43. THE BIBLICAL USAGE OF WORDS IS ESSENTIAL TO THEIR CORRECT INTERPRETATION

Next to the Scope of a passage in determining the meaning of words must be placed the Biblical usage of words, as distinct from the meanings put upon them by lexicons, dictionaries, and commentaries.

These are too often based on etymology merely, or on the meaning put upon words by tradition; or on their usage at some time other than the time at which they were written or spoken.

The usage of words is prior in time, as well as in importance, to all dictionaries.

Indeed, in all languages, the dictionary has to be compiled directly from such usage, and is, in fact, only a record of it, so far as it can be gathered.

Hence the value of such a work is in direct proportion to the number of examples which it gives of usage by different writers recognized as standard authorities.

In the case of many words, changes of usage can be traced through different periods of time.

Words in a living language are like coins which are in constant use; and, as coins not only differ in value between different countries, but change their own values at different periods in the same countries; so it is with words; there is a constant change in value when measured by their purchasing power. The greatest possible care, therefore, is required in dealing with "words," especially when they are the "words which the Holy Ghost teacheth."

It is necessary that we should get not only the exact equivalent in changing words from one language to another, as we do in changing coins; but that we should know the relative value of the same words (or coins) in the same country at different periods of its history. Over and above this, we read in Psalm xii. 6:

a. The words of Jehovah are pure words, b. As silver tried in a furnace:

a. [Words] of the earth, b. Purified seven times.

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The Holy Spirit has used words pertaining to this world. He has not spoken with "the tongues of angels" (I Cor. xiii. 1), but with "the tongues of men." In using men's words, and words pertaining to this world, He has used them in all perfection. The Hebrew Old Testament we must regard as consisting only of Divinely chosen and inspired words, as we have no literature that goes behind it.

With the Greek of the New Testament the case is different, for there is the whole of Greek classical literature behind it.

It is intensely interesting to notice that while there are 97,021 words used by the classical Greek writers,¹ the Holy Spirit has chosen and used only 5,857 in the Greek New Testament.²

So that there are 92,064 Greek words which the Holy Spirit has never used at all.

That is to say, out of all the Greek words used in Greek Classical Literature the Holy Spirit has used only one in sixteen, or six per cent.!

Those He has used, He has, in many cases, used in a higher sense.

Some He has used in a different sense.

While others,³ again, He has coined Himself.⁴

It is unnecessary for us to consider those words He has never used at all.

There are five distinct divisions under which this subject of usage of words may be profitably considered:

i. Where English words have gone out of use altogether.

ii. Where the usage of English words has been changed.

iii. Where the usage of Greek words had become changed:

(a) By God;

(b) By man.

¹ This is the number of words treated in Liddle and Scott's Standard Greek Lexicon, 8th Edition, 1901. (It consists of 1774 pages.)

² This is the number of words treated in Thayer's (Grimm's Wilke's) Greek-English Lexicon to the New Testament.

³ See ἰσθέντα (epiousias), Matt. vi. 11 and Luke xi. 3, and separate pamphlet on The Lord's Prayer, by the same author and publisher. Also σκακλαίβα (skandalizō), to cause to stumble (Matt. xi. 6), Figures of Speech, p. 73. ⁴ These should, of course, be deducted from the 5,857 mentioned above.

BIBLICAL USAGE OF ENGLISH WORDS iv. Where different, but concurrent usages of Greek words should be observed in the English.

v. Where a uniform usage of Greek words should not be departed from in the English; English words obsolete.

i. WHERE ENGLISH WORDS HAVE GONE OUT OF USE ALTOGETHER.

In the English language certain words and expressions which were common in the seventeenth century have gone out of use altogether, and require explanation before they can be correctly interpreted.

The following are examples of words and expressions which have become obsolete:—

All to brake (Judges ix. 53) is the Anglo-Saxon tobrecan, which meant to smash. "All to brake," therefore, was used in the sense of to completely smash or break.

Away with (Isa. i. 13), meant to tolerate.

Come at, meant to come near (Num. vi. 6).

Do to wit (2 Cor. viii. 1), meant make to know, to certify.

For to do, meant in order to do (Deut. iv. 1).

Full well (Mark vii. 9), meant with full knowledge.

Go to (Jas. iv. 13), meant come now.

Trow (Luke xvii. 9), meant to suppose or imagine.

Wist (Luke ii. 49. Mark xiv. 40), is the past tense of the Ang.-Sax. wit, to know. Unwittingly (Josh. xx. 3), meant unknowingly.

Very (Gen. xxvii. 21. Prov. xvii. 9. John vii. 26; viii. 4), meant true, real.

These are only examples. There are many other such words for the Bible student to search out.

ii. WHERE THE USE OF ENGLISH WORDS HAS BECOME CHANGED.

Another class of words, which have not themselves become obsolete, but of which the usage has become entirely changed during the centuries, requires careful discrimination.

We are familiar with some of these changes, notably in the word

Prevent, which originally meant to precede or go before, but now means to hinder. The importance of this is seen in such a passage as 1 Thess. iv. 15, "We shall not precede those who are fallen asleep." So R.V. (See also Job iii. 12. Ps. xvii. 13 (marg.); lix. 10; lxxix. 8; lxxxviii. 13; xcv. 2 (marg.); cxix. 148. Amos ix. 10). It is a strange commentary on fallen human nature to see words thus changing their usage: for this change is uniformly in one direction; it is always a change for the worse. We never find a word acquiring a higher meaning! It is always down, down, like fallen and falling man himself, who thus drags down with him the meanings of the words he uses. How, for example, did the change in the usage of this word "prevent" come about? And why? It was because whenever one man got before another, it was generally for his own advantage, and to the hindrance, hurt, and loss of the other; hence the word came to have this new and lower meaning. Other words may be studied with advantage, e.g., boor, pagan, brat, imp, bombast, oversight, wretch, vagabond, craft, inquisition, impose, meddle, impertinent, garble, equivocation.¹

¹ The same may be seen in the word apology, which was used of a defence, as in Jewel's Apology (i.e., Defence of the Reformation. But, because man's defences of himself are usually so poor, the word has come to mean a mere excuse. Our word censure was used simply of judgment, which might be favourable or otherwise; but, inasmuch as such judgments have generally proved to be unfavourable, the word is used, to-day, only of blame.

Our word story was originally short for history, but because so many histories and stories are what they are, the word has come to mean that which is not true.

Knave was originally a boy, especially a servant boy; but his character has served the purpose of changing the usage of the word to describe what he so often proved himself to be. In Scotland a knave-bairn was a boy-child. Wyckliffe rendered Exod. i. 13, "If it be a knave child, sie ye him." While Paul calls himself "a knave of Jesus Christ." Cunning meant merely knowing; but because knowing people generally know too much, or use their knowledge to a bad purpose, it has come to have its present usage.

Subtle meant finely-woven; hence, fine, accurate, clever.

Villain meant a servant of a villa, or of a country or farm-house. The house has kept its good meaning, but the man has lost it.