Bible Dictionary

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Aaron

Aaron was the older brother of Moses and the high priest of the people of Israel during the Exodus from Egypt. God appointed Aaron to speak to the people instead of his stammering brother – he was to become Moses’ mouthpiece (Ex. 4:16) and his prophet (7:1). Indeed, Aaron often spoke on Moses’ behalf before Pharaoh and, at God’s command, performed miracles with his rod. He was the first to manifest himself as a miracle worker. Aaron was anointed as the first high priest (the high priest in the Jewish religion), and his descendants served as priests in Israel. God gave Moses a description of what the priestly garments should look like, including the golden plate on the forehead with the inscription “holy to the Lord” (Ex. 28:2-42; 39:1-43). Aaron’s descendants received the right to inherit the high priesthood (Ex. 29:29).

Etymology: The name “Aaron” (Hebrew: אַהֲרֹן, Aharon; Greek: Ἀαρών) is of uncertain origin. In Egyptian, it means “exalted”, “elevated”; in Hebrew, some suggest the meaning “enlightened” or “inspired”. The name probably reflects Aaron’s high position as high priest and leader.

Aaron is mentioned five times in the New Testament. St. John the Baptist was of the line of Aaron, from which his parents were Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5). St. Archdeacon Stephen also speaks of Aaron, referring to the story of the golden calf (Acts 7:40). The Apostle Paul speaks of the Aaronic priesthood in his Epistle to the Hebrews, drawing parallels between the priesthood of Aaron and the high priesthood of Christ “after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:10).

Occurs in: Ex. 4:14 ff.; Lev. 8:1-36; Num. 16:1-50, etc.

Abel

The Sacrifices of Cain and Abel

Abel was the second son of Adam and Eve, known as the first murder victim in the Bible.

Etymology: The name “Abel” (Heb.: הֶבֶל, Hevel, Greek: Ἅבעל) is believed to mean “a breath of wind” or “transient”. The root h-bl in biblical Hebrew means “vapor, mist, smoke”, an image of everything impermanent and fleeting (cf. Eccl. 1:2). Thus, the very name of the second son of Adam and Eve suggests his tragic fate – a life cut short “like a breath” at the dawn of human history.

According to the biblical account (Gen. 4:1-16), Abel was a “shepherd” (Heb. רֹעֵה צֹאן, ro‘e tso’n), while the firstborn Cain was a farmer. This contrast of two livelihoods will become a biblical topos (cