Sermon and Worship Resources

Synonyms: touch, feel, sense of touch, tactile sense, tactility, contact, using one's hands, sensation, sense, suspicion, sneaking suspicion, notion, inkling, hunch, fancy, apprehension, presentiment, premonition, foreboding, love, care, affection, fondness, tenderness, warmth, warmness, emotion, sentiment, emotional state, compassion, sympathy, empathy, fellow feeling, understanding, concern, solicitude, solicitousness, tender-heartedness, brotherly love, sensibilities, sensitivities, self-esteem, ego, pride, opinion, belief, view, impression, intuition, instinct, estimation, guess, theory, hypothesis, thought, way of thinking, point of view, atmosphere, ambience, aura, air, mood, climate, character, overtone, undertone, tenor, spirit, quality, flavour, colour, aptitude, knack, flair, bent, talent, gift, skill, art, trick, faculty, ability, propensity, inclination, sensitive, warm, warm-hearted, tender, tender-hearted, caring, soft-hearted, sympathetic, compassionate, empathetic, responsive, receptive, intuitive, thoughtful

Antonyms: bad feeling, acrimony, animosity, animus, antagonism, antipathy, aversion, bitterness, detestation, disgust, dislike, disrelish, enmity, friction, grievances, grudges, hatred, hostility, loathing, malevolence, malice

Showing 3376 to 3400 of 4340 results

3376. Further Opposition to the Rebuilding

Nehemiah 6:1-14

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... about Jerusalem. Tobiah’s Judean contacts were members of a family network by marriage and were his sworn political supporters. They lost no opportunity to commend him to Nehemiah and to report back Nehemiah’s stated views. Tobiah sent letters of a different character directly to Nehemiah—hostile letters meant to intimidate. We have not heard the last of Tobiah. Nehemiah was later to confiscate his apartment in the very precincts of the temple, given to him by a priestly member of the pro-Tobiah party ...

3377. Ezra Reads the Law

Neh 7:73b–8:18

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... this duration, but since the sacrificial emphasis of that passage is not mirrored here and the context does depend on Leviticus 23, it is the latter text that is in view here. They held the festival in verses 16–18, presumably from the fifteenth day. Verse 17 brings the character of the worshipers, as essentially returned exiles, to the reader’s notice. This echoes 7:6 and the portrayal of the people in Ezra 1–6 (2:1; 3:8; 6:16) and 7–10 (8:35; 9:4; 10:6, 8, 16). A typological parallel is drawn ...

3378. The New Residents of Jerusalem

Nehemiah 11:1-36

Understanding Series

Leslie C. Allen

... Gen. 26:17; 33:18). 11:36 The move may have been occasioned by the fact that preexilic Levitical settlements were no longer located in the province, which consisted of Benjamin and the northern part of Judah. If so, the passage closes with a sober realization of the “not yet” character of its territorial hope.

3379. Haman's Plot to Destroy the Jews

Esther 3:1-15

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... the total revenue for the Persian empire was 14,560 Euboeic talents, or about 17,000 Babylonian talents. Whichever of these two designations was current at this time would make Haman’s offer more than half the empire’s economy. For these figures, see Fox, Character, p. 51. It is unclear if Haman is offering his own funds or those at his disposal (i.e., in the provincial treasuries). 3:11 Do with the people as you please: The king’s unhesitating response to Haman’s accusation and proposal betrays a ...

3380. Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help

Esther 4:1-17

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... fast. With the risk of death in full view, she will take up their cause in the inner circle of power to which she alone has access. The series of conversations in this chapter, though brief, trace a significant development in Esther’s character. We know that Mordecai is a strong, principled person who deliberately defied the king’s order in chapter 3. Esther has hitherto been passive, compliant and obedient to whatever Mordecai “commanded.” What he has asked of her thus far served to protect her ...

3381. Mordecai Honored

Esther 6:1-14

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... Gen. 41:39–45 (see also Dan. 2:48–49; 3:30; 5:29). The differences are important, however. Haman seeks more than the usual level of royalty in each request. Clines (Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther [NCB; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1984], p. 308) and Fox (Character, pp. 76–77) note that whereas Joseph receives a linen garment and gold necklace, Haman seeks a garment the king has worn. Ancient historians comment on the great social (and near magical) significance of the king’s robe. (Herodotus, Hist. 3.84; 9.110 ...

3382. Haman Hanged

Esther 7:1-10

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... , as there are three ambiguous terms in it. The word translated “distress” (tsar) can also mean “adversary.” The word translated “justify” (shoveh) means “to be commensurate with.” The word “disturbing” (nzq) typically implies (financial) loss (Fox, Character, p. 282). Levenson (Esther, pp. 99–100) rightly translates the first term personally: “the adversary would not have been worth the king’s loss.” Support for this translation comes from the king’s question, “Who is he ...

