Synonyms: replica, copy, representation, mock-up, dummy, imitation, double, duplicate, lookalike, reproduction, prototype, stereotype, archetype, type, version, style, ideal, paragon, perfect example, specimen, perfect specimen, fashion model, supermodel, mannequin, sitter, poser, subject, artist's model, photographic model, design, mark, configuration, variety, kind, sort, original, original design, exclusive, toy, miniature, facsimile, prototypical, prototypal, archetypal, illustrative, perfect, exemplary, classic, flawless, faultless, consummate, impeccable
Antonyms: deficient, imperfect
Showing 851 to 875 of 972 results
Understanding Series
Mary J. Evans
... her womb, and it is only God who can open it. Hannah’s prayer is not meant to be a bribe to God: “give me a son and I promise I’ll give him back.” Hannah’s longing for a son may have been inherently selfish, but it was not exclusively so. Rather, Hannah is communicating her personal longing for a son and her genuine desire to dedicate to the Lord all that he gives her, including her son (she assumes that a son is necessary for her to do this). The prayer expresses no doubt that God will understand ...
852. David and Ziba
2 Samuel 16:1-4
Understanding Series
Mary J. Evans
... aside. To make this more likely he sends back the loyal Hushai as a spy, or rather as an agent provocateur. Zadok, Abiathar, and their sons could then provide a back-up unit. Trusting in God and organizing resistance are not presented as mutually exclusive options. Absalom, secure in his own confidence, had already seen Ahithophel defecting to his side. There was no reason for him to doubt that Hushai had also recognized his superior qualities and done the same. But Hushai remained David’s friend. 16:1 ...
853. Shimei Curses David
2 Samuel 16:5-14
Understanding Series
Mary J. Evans
... aside. To make this more likely he sends back the loyal Hushai as a spy, or rather as an agent provocateur. Zadok, Abiathar, and their sons could then provide a back-up unit. Trusting in God and organizing resistance are not presented as mutually exclusive options. Absalom, secure in his own confidence, had already seen Ahithophel defecting to his side. There was no reason for him to doubt that Hushai had also recognized his superior qualities and done the same. But Hushai remained David’s friend. 16:1 ...
Understanding Series
J. Ramsey Michaels
... abruptly as he appeared, and the stage is now set for Jesus to confront the Pharisees again (8:12), this time not through emissaries but directly. Yet his pronouncement I am the light of the world …, the sequel to 7:37–38, is not for them exclusively but for whoever follows me. It is universal in scope and probably, like 7:37–38, future in its orientation. The desire of Jesus’ brothers that he “show himself to the world” (7:4) is coming to realization but with the outcome Jesus foresaw, that the ...
Understanding Series
J. Ramsey Michaels
... abruptly as he appeared, and the stage is now set for Jesus to confront the Pharisees again (8:12), this time not through emissaries but directly. Yet his pronouncement I am the light of the world …, the sequel to 7:37–38, is not for them exclusively but for whoever follows me. It is universal in scope and probably, like 7:37–38, future in its orientation. The desire of Jesus’ brothers that he “show himself to the world” (7:4) is coming to realization but with the outcome Jesus foresaw, that the ...
Understanding Series
J. Ramsey Michaels
... or close-knit community (i.e., among those who eat at the same table). Though the narrator surely thinks of Judas as the prime historical example of such betrayal (vv. 21–30), there is no reason to assume that he (or Jesus) has Judas exclusively in mind. The pain of discord and treachery is to be just as real an experience within the Christian community as the pain of persecution, and Jesus wants his disciples to be prepared. When professed believers “betray and hate each other” (Matt. 24:10), Jesus ...
Understanding Series
J. Ramsey Michaels
... devil” (used of Judas as early as 6:70) and “the one doomed to destruction” (17:12) suggest that the latter alternative is the correct one. Judas was a “fruitless branch” because he had no life-giving connection with Jesus in the first place. His exclusion simply made visible (to the beloved disciple at least) what was already the case in his heart. It is fair to draw the tentative conclusion that the same is true of whatever other “fruitless branches” the Gospel writer may have in mind in his ...
858. Boasting
2 Corinthians 11:16-33, 2 Corinthians 1:1-11, 2 Corinthians 12:1-10
Understanding Series
James M. Scott
... , 1986), pp. 75–90 (here pp. 85–87). 11:25 On the Roman citizenship of Paul, see Hengel, Pre-Christian Paul, pp. 6–15. Hengel argues that Paul deliberately allowed such beatings in order to participate in the sufferings of Christ. Stoning was not an exclusively Jewish form of execution (cf. Acts 14:5). As a spontaneous expression of rage by a mob, stoning was a very widespread form of lynch justice. The pre-Roman Corinthians are said to have practiced stoning (cf. Pausanias 2.3.6; see also Plutarch ...
