A New Word

Hesed ~ ‘hay-said’ (Hebrew) Lovingkindness and most commonly translated as ‘mercy’.  Other words to describe hesed, steadfast love, grace, faithfulness, goodness and devotion.  Psalm 36:7  “How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.” (NASB)

Three elements interact within hesed – strength – steadfastness – love.  It not only is a matter of loyalty but also of mercy, not only of obligation but one of generosity.  It operates within the context of covenant and relationship.  Our God interacts with us with hesed as His motive, relationship the context, and covenant His promise.  Psalm 136 is a wonderful expression of God’s “lovingkindness endures forever.”   

Baptizo ~‘bap-tid-zo’ (Greek) baptize; to become fully wet, immerse, to saturate, even overwhelm.  One resource defines it as ‘to sink, but not necessarily to drown’ (we are quite appreciative of  THAT when the preacher took us under when getting baptized)  Acts 11:16  Peter says, “… John indeed baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (go God!)

Eilikrines ~ ‘i-lik-ree-nace’  (Greek) meaning, sincere, genuine.  As found in Phil. 1:9-11:

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Tradesmen used this word often, when dealing with merchandise desired to be ‘genuine’.  The literal meaning is ‘judged by sunlight’.  A customer seeking a genuine, ‘sincere’ sculpture, would ask the merchant/artist to take the item out into the sunlight.  If at one point the sculpture had been cracked or needed repairing, the artist would use wax fixing the repairs.  The sunlight would indeed melt the wax, thus revealing the cracks or blemishes.  If no cracks were seen, the item would be considered ‘sincere’.  May we too be found … ‘crackless’.

Eusplanchnos ~ ‘yu-splonk-nose’  (Greek)  meaning compassionate, as found in Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave us.”  The word picture here is amazing.  It is as though, we take on the feelings of another, giving us greater understanding of their plight.  Picture if you will, of someone taking off their jacket, and giving it to me, I now ‘wear’ their coat of experience and suffering … I am sympathetic, my judgement is tempered, I now share and understand their pain … compassionate.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”  ~ Colossians 3:12 (NIV)

Anastasis ~  ‘awn-i-staw-sis’ (Greek)  Resurrection.  Used in the New Testament, primarily for Christ’s resurrection, meaning ‘to stand’.

Hashem ~  ‘haw-shem’ (Hebrew) “The Name” meaning God.  Used especially by Orthodox Jews to avoid saying a name of God, known to be too holy to be uttered by human lips.

YHWH ~  Yahweh, ‘Yaw-way’ (Hebrew) “I am” or “I will be”.  Sacred name of God as revealed to Moses, (see Exodus 3).  Also known as the Tetragrammaton. It is considered too holy to be pronounced, and is usually replaced by Adonai in many translations.

Resources: Strong’s, Vines, Complete Word Study Dictionary of the Old Testament, Complete Word Study Dictionary of the New Testament, Thayers, Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of the Old & New Testament, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. (and any other Biblical geeky looking book I may have stacked around my feet)