3383. Triumph of the Jews

Esther 9:1-19

Understanding Series

Timothy S. Laniak

... who were now deprived of their father and their estate. Thus Haman receives poetic justice: “not only is he killed, but his honor, his position, his wealth, and now his sons—all his boasts from his days of glory (5:11)—are stripped away” (Fox, Character, p. 110). The names of Haman’s sons attract attention for two reasons. Some appear to be daiva names—Old Persian names of pagan gods or demons. This may underscore their evil nature or cultic affiliation. The names are also singled out in an ...

3384. Further Benefits of Wisdom

Proverbs 3:1-35

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... God and mortals. 3:5–6 The command to trust in the LORD is expressed positively and negatively (it is foolish to trust in oneself; cf. 26:5, 12; 28:26a). The motive in 6b is the assurance of divine direction in life. 3:7–8 The antithetic character of prohibition and command defines an aspect of fear of the Lord. Fearing the Lord results in health and well-being. For body the MT has “navel”; apparently the NIV regarded this as a part to designate the whole (or a synecdoche). 3:9–10 The command to ...

3385. Warning Against Adultery

Proverbs 5:1-23

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... are very general. The Lord sees all paths (cf. the emphasis on “ways” in ch. 4). The wicked are caught in their own evil deeds and this leads to death. Plöger (Sprüche) recognizes the strangeness of these verses here and associates them with the interruptive character of 6:1–19, into which they lead. In 6:20, the text returns to the topic of women. On verse 22, see Additional Notes. Additional Notes 5:6 The Hb. is ambiguous. The subjects of the verbs can be either “you” or “she.” The sense ...

3386. Invitation of Wisdom and of Folly

Proverbs 9:1-18

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... that—in v. 14) is indicated by the moral exhortation of verse 6. This is a common symbol for spiritual sustenance (Isa. 55:1–3; Sir. 15:3). Life and way, two great symbols of chapters 1–9, appear in verse 6. 9:7–12 The interruptive character of these verses has already been indicated. Even if one calls them “complementary commentary” (Plöger, Sprüche), they are not a neat fit. However, Plöger points out rightly that there is certain unity to verses 7–9. The NIV recognizes this by starting a ...

3387. The Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 10:1-32

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... again in v. 10b). In verse 8b, one would expect the foolish (lit. “a fool as to lips”) not to heed advice, but perhaps it is presumed that a garrulous person is not one who listens. The commands are the recommendations of the sages (or other responsible characters). 10:9 Antithetic. It is presumed that the wicked will be found out by others, or certainly by the Lord, and hence they will fare ill. The assonance of verse 9a in the MT is striking. 10:10 The text is uncertain. Though verse 10b repeats verse ...

3388. Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 11:1-31

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... , verse 21a reads, “Hand to hand! The wicked . . .” The certainty of divine retribution is affirmed. 11:22 Lines a and b bring out the incongruity between beauty and lack of wisdom in a woman. The qualities are juxtaposed, without any “like.” Womanly character cannot be replaced by (exterior) decoration. 11:23 Antithetic and juxtapositional. Good or wrath (cf. 11:4) are the results awaiting the righteous and the wicked (cf. 10:23). 11:24 Antithetic. This may be merely the recording of a paradox: the ...

3389. Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 12:1-28

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... of meaning, such as “instruction” or correction (as the word pair in this verse suggests). Stupid is, literally, “brutish, like an animal.” 12:2–3 Antithetic. These verses are an affirmation of traditional retribution theory. 12:4 Antithetic and chiastic. Noble character is literally “power” and indicates strong men (as warriors). It also connotes able and good women and is used in this way here and in 31:10, where a full description follows. The judgment is made from the viewpoint of the ...

3390. Proverbs of Solomon

Proverbs 16:1-33

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... 17:9. 16:29 Synthetic. The enticement of the violent leads one to (spiritual) death. In line with 1:10–11, this is an enticement to collaborate in evildoing; see also the “paths” in 4:11–15. 16:30 Synonymous and juxtapositional. Outward appearances can betray the character of a person (cf. 6:13). See the Additional Notes. 16:31 Gray hair implies longevity, which is a sign of virtue. The normal assumption (cf. 20:29) would be that the wicked should not be long-lived. See Sirach 25:3–6, but contrast ...

3391. Sayings of the Wise

Proverbs 22:17--24:22

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

The title for these chapters is taken from the Greek, since the MT buries the phrase in verse 17. See the introduction for the international character of wisdom and the influence of Israel’s neighbors, especially Egypt. There can be no doubt that this section has been influenced by the Egyptian text known as Teaching of Amenemope (about 1100 B.C.E.), but there is considerable difference of opinion on the extent and manner of the ...

