Lexical Semantics and New Testament Word Studies
“Semantics” is one of those $10 words many of us are tempted to ignore. But do you know what it means?
In the field of linguistics—another expensive-sounding word that, in simple terms, refers to the study of language—semantics is the study of meaning: the meaning of words, phrases, and sentences. The branch of semantics that deals specifically with the meaning of individual words is called lexical semantics.
So, when you perform a New Testament word study, you are operating in the field of New Testament lexical semantics.
Make sense?
Will Learning the Greek Alphabet Help in Your Study of the New Testament?
If you simply learn the alphabet of a language, you have not learned the language. That is certainly true of Koine Greek, the language in which the New Testament was written.
So, if learning the alphabet is not the same as learning Greek, what possible benefit could there be in simply learning the Greek alphabet?
Good question. And good questions deserve good answers.
Blue Letter Bible (phone app)
Every once in a while, you come across a free Bible Study tool that is robust and very handy. That tool is the Blue Letter Bible app that is available for iOS and Android. It is primarily a tool that places an emphasis on having translations of the Bible in your hands though it also offers lexical aids, word searches, four narrated Bibles, articles, commentaries, study charts, a section for notes, and much more.
Luke
Gen.3:15; 12:1-3 promises the seed of the woman would render the death blow to Satan and in that seed all the people of the earth would be blessed. Luke shows these Old Testament promises are fulfilled in Christ-the gospel is for all Lk. 3:6; 19:10; 24:26,27. Partiality, respect of persons and racism are sins (Lk.10:25-37; 18:9-14).