Translation | Verse | Text |
King James | Lu 23:8 | And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. |
Word | Easton Dictionary - Definition |
BY | in the expression "by myself" (A.V., 1 Cor. 4:4), means, as rendered in the Revised Version, "against myself." |
Word | American Tract Society - Definition |
HEROD | The name of four princes, Idumaeans by descent, who governed either the whole or a part of Judea, under the Romans, and are mentioned in the New Testament. 1. HEROD THE GREAT, Mt 2:1-23 Lu 1:5. He was the son of Antipater, an Idumaean, who was in high favor with Julius Caesar. At the age of fifteen years, Herod was constituted by his father procurator of Galilee under Hyrcanus II, who was then at the head of the Jewish nation; while his brother Phasael was intrusted with the same authority over Judea. In these stations they were afterwards confirmed by Antony, with the title of tetrarch, about the year 41 B. C. The power of Hyrcanus had always been opposed by his brother Aristobulus; and now Antigonus, the son of the latter, continued in hostility to Herod, and was assisted by the Jews. At first he was unsuccessful, and was driven by Herod out of the country; but having obtained the aid of the Parthians, he at length succeeded in defeating Herod, and acquired possession of the whole of Judea, about the year 40 B. C. Herod meanwhile fled to Rome; and being there declared king of Judea through the exertions of Antony, he collected an army, vanquished Antigonus, recovered Jerusalem, and extirpated all the family of the Maccabees, B. C. 37. After the battle of Actium, in which his patron Antony was defeated, Herod joined the party of Octavius, and was confirmed by him in all his possessions. He endeavored to conciliate the affections of the Jews, by rebuilding and decorating the temple, (see TEMPLE,) and by founding or enlarging many cities and towns; but the prejudices of the nation against a foreign yoke were only heightened when he introduced quinquennial games in honor of Caesar, and erected theatres and gymnasia at Jerusalem. The cruelty of his disposition also was such as ever to render him odious. He put to death his own wife Mariamne, with her two sons Alexander and Aristobulus; and when he himself was at the point of death, he caused a number of the most illustrious of his subjects to be thrown into prison at Jericho, and exacted from his sister a promise that they should be murdered the moment he expired, in order, as he said, that tears should be shed at the death of Herod. This promise, however, was not fulfilled. His son Antipater was executed for conspiring to poison his father; and five days after, Herod died, A. D. 2, aged sixty-eight, having reigned as king about thirty-seven years. It was during his reign that Jesus was born at Bethlehem; and Herod, in consequence of his suspicious temper, and in order to destroy Jesus, gave orders for the destruction of all the children of two years old and under in the place, Mt 2:1-23. This is also mentioned by Macrobius. After the death of Herod, half of his kingdom, including Judea, Ideumaea, and Samaria, was given to his son Archelaus, with the title of Ethnarch; while the remaining half was divided between two of his other sons, Herod Antipas and Philip, with the title of Tetrarchs; the former having the regions of Galilee and Perea, and the latter Batanea, Trachonitis, and Auranitis. 2. HEROD PHILIP. See PHILP. 3. HEROD ANTIPAS, Lu 3:1, was the son of Herod the Great by Malthace his Samaritan wife, and own brother to Archelaus, along with whom he was educated at Rome. After the death of his father, he was appointed by Augustus to be tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, that is, the southern part of the country east of the Jordan, Lu 3:1, whence also the general appellation of king is sometimes given to him, Mr 6:14. The Savior, as a Galilean, was under his jurisdiction, Lu 23:6-12. He first married a daughter of Aretas, and Arabian king; but afterwards becoming enamoured of Herodias, the wife of his brother Herod Philip, and his own niece, he dismissed his former wife, and induced Herodias to leave her husband and connect herself with him. At her instigation he afterwards went to Rome to ask for the dignity and title of the king; but being there accused before Caligula, at the instance of Herod Agrippa, his nephew and the brother of Herodias, he was banished to Lugdunum (now Lyons) in Gaul, about A. D. 41, and the provinces which he governed were given to Herod Agrippa. It was Herod Antipas who caused John the Baptist to be beheaded, Mt 14:1-12 Mr 6:14-29. He also appears to have been a follower, or at least a favorer, of the sect of the Sadducees, Mr 8:15. Compare Mt 16:6. See HERODIANS. 4. HEROD AGRIPPA MAJOR or I, Acts 12.1-25; 23.35, was the grandson of Herod the Great and Mariamne, the son of the Aristobulus who was put to death with his mother, by the orders of his father. (See above, HEROD I.) On the accession of Caligula to the imperial throne, Agrippa was taken from prison, where he had been confined by Tiberius, and received from the emperor, A. D. 38, the title of king, together with the provinces which had belonged to his uncle Philip the tetrarch Lysanias. (See ABILENE.) He was afterwards confirmed in the possession of these by Claudius, who also annexed to is kingdom all those parts of Judea and Samaria which had formerly belonged to his grandfather Herod, A. D. 43. In order to ingratiate himself with the Jews, he commenced a persecution against the Christians; but seems to have proceeded no further than to put to death James, and to imprison Peter, since he soon after died suddenly and miserably at Cesarea, A. D. 44, Ac 12:1-25. He is mentioned by Josephus only under the name of Agrippa. 5. HEROD AGRIPPA MINOR or II, Ac 25:1-26:32, was the son of Herod Agrippa I, and was educated at Rome, under the care of the emperor Claudius. On the death of his father, when he was seventeen years old, instead of causing him to succeed to his father's kingdom of Chalcis, which had belonged to his Uncle Herod. He was afterwards transferred (A. D. 53) from Chalcis, with the title of king, to the government of those provinces which his father at first possessed, namely, Batanea, Trachonitis, Auranitis, and Abilene, to which several other cities were afterwards added. He is mentioned in the New Testament and by Josephus only by the name of Agrippa. It was before him that St. Paul was brought by Festus, Ac 25:13 26:32. He died on the third year of Trajan's reign, at the age of seventy years. |
Word | Easton Dictionary - Definition |
JESUS | (1.) Joshua, the son of Nun (Acts 7:45; Heb. 4:8; R.V., "Joshua"). (2.) A Jewish Christian surnamed Justus (Col. 4:11). Je'sus, the proper, as Christ is the official, name of our Lord. To distinguish him from others so called, he is spoken of as "Jesus of Nazareth" (John 18:7), and "Jesus the son of Joseph" (John 6:42). This is the Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, which was originally Hoshea (Num. 13:8, 16), but changed by Moses into Jehoshua (Num. 13:16; 1 Chr. 7:27), or Joshua. After the Exile it assumed the form Jeshua, whence the Greek form Jesus. It was given to our Lord to denote the object of his mission, to save (Matt. 1:21). The life of Jesus on earth may be divided into two great periods, (1) that of his private life, till he was about thirty years of age; and (2) that of his public life, which lasted about three years. In the "fulness of time" he was born at Bethlehem, in the reign of the emperor Augustus, of Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph, a carpenter (Matt. 1:1; Luke 3:23; comp. John 7:42). His birth was announced to the shepherds (Luke 2:8-20). Wise men from the east came to Bethlehem to see him who was born "King of the Jews," bringing gifts with them (Matt. 2:1-12). Herod's cruel jealousy led to Joseph's flight into Egypt with Mary and the infant Jesus, where they tarried till the death of this king (Matt. 2:13-23), when they returned and settled in Nazareth, in Lower Galilee (2:23; comp. Luke 4:16; John 1:46, etc.). At the age of twelve years he went up to Jerusalem to the Passover with his parents. There, in the temple, "in the midst of the doctors," all that heard him were "astonished at his understanding and answers" (Luke 2:41, etc.). Eighteen years pass, of which we have no record beyond this, that he returned to Nazareth and "increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man" (Luke 2:52). He entered on his public ministry when he was about thirty years of age. It is generally reckoned to have extended to about three years. "Each of these years had peculiar features of its own. (1.) The first year may be called the year of obscurity, both because the records of it which we possess are very scanty, and because he seems during it to have been only slowly emerging into public notice. It was spent for the most part in Judea. (2.) The second year was the year of public favour, during which the country had become thoroughly aware of him; his activity was incessant, and his frame rang through the length and breadth of the land. It was almost wholly passed in Galilee. (3.) The third was the year of opposition, when the public favour ebbed away. His enemies multiplied and assailed him with more and more pertinacity, and at last he fell a victim to their hatred. The first six months of this final year were passed in Galilee, and the last six in other parts of the land.", Stalker's Life of Jesus Christ, p. 45. The only reliable sources of information regarding the life of Christ on earth are the Gospels, which present in historical detail the words and the work of Christ in so many different aspects. (See CHIRST.) |
Word | American Tract Society - Definition |
MIRACLE | Also called a sign, wonder, or mighty work, Ac 2:32; a work so superseding in its higher forms the established laws of nature as to evince the special interposition of God. A miracle is to be distinguished from wonders wrought by designing men through artful deceptions, occult sciences, or laws of nature unknown except to adepts. The miracles wrought by Christ, for example, were such as God only could perform; were wrought in public, before numerous witnesses, both friends and foes; were open to the most perfect scrutiny; had an end in view worthy of divine sanction; were attested by witnesses whose character and conduct establish their claim to our belief; and are further confirmed by institutions still existing, intended to commemorate them, and dating from the period of the miracles. Christ appealed to his mighty works as undeniable proofs of his divinity and Messiahship, Mt 9:6 11:4,5,23,24 Joh 10:24-27 20:29,31. The deceptions of the magicians in Egypt, and of false prophets in ancient and in modern times, De 13:1 Mt 24:24 2Th 2:9 Re 13:13,14, would not bear the above tests. By granting to any man the power to work a miracle, God gave the highest attestation to the truth he should teach and the message he should bring, 1Ki 18:38,39; this is God's own seal, not to be affixed to false hoods; and though the lying wonders of Satan and his agents were so plausible as to "deceive if possible the very elect," no one who truly sought to know and do the will of God could be deluded by them. The chief object of miracles having been to authenticate the revelation God has made of his will, these mighty words ceased when the Scripture canon was completed and settled, and Christianity was fairly established. Since the close of the first century from the ascension of Christ, few or no undoubted miracles have been wrought; and whether a sufficient occasion for new miracles will ever arise is known only to God. The following list comprises most of the miracles on record in the Bible, not including the supernatural visions and revelations of himself which God vouch-safed to his ancient servants, nor those numerous wonders of his providence which manifest his hand almost as indisputable as miracles themselves. See also PROPHECY. Old Testament Miracles The creation of all things, Ge 1:1-31. The deluge, comprising many miracles, Ge 6:1-22. The destruction of Sodom, etc., Ge 19:1-38. The healing of Abimelech, Ge 20:17,18. The burning bush, Ex 3:2-4. Moses' rod made a serpent, and restored, Ex 4:3-4 7:10. Moses' hand made leprous, and healed, Ex 4.6-7. Water turned into blood, Ex 4:9,30. The Nile turned to blood, Ex 7:20. Frogs brought and removed, Ex 8:6,13. Lice brought, Ex 8:17. Flies brought, and removed, Ex 8:21-31. Murrain of beasts, Ex 9:3-6. Boils and blains brought, Ex 9:10,11. Hail brought, and removed, Ex 9:23,33. Locusts brought, and removed, Ex 10:13,19. Darkness brought, Ex 10:22. First-born destroyed, Ex 10:29. The Red Sea divided, Ex 14:21-22. Egyptians overwhelmed, Ex 14:26-28. Waters of Marah sweetened, Ex 15:27. Quails and manna sent, Ex 16:1-36. Water from the rock, in Horeb, Ex 17:6. Amalek vanquished, Ex 17:11-13. Pillar of cloud and fire, Nu 9:15-23. Leprosy of Miriam, Nu 12:10. Destruction of Korah, etc., Nu 16:28-35,46-50. Aaron's rod budding, Nu 17:8. Water from the rock, in Kadesh, Nu 20:11. Healing by the brazen serpent, Nu 21:8,9. Balaam's ass speaks, Nu 22:28. Plague in the desert, Nu 25:1,9. Water of Jordan divided, Jos 3:10-17. Jordan restored to its course, Jos 4:18. Jericho taken, Jos 6:6-20. Achan discovered, Jos 7:14-21. Sun and moon stand still, Jos 10:12-14. Gideon's fleece wet, Jud 6:36-40. Midianites destroyed, Jud 7:16-22. Exploits of Samson, Jud 14:1-16:31. House of Dagon destroyed, Jud 16:30. Dagon falls before the ark, etc., 1Sa 5:1-12. Return of the ark, 1Sa 6:12. Thunder and rain in harvest, 1Sa 12:18. Jeroboam's hand withered, etc., 1Ki 13:4,6. The altar rent, 1Ki 13:5. Drought caused, 1Ki 17:6. Elijah fed by ravens, 1Ki 17:6. Meal and oil supplied, 1Ki 17:14-16. Child restored to life, 1Ki 17:22-23. Sacrifice consumed by fire, 1Ki 18:36,38. Rain brought, 1Ki 18:41-45. Men destroyed by fire, 2Ki 1:10-12. Waters of Jordan divided, 2Ki 2:14. Oil supplied, 2Ki 4:1-7. Child restored to life, 2Ki 4:32-35. Naaman healed, 2Ki 5:10,14. Gehazi's leprosy, 2Ki 5:27. Iron caused to swim, 2Ki 6:6. Syrians smitten blind, etc., 2Ki 19:35. Hezekiah healed, 2Ki 20:7. Shadow put back, 2Ki 20:11. Pestilence in Israel, 1Ch 21:14. Jonah preserved by a fish, Jon 1:17 2:10. New Testament Miracles. The star in the east, Mt 2:3. The Spirit like a dove, Mt 3:16. Christ's fast and temptations, Mt 4:1-11. Many miracles of Christ, Mt 4:23-24 8:16 14:14,36 15:30 Mr 1:34 Lu 6:17-19. Lepers cleansed, Mt 8:3-4 Lu 17:14. Centurion's servant healed, Mt 8:5-13. Peter's wife's mother healed, Mt 8:14. Tempests stilled, Mt 8:23-26 14:32. Devils cast out, Mt 8:28-32 9:32-33 15:22-28 17:14-18. Paralytics healed, Mt 9:2-6 Mr 2:3-12. Issue of blood healed, Mt 9:20-22. Jairus' daughter raised to life, Mt 9:18,25. Sight given to the blind, Mt 9:27-30 20:34 Mr 8:22-25 Joh 9:17. The dumb restored, Mt 9:32-33 12:22 Mr 7:33-35. Miracles by the disciples, Mt 10:1-8. Multitudes fed, Mt 14:15-21 15:35-38. Christ walking on the sea, Mt 14:25-27. Peter walking on the sea, Mt 14:29. Christ's transfiguration, etc., Mt 17:1-8. Tribute from a fish's mouth, Mt 17:27. The fig tree withered, Mt 21:19. Miracles at the crucifixion, Mt 27:51-53. Miracles at the resurrection, Mt 28:1-7 Lu 24:6. Draught of fishes, Lu 5:4-6 Joh 21:6. Widow's son raised to life, Lu 7:14,15. Miracles before John's messengers, Lu 7:21-22. Miracles by the seventy, Lu 10:9,17. Woman healed of infirmity, Lu 13:11-13. Dropsy cured, Lu 14:2-4. Malchus' ear restored, Lu 22:50-51. Water turned to wine, Joh 2:6-10. Nobleman's son healed, Joh 4:46-53. Impotent man healed, Joh 5:5-9. Sudden crossing of the sea, Joh 6:21. Lazarus raised from the dead, Joh 11:43-44. Christ's coming to his disciples, Joh 20:19,26. Wonders at the Pentecost, Ac 2:1-11. Miracles by the apostles, Ac 2:43 5:12. Lame man cured, Ac 3:7. Death of Ananias and Sapphira, Ac 5:5,10. Many sick healed, Ac 5:15-16. Apostles delivered from prison, Ac 5:19. Miracles by Stephen, Ac 6:8. Miracles by Philip, Ac 8:6,7,13. Eneas made whole, Ac 9:34. Dorcas restored to life, Ac 9:40. Peter delivered from prison, Ac 12:6-10. Elymas struck blind, Ac 13:11. Miracles by Paul and Barnabas, Ac 14:3. Lame man cured, Ac 14:10. Unclean spirit cast out, Ac 16:18. Paul and Silas delivered, Ac 16:25-26. Special miracles, Ac 19:11-12. Eutchus restored to life, Ac 20:10-12. Viper's bite made harmless, Ac 28:5. Father of Publius, etc., healed, Ac 28:8,9. |
Word | Easton Dictionary - Definition |
MIRACLE | an event in the external world brought about by the immediate agency or the simple volition of God, operating without the use of means capable of being discerned by the senses, and designed to authenticate the divine commission of a religious teacher and the truth of his message (John 2:18; Matt. 12:38). It is an occurrence at once above nature and above man. It shows the intervention of a power that is not limited by the laws either of matter or of mind, a power interrupting the fixed laws which govern their movements, a supernatural power. "The suspension or violation of the laws of nature involved in miracles is nothing more than is constantly taking place around us. One force counteracts another: vital force keeps the chemical laws of matter in abeyance; and muscular force can control the action of physical force. When a man raises a weight from the ground, the law of gravity is neither suspended nor violated, but counteracted by a stronger force. The same is true as to the walking of Christ on the water and the swimming of iron at the command of the prophet. The simple and grand truth that the universe is not under the exclusive control of physical forces, but that everywhere and always there is above, separate from and superior to all else, an infinite personal will, not superseding, but directing and controlling all physical causes, acting with or without them." God ordinarily effects his purpose through the agency of second causes; but he has the power also of effecting his purpose immediately and without the intervention of second causes, i.e., of invading the fixed order, and thus of working miracles. Thus we affirm the possibility of miracles, the possibility of a higher hand intervening to control or reverse nature's ordinary movements. In the New Testament these four Greek words are principally used to designate miracles: (1.) Semeion, a "sign", i.e., an evidence of a divine commission; an attestation of a divine message (Matt. 12:38, 39; 16:1, 4; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16; 23:8; John 2:11, 18, 23; Acts 6:8, etc.); a token of the presence and working of God; the seal of a higher power. (2.) Terata, "wonders;" wonder-causing events; portents; producing astonishment in the beholder (Acts 2:19). (3.) Dunameis, "might works;" works of superhuman power (Acts 2:22; Rom. 15:19; 2 Thess. 2:9); of a new and higher power. (4.) Erga, "works;" the works of Him who is "wonderful in working" (John 5:20, 36). Miracles are seals of a divine mission. The sacred writers appealed to them as proofs that they were messengers of God. Our Lord also appealed to miracles as a conclusive proof of his divine mission (John 5:20, 36; 10:25, 38). Thus, being out of the common course of nature and beyond the power of man, they are fitted to convey the impression of the presence and power of God. Where miracles are there certainly God is. The man, therefore, who works a miracle affords thereby clear proof that he comes with the authority of God; they are his credentials that he is God's messenger. The teacher points to these credentials, and they are a proof that he speaks with the authority of God. He boldly says, "God bears me witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles." The credibility of miracles is established by the evidence of the senses on the part of those who are witnesses of them, and to all others by the testimony of such witnesses. The witnesses were competent, and their testimony is trustworthy. Unbelievers, following Hume, deny that any testimony can prove a miracle, because they say miracles are impossible. We have shown that miracles are possible, and surely they can be borne witness to. Surely they are credible when we have abundant and trustworthy evidence of their occurrence. They are credible just as any facts of history well authenticated are credible. Miracles, it is said, are contrary to experience. Of course they are contrary to our experience, but that does not prove that they were contrary to the experience of those who witnessed them. We believe a thousand facts, both of history and of science, that are contrary to our experience, but we believe them on the ground of competent testimony. An atheist or a pantheist must, as a matter of course, deny the possibility of miracles; but to one who believes in a personal God, who in his wisdom may see fit to interfere with the ordinary processes of nature, miracles are not impossible, nor are they incredible. (See LIST OF MIRACLES, Appendix.) |
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