3392. Wisdom is Meaningless

Ecclesiastes 1:12-18; 2:1-26

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

... the implied persona of Solomon, undertakes to explore “all that is done” (1:13). “All” includes gaining wisdom, amassing possessions, building monuments, and engaging in celebrations. Solomon is an effective choice as speaker: he is the one character in Israelite tradition who can take wisdom, wealth, and extravagance to their extremes. This section records an experiment: a project that involves engaging in particular behaviors, recording the results, and analyzing them. Results include both the ...

3393. Wisdom

Ecclesiastes 7:1--8:1

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

... to humankind, including absolute wisdom. The use of economic and accounting images in this passage is striking. Qohelet sought the scheme of things (7:25); one might more readily translate “accounting” or “sum.” Should the reader fail to notice the character of the language, Qohelet makes it even more explicit in 7:27 where he speaks of adding one thing to another to discover the scheme (or sum). Finally, Qohelet concludes that while God made people straightforward, they have gone in search ...

3394. Judgment Against Evil Kings

Jeremiah 22:1-30, Jeremiah 23:1-8

Understanding Series

Tremper Longman III

... Pul in 2 Kgs. 15:19 and 2 Chr. 5:26). Jehoahaz was the son and immediate successor of Josiah, who is consistently regarded as a good king in Scripture and by Jeremiah. Indeed in verses 15–17 Shallum’s evil is contrasted with the good character and actions of Josiah (your father). Josiah’s death at Megiddo was a huge setback for Judah and especially the pro-Yahweh forces. It may be that the fourth son, Shallum, was placed on the throne because of his pro-Babylonian, anti-Egyptian stance (see further ...

3395. How the Gold Has Lost Its Luster

Lamentations 4:1-22

One Volume

Tremper Longman III

... description of male beauty in Song of Songs 5:10–16 (see Longman, Song of Songs, pp. 170–76). The former whiteness of the princes is contrasted with their blackness. They are blacker than soot. If we are correct above that whiteness has to do with character and not physical beauty, then the same is true here and blackness symbolizes their wickedness (in the way that today we refer to someone having a “black heart”). The second colon of v. 8 then contrasts with the second colon of v. 7 both of which ...

3396. Hosea's Wife and Children

Hosea 1:1-2:1

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... the entire event of God’s act toward his people Israel in the time of Hosea, and indeed, also God’s words that portray the future. God’s word in the Scriptures is not only speech but also action and happening—all that is revelatory of God’s character. The fact that the word came to Hosea emphasizes that his prophecy was not the result of his own convictions or experience, not even of his experience with Gomer, but rather that the word was given to him from outside of himself, by God. The word of ...

3397. Israel Unrepentant

Hosea 6:1--7:16

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... 5:13–14, though the NIV obscures the repetition. The Israelites still had enough faith to know that God was behind their military defeat and that Assyria was the rod of God’s anger (cf. Isa. 10:5). But they did not have enough knowledge of God’s character to know that they could not presume on God’s love for them. In 5:15, God announces, “I will return (NIV: “go back”) to my place.” But the Israelites believe that if they return to God (6:1) by offering sacrifices at a public fast, God will ...

3398. Israel’s Sin

Hosea 11:12--12:14

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... the prophet Moses (cf. Deut. 18:15–16), Israel was redeemed from its slavery in Egypt, verse 13. Thus, Hosea has returned to the theme with which he began (11:12)—that of his prophecy. And what is implied is that rather than taking its character from its deceitful ancestor Jacob, Ephraim should take its course from the word of God, delivered through the prophets in ages past (v. 10) and now through Hosea himself. That is what preserved Israel in the beginning, verse 13b, and that is what will preserve ...

3399. Rend Your Heart

Joel 2:12-17

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... , for God is at work in us, to will and to work his good pleasure (Phil. 2:12–13). God’s work—and ours; both are necessary for salvation. According to this passage in Joel, and indeed, throughout the Scriptures, is it only because of the character of our God that we have this possibility of turning and transformation, and finally of standing in the day of the Lord. We can return to God from our apostasy, according to verse 13, only because God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding ...

3400. Israel’s Ill-Placed Confidence

Amos 5:18-27

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Achtemeier

... the divine norm, while the latter emphasizes conformity to a societal standard of what is right and equitable. Focusing exclusively on the latter hinders the correct understanding of justice in the biblical sense. The source of justice is God himself. It flows from his essential character as one who is both just and righteous, whose actions are flawless, perfect, upright, and just (Deut. 32:4; 1 Sam. 12:7; 2 Sam. 22:31; Job 37:23; Ps. 89:14). God is the righteous lawgiver, hence the one who establishes the ...

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