859. Praying for Endurance and Healing
James 5:1-6, James 4:13-17, James 5:7-12, James 5:13-20
Understanding Series
Peter H. Davids
... to the way of death; to wander from the way of life is to stumble onto the broad road to hell (Matt. 7:13–14). The ways of life and death do not cross, for as James has argued (4:4), the world and God are mutually exclusive. The picture brings John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress to mind. The truth is not intellectual facts but a way of life. James is not concerned about doctrinal error, the dotting of eschatological i’s or the crossing of ecclesiological t’s, but about one central truth: Jesus ...
860. Praying for Endurance and Healing
James 5:7-12, James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:13-20
Understanding Series
Peter H. Davids
... to the way of death; to wander from the way of life is to stumble onto the broad road to hell (Matt. 7:13–14). The ways of life and death do not cross, for as James has argued (4:4), the world and God are mutually exclusive. The picture brings John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress to mind. The truth is not intellectual facts but a way of life. James is not concerned about doctrinal error, the dotting of eschatological i’s or the crossing of ecclesiological t’s, but about one central truth: Jesus ...
861. Praying for Endurance and Healing
James 5:13-20, James 4:13-17, James 5:1-6, James 5:7-12
Understanding Series
Peter H. Davids
... to the way of death; to wander from the way of life is to stumble onto the broad road to hell (Matt. 7:13–14). The ways of life and death do not cross, for as James has argued (4:4), the world and God are mutually exclusive. The picture brings John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress to mind. The truth is not intellectual facts but a way of life. James is not concerned about doctrinal error, the dotting of eschatological i’s or the crossing of ecclesiological t’s, but about one central truth: Jesus ...
Understanding Series
Norman Hillyer
... 3:1; Heb. 1:3, 13; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2). See Dodd, According to the Scriptures, pp. 34–35; 120–21. Jews, in common with most Eastern peoples, were careful to distinguish between the right and left hands. The right hand is used exclusively for blessing, salutation, giving (Ps. 16:11; Prov. 3:16), eating, and for receiving and showing honor. See Derrett, Law in the New Testament, pp. xlv–xlvi. Angels, authorities and powers may be taken as the literary figure of hendiadys and mean “angels, authoritative ...
Understanding Series
James K. Bruckner
... 20). Trusting the word may have been preliminary to the fear of the Lord, but it was not equivalent. Moses was very specific, using the rare combination of “Lord God” (yhwh ʾelohim). In Exodus, these words occur together only here—they appear almost exclusively in Genesis 3 and in worship texts (e.g., Psalms and Chronicles). “Lord God” is a specific reference to the combination of God’s creating and redeeming work. Exodus 9 concludes with a notice that some grains were not destroyed, to assure ...
Understanding Series
Christopher J. H. Wright
... description of the land as Israel’s “inheritance” from Yahweh. It was, in fact, another way of expressing the covenant relationship and added a more personal and relationally durable dimension to it. See C. J. H. Wright, God’s Land, pp. 15–22. 1:37 On the exclusion of Moses also from the land, see commentary below at 3:26ff., and cf. 4:21f. and 34:1–4. 1:38 The appointment of Joshua as successor did not actually take place at Kadesh Barnea in the context of the events being recalled here, but ...
Understanding Series
Christopher J. H. Wright
... 2:9–18 – Encounter with Moab 2:19–23 – Encounter with Ammon 2:24–37 – Encounter with Sihon 3:1–11 – Encounter with Og 3:12–20 – Settlement of the Transjordan tribes 3:21–22 – Encouragement of Joshua 3:23–29 – Exclusion of Moses The narrative summarizes and systematizes the events of Numbers 20–21 around two concerns. First, it underscores the sovereignty of Yahweh in all the events described. His initiation and direction of Israel’s movements are repeatedly mentioned, and ...
Understanding Series
Christopher J. H. Wright
... 2:9–18 – Encounter with Moab 2:19–23 – Encounter with Ammon 2:24–37 – Encounter with Sihon 3:1–11 – Encounter with Og 3:12–20 – Settlement of the Transjordan tribes 3:21–22 – Encouragement of Joshua 3:23–29 – Exclusion of Moses The narrative summarizes and systematizes the events of Numbers 20–21 around two concerns. First, it underscores the sovereignty of Yahweh in all the events described. His initiation and direction of Israel’s movements are repeatedly mentioned, and ...
