Bible Discussion Thread

 
  • Rick - 1 year ago
    Does the word "Fearful" mean the same in Mark 4:40 as it does in Revelation 21:8?

    Why is the word used in the same context, in Rev. 21, as the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars?
  • A Commentary on Revelation 21:8 - In Reply - 1 year ago
    Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

    But the fearful,.... Not the timorous sheep and lambs of Christ, the dear children of God, who are sometimes of a fearful heart, on account of sin, temptation, and unbelief; but such who are of cowardly spirits, and are not valiant for the truth, BUT who, through fear of men, either make no profession of Christ and his Gospel, or having made it, drop it, lest they should be exposed to tribulation and persecution; these are they that are afraid of the beast, and live in servile bondage to him.

    And unbelieving; meaning not merely atheists, who do not believe there is a God, or deists only, that do not believe in Christ; but such who profess his name, and are called by it, and yet do not truly believe in him, nor embrace his Gospel and the truths of it, but believe a lie; these are condemned already, and on them the wrath of God abides, and they will be damned at last; though it may have a regard to such also who are infidels as to the second coming of Christ to judgment, and who are scoffers and mockers at it:

    and the abominable: every sinful man is so in the sight of God; but here it denotes such who are the worst of sinners, given up to sinning; who are abominable, and to every good work reprobate; who are addicted to the worst of crimes, as were the Sodomites and others; the Ethiopic version renders it, "who pollute themselves" with unnatural lusts. The Syriac and Arabic versions express it by two words, "sinners and polluted", filthy sinners; the character well agrees with Babylon, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, and to all that adhere to her, and join with her in her abominable idolatries.

    And murderers; of the saints, and prophets, and martyrs of Jesus, with whose blood Babylon, or the whore of Rome, has made herself drunk, and in whom it will be

    ((See websites to continue))
  • Jesse - In Reply - 1 year ago
    Rick,

    It is the same word used in both places, not the English word fearful because it says fearful in both places, but the Greek word DEILOS is used in both places. This word means cowardly, not fearful like PHOBOS.

    In Mark 4:40, can you imagine such a big storm like that and all He says is "Stop and be quiet!" Everything is like nothing happened!



    So Jesus asks them two questions. First, why are ye so fearful?



    Now if it was me, if I understood from the English what fearful means, I would be like "Fearful? You got to be kidding! We were in the biggest storm of our life. What do you mean fearful?"

    Jesus was saying, why were you cowards? How is it that you have no faith? That is not a challenge. He is saying take inventory. Why don't you have faith?

    It says they feared exceedingly. They had no courage to face the storm, and rightly so. No human being would have the courage to face the storm. And he asked them, why don't you have faith?



    You see, faith is produced by the Holy Spirit. Jesus continually put them in circumstances that were beyond their human means and their human ability.



    That is true for every Christian. The bible says that the Lord directs the steps of every righteous person.



    Every storm, every trial, and every tribulation, is designed by God. And for the Christian, the design will be that this will be too much for you, because only God can do it!
  • Luke - In Reply - 1 year ago
    Yes, it means cowardly, timid in both places.

    God can't use a coward, A coward will blow like a sheet in the wind, this way that way, they wont stand up for righteousness/justice.



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