The author of Ecclesiastes is often labeled a depressed pessimist. But a careful study reveals the author to be an honest – and hopeful – realist about life, not a candidate for Prozac. It’s easy to understand why people think Ecclesiastes is depressing, or think that the conclusion of the book is that life is meaningless. Verses like “And I declared that the dead, who had already died, are happier than the living, who are still alive” (Eccl. 4:2 NIV) make the book seem less than hopeful. Even its famous phrase “vanity of vanities” – found at the...

From his book, Exposition of the Holy Gospel According to Saint Luke with Fragments on the Prophecy of Isaias: “‘[H]eaven was opened, the Holy Spirit descended in bodily shape like a dove’ (Luke 3:21-22). Why like a dove? For the grace of the washing requires simplicity, so that we may be ‘innocent like doves’ (Matt. 10:16). The grace of the washing requires peace, as in an earlier image the dove brought to the ark that which alone was inviolable by the flood (Gen. 8:10-11)…In that branch, in that ark, was the image of peace and of the church. In the midst o...

This entry is part 5 of 6 in the series Biblical LanguagesVocabulary The Greek NT is abundant and sufficient to convey just the shade of meaning the author desires. For example, the NT uses two difference words for “another” (another of the same, or another of a different kind), and several words for various kinds of knowledge. Significantly, some words are omitted that were commonly employed in the Hellenistic culture of that time. Moreover, Greek words often took on new meanings in the context of the gospel, arising from a combination of new teachings with an exalted morality. Th...

This entry is part 3 of 6 in the series Biblical LanguagesThe Greek language is beautiful, rich, and harmonious as an instrument of communication. It is a fitting tool both for vigorous thought and for religious devotion. During its classic period, Greek was the language of one of the world’s greatest civilizations. In that cultural period, language, literature, and art flourished more than war. The Greek mind was preoccupied with ideals of beauty. The Greek language reflected artistry in its philosophical dialogues, its poetry, and its stately orations. Greek was also characterized by...

This entry is part 2 of 6 in the series Biblical LanguagesA secondary OT language is Aramaic, found in sections of Daniel (2:4b-7:28) and Ezra (4:8-6:18; 7:12-26). Aramaic phrases and expressions also appear in Genesis (31:47, Jeremiah (10:11), and the NT. OT Use Genesis 31:47 reflects usage of Hebrew and Aramaic by two individuals who were contemporaries: Jacob, the father of the Israelites, referred to a certain memorial or “witness heap” by the Hebrew term; his father-in law, Laban, called it by its Aramaic counterpart. Aramaic is linguistically very close to Hebrew. Aramaic tex...