867. Division of the Land
Deuteronomy 3:12-20
Understanding Series
Christopher J. H. Wright
... 2:9–18 – Encounter with Moab 2:19–23 – Encounter with Ammon 2:24–37 – Encounter with Sihon 3:1–11 – Encounter with Og 3:12–20 – Settlement of the Transjordan tribes 3:21–22 – Encouragement of Joshua 3:23–29 – Exclusion of Moses The narrative summarizes and systematizes the events of Numbers 20–21 around two concerns. First, it underscores the sovereignty of Yahweh in all the events described. His initiation and direction of Israel’s movements are repeatedly mentioned, and ...
868. The Lord is God
Deuteronomy 4:32-40
Understanding Series
Christopher J. H. Wright
... any explanation standing behind it. It is a reality in the heart of God. To the question, “Why did God love Israel’s ancestors?” the only answer would have been, “Because God chose to.” But if we are tempted to regard this as mere exclusive chauvinism, we must recall that the ultimate goal of God’s loving choice of Abraham and his descendants was the blessing of all the nations, even though it entailed the proximate judgment on specific nations (v. 38). Ultimately, as Psalm 47 so confidently ...
869. Tithes
Deuteronomy 14:22-29
Understanding Series
Christopher J. H. Wright
... of a whole apostate community and all its property (13:12–16) is worlds away from the question of what you were allowed to cook for lunch, but in fact a common principle governed both—the distinctiveness of Israel as a people wholly and exclusively committed to Yahweh. This principle, which underlies all the preaching of chapters 4–11 and finds its most succinct expression in 7:6, is repeated at the head of this chapter (v. 2) as an introduction to some domestic matters that must also conform ...
870. Uncleanness in the Camp
Deuteronomy 23:9-14
Understanding Series
Christopher J. H. Wright
... community itself, however, needs clear definition and measures to protect its religious distinctiveness and purity. This need explains the presence, alongside laws that immediately appeal to us by their charitable nature, of other laws that appear much harsher and exclusive. 23:9–14 These two laws show that the old saying “cleanliness is next to godliness” is more biblical than some may have imagined! The requirement that soldiers on campaign maintain ritual purity and keep away from everything impure ...
871. Curses from Mount Ebal
Deuteronomy 27:9-26
Understanding Series
Christopher J. H. Wright
... to the grant of the land and its legitimate possession—“a ceremony within a ceremony.” See Hill, “The Ebal Ceremony.” 27:5 The instruction here to set up an altar at Mt. Ebal clearly conflicts with the assumption that ch. 12 prescribes the exclusive centralization of worship in one place—“the place the LORD your God will choose”—if that place is asumed to be Jerusalem. Since the so-called “centralization formula” is not used here, the chapter obviously does not intend that Mt. Ebal was ...
Understanding Series
Christopher J. H. Wright
... to the mythology of distorted theologies that, misled and misleading, try to prove the superiority of Christianity by denigrating Judaism. Paul’s use of this verse in Romans 10:5–13 is entirely Christocentric. His argument should not be seen as a mutually exclusive contrast between the law and faith, since he quotes from Leviticus and Deuteronomy (both part of the law) on both sides of his argument. Rather, his point is that in Christ the true response to the law (i.e., faith and obedience), expressed ...
873. Shamgar
Judges 3:31
Understanding Series
Cheryl A. Brown
... story was incorporated into Israelite tradition and subsequently into the book of Judges; because the author wanted to present twelve judges, so incorporated Shamgar’s story to complete the roster. While the last explanation is likely correct, they may not be mutually exclusive reasons; some may be combined with others, or all three may be combined. Additional Notes 3:31 Shamgar son of Anath: Anath was a goddess of war (see P. C. Craigie, “Deborah and Anat: A Study of Poetic Imagery (Judges 5),” ZAW ...
874. Gideon's Death
Judges 8:28-35
Understanding Series
Cheryl A. Brown
... at least seventy plus one sons. We are not told of any of his other activities, because they were not important to the author. He wanted to move on to the story of Gideon’s sons, particularly one already-mentioned son, named Abimelech, and so focused exclusively on these. He does, however, close the story of Gideon with the stereotypic notice that Gideon died and . . . was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 8:33–35 With these verses, the author departs from his usual ...
875. The Temple Musicians
1 Chronicles 6:31-81
Understanding Series
Louis C. Jonker
... , also appear in some of the Psalm headings. For an overview of this correlation of biblical materials, see Jonker, “Revisiting the Psalm Heading,” pp. 102–22; Jonker, “Another Look at the Psalm Heading,” pp. 65–85. Since Levitical names occur exclusively in headings of psalms in books 1–3 of the Psalter, I argue that some Levites were probably responsible for starting a cultic hymnbook shortly after the exile. The addition of these names served two purposes: (1) to attempt an amalgamation ...
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