‘Tribulation’
Greek #2347 thlipsis, ‘pressure’, translated ‘affliction’, ‘anguish’, ‘burdened’, ‘persectuion’, ‘tribulation’, ‘trouble’.
Hebrew #6862 tsar ‘a tight place’, ‘affliction’, ‘distress’, ‘tribulation’, Deut. 4:30; Ps. 119:143.
1:9. ‘Endurance’
Greek #5281, hupŏmŏnē from #5259 hupo and #3306 meno, ‘to stay’, translated ‘abide’, ‘continue’, ‘dwell’, ‘endure’, ‘be present’, ‘remain’, ‘stand’, ‘tarry (for)’. It is translated in RSV as ‘steadfastness’, ‘enduring’, ‘hope’. It is the patience motivated by hope. The LXX uses it for
Hebrew #4723 miqveh, ‘hope’.
1:10. ‘Trumpet’
Hebrew #07782 shôfâr, translated ‘trumpet’, ‘cornet’, ‘horn’, or ‘ram’s horn’.
#03104 yôwbêl, translated ‘jubilee’, ‘ram’s horn’, ‘trumpet’, or ‘cornet’. Also of the ‘jubilee year’, marked by the blowing of cornets. It is from the root yabal, ‘to bring, lead, carry’, ‘conduct’, ‘bear along’. Its noun form is yabal, ‘a stream’, ‘watercourse’, as for irrigating.
1:11. ‘Book(s)’
Greek # 975 bibliŏn and #976 biblŏs, ‘book’, ‘scroll’, here and in Revelation 3:5; 5:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; 10:2, 8, 9, 10; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27; 22:7, 9, 10, 18, 19.
Hebrew #5612 çêpher ‘a writing’, ‘document’, ‘book’, ‘register’, or ‘scroll’.
1:12. ‘CANDLESTICKS’ (KJV) or ‘Lampstands’ (RSV)
Greek #3087 luchnia, ‘candlestick’.
Hebrew #4501 menôrâh, ‘lampstand’ Exod. 25:31-32; Zech. 4:2; 2 Chron. 13:11; (2) ‘The ten lampstands in temple’, pl. 1 Kings 7:49= 2 Chron. 4:7; Jer. 52:19; 2 Kings 25:14-15; sg. Zech. 4:2. (3) ‘Seven-branched lampstand in tabernacle’, Exod. 25:31-32; Lev. 24:4; with lamps upon it, Num. 3:31; 4:9; 8:2-4.
BDB gives the root as nur, ‘flame’, ‘fire’, ‘give light’, ‘shine’, ‘torches’, ‘furnace’, ‘oven’.
The related root ner, Exod. 25:37, means ‘lamp’ of God’s Word as a guide, Psalm 119:105; Prov. 6:23. Perhaps combines with #4489 môneh, ‘counted number’, ‘time’, plus ‘or, light.
1:12-20. ‘Pattern of the Heavens’
Hebrew #8403 tabnîyth is sometimes used of the figures of idols in the form or likeness of animals, as in Deuteronomy 4:16-18; Ezekiel 8:10; Psalm 106:20; or of man, Isaiah 44:13. This form of idolatry may have been the result of syncretism, following the surrounding cultures who saw the zodiac as a circle of animals and copied them for purposes of worship.
1:16. ‘Sword’
Greek #4501, rhŏmphaia, ‘sword’ ‘a saber or cutlass’ or any weapon of the kind literally or figuratively. See also 6:4 ‘sword’.