New Testament Words Explained: Lamb - New

 •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 8
 
Lamb.
It is beautiful to observe that while in John’s Gospel the-word used when speaking of Christ is the common Greek one amnos, in the book of Revelation the word used throughout is arnion, meaning “a little lamb,” as if to reassure us when moving amongst the transcendent scenes there unfolded, by giving to Christ the humblest and lowliest name ever applied to Him. This is the more remarkable because the word is never applied to Christ elsewhere, and indeed is only used once besides, when He bids Peter feed His “little lambs.” It is wonderful indeed to think that the very word given by the Lord Himself to the feeblest believer here is the title He takes for Himself when moving in the highest scenes of heaven’s glories.
Love.
The two words both translated thus are agapao and phileo. The former is a reasoning love, an esteem, a love caused by the intellect only, rather than the heart, whereas the latter is a more impulsive love of the affections alone. Thus we are frequently told to love (agapao) God (Matthew 22:3737Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (Matthew 22:37); Luke 10:2727And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. (Luke 10:27); 1 Corinthians 8:33But if any man love God, the same is known of him. (1 Corinthians 8:3)) but never to love (phileo) Him, while God both loves (agapao, John 3:3535The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. (John 3:35)) and loves (phileo, John 5:2020For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth: and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. (John 5:20)) the Son. In John 21:15-1715So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (John 21:15‑17) the distinction is important. The first “Lovest thou me?” is agapao: Peter answers “I love (phileo) thee.” The second question is in the same words, and again Peter replies “I love (phileo) thee.” The third time the Lord adopts Peter’s word phileo. A beautiful distinction between the words is seen in John 11:3,53Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. (John 11:3)
5Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus. (John 11:5)
. “Lord he whom thou lovest (phileo) is sick”: but when the Evangelist speaks of the love of the Lord to Lazarus and his two sisters, the other word agapao is used.
Miracle.
Murderer.
We have three Greek words to consider which are 411 rendered “murderer.”
Sikarios only occurs once (Acts 21:3838Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days madest an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers? (Acts 21:38)) and means a man who wore a short sword or dagger, and hired himself for the express purpose of assassination.
Net.
This is represented by three distinct words in the Greek, diktuon, amphibleestron and sageenee. The first, meaning something which is thrown, is the common word for all nets, and includes other than fishing nets, whereas the two latter refer only to this class. Amphibleestron, which only occurs in Matthew 4:1818And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. (Matthew 4:18) and Mark 1:1616Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. (Mark 1:16), is the casting net, and is of small size, thrown by one man; sageenee is the large draw net or “seine” which is swept along the bottom of the sea between two boats; it is used in the New Testament only in Matthew 13:4747Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: (Matthew 13:47).
New.
Kainos and Neos both mean, and are both translated “new” the former in Ephesians 2:1515Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15); Hebrews 9:1515And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:15); Matthew 26:2929But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom. (Matthew 26:29); the latter in Colossians 3:1010And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (Colossians 3:10); Hebrews 12:2424And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. (Hebrews 12:24); Matthew 9:1717Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. (Matthew 9:17). In each of these three cases they are applied to the same thing, viz: man, testament, and wine respectively. The meaning, however, may in spite of this be distinguished, kainos meaning “new” as opposed to “old,” neos, “new” with regard to time, i.e. recent. Thus, we find kainos in Luke 5:3636And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old. (Luke 5:36); Matthew 9:1717Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. (Matthew 9:17); Luke 5:2828And he left all, rose up, and followed him. (Luke 5:28); 2 Peter 3:1313Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (2 Peter 3:13); Mark 16:1717And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; (Mark 16:17); Matthew 28:60. This last passage plainly shows its meaning, the newness of the tomb not consisting in its having been recently excavated, but in its never having been used before. Still more striking is the difference between 1 Timothy 4:1212Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (1 Timothy 4:12) (neos) and Romans 6:44Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Romans 6:4) (kainos’ the former meaning youth, the latter newness or novelty. If this distinction is borne in mind it shows at once the force of the new (neos) man of Colossians 3 Jo, and the new (kainos) man of Ephesians 2:1515Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; (Ephesians 2:15). For that which is born again is now recent as regards time when compared with “ the old man,” And not only so, but is of a different sort or species, being no repetition of the other as a son is of his father, and hence is not only neos but kainos. He is new as to time and new in quality. Neos then refers to time, kainos to the thing itself.