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In chapter 2 the teacher turns to pleasure (vs 1–11), wisdom and folly (vs 12–16) and work (vs 17–23) as sources for meaning in life. Read each section carefully. Notice the things the teacher has tried doing to find meaning.
- Bios-Life
- Psuche-Life
- Zoe-Life
- ‘Life’ Examples
- Signs of ‘Life’
The most basic word for life in ancient Greek, and in the New Testament, is bios, from which we take our bio-rooted words, like biology, of course. Bios was commonly used for life in that simple sense, for the period of one’s lifetime and for those things that sustain physical life, such as physical resources and even wealth. It has this meaning in...
The next word for life is psuche,from which we take our psych-rooted words relating to the mind, such as psychology. However, in ancient Greek the word had a broader meaning, including the breath of life, the vital physical force that animates the body, the physical life or “soul.” We find this word most often in the New Testament with the simple m...
The final word for life, and the most important, is zoe. We take our zoo-rooted terms like zoology from this word. Zoe signifies not only the animate aspect of life, as opposed to non-life, but also life in the absolute and fullest sense. The word is used repeatedly in the New Testament in statements regarding the kind of eternal life God has (John...
Keeping the different meanings of these three words in mind can often give us greater understanding of passages in the New Testament. An example is 1 John 2:16: “For everything in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — comes not from the Father but from the world.” Here, knowing that the word life in “the p...
By simply checking which word for life is used in a given scripture, where it might make a difference, we can often come to a much fuller understanding of what is being said. To do that, all you need to do is check the verse in a Strong’sconcordance or an online Greek-English interlinear New Testament. It’s simple enough to know the true meaning of...
Oct 12, 2024 · The Bible addresses the question of the meaning of life in a variety of ways. Primarily, the Bible teaches that our ultimate purpose is to know, love, and glorify God. In Ecclesiastes 12:13, it says, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”
May 4, 2023 · The Bible addresses life in three primary ways: physical life, spiritual life, and eternal life. A biblical definition of life must tackle the topic from each of these facets. God Himself is the author of life, and all forms of life originate from Him (Genesis 2:7; Job 33:4; Acts 3:15).
What you will find in the Bible is a personal God who defines life as neverending existence with Him. Humanity’s desire to live on their own terms leads them to death, though perhaps not in the way we currently define it.
Sep 11, 2019 · Attending to ongoing debates about the “meaning of life” in Ecclesiastes, this article determines how Qoheleth addressed meaningfulness by drawing on a threefold scheme of definitions for life’s meaning.
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Feb 19, 2021 · The meaning of life is to know God, and to enjoy God, and to reflect some of the beauty of God as we know him in Christ, and one day to see him perfectly and unendingly enjoy him.