Our Daily Devotional PROSELYTE (gr.: “that has come to join”). Person of pagan origin, but converted to Judaism. The Pharisees traveled sea and land to make a proselyte (Mt. 23:15). The Latin poet Horace considers proselytism a characteristic of Judaism (Sat. 1:4, 142, 143). There were proselytes in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:10). Nicholas, one … Read more
PROPITIATORY Cover of the ark (Heb. “kapporeth”, “cover”; Gk. “hilasterion” (Ex. 26:34; Heb. 9:5). This term did not designate only the cover of the ark, but also evoked the place and the act by which the atoning sacrifice made God be favorable to the sinner. The mercy seat was of pure gold; It measured 2.5 … Read more
PROPITIATION (gr. “hilasmos”, from the verb “to be propitious”). Propitiation denotes, in the Scriptures, that aspect of Christ’s death in which he vindicated the holy and upright character of God, and in virtue of which He can be propitious, or merciful, to the whole world (1 John 2: 2; 4:10). In He. 2:17 a related … Read more
PROMISE (Heb. “omer,” said, “promise,” Ps. 77:8; “dabar”, word, “promise”, 1 Kings 8:56; gr.: “epangelia”, “promise”, Lc. 24:49; “epangelma”, “promise”, 2 Pet. 1:4; There are also several derived and compound terms). In the Bible we find a large number of “very great and precious promises” (1 Pet. 1:4). “God, who does not lie, promised” (Tit. … Read more
MARCIONITE PROLOGUES In several of the ancient codices of the Vulgate there appear prologues that precede the epistles of the apostle Paul, and it is believed that they originated in Marcionite circles, followers of the heretic Marcion. This favored an intense dualism in which he affirmed the contrast of the God of the OT with … Read more
NEIGHBOR (Heb. “rea”, “friend”, “companion”, “neighbor”, Ex. 2:13; 21:14, etc.; «’amith», «neighbor», «equal», «companion», Lv. 6:2; 18:20; 19:15, etc.; “karob”, “near”, Ps. 15:3; gr. “hoplêsion”, “one near”, Mt. 5:43; 19:19; Lk. 10:27, 29, 36, etc.). In Lv. 19:18 “neighbor” is defined as “the children of your people.” The Law of the OT, as well as … Read more
PROPHETESS (a) Woman called by God to the prophetic ministry. Miriam, the sister of Aaron and Moses, was a prophetess (Ex. 15:20, 21; Num. 12:2; Mi. 6:4); Deborah was another prophetess (Judges 4:4). The Israelites turned to Deborah’s instructions; the Lord used her to announce her will to the people (Judg. 4: 5, 6, 14). … Read more
MINOR PROPHETS This name, in contrast to the so-called major prophets, is given to the shorter writings of the following twelve prophets: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi. Despite their name and, in certain cases, very short length, they give valuable teachings, and deserve careful examination, both for … Read more
MAJOR PROPHETS Designation by which the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel are known, and which refers primarily to their length. In the Jewish canon Daniel is located, not in the Prophets, but in the Writings, because he did not exercise the office of prophet within the nation, although he was a recipient of … Read more
PROPHET The one whom God invests with His authority to communicate His will to men and instruct them. (a) Institution of prophetism: God promised that He would raise up from among the chosen people inspired men, capable of saying with authority the entirety of what He would command them to expound (Deut. 18:18, 19). Moses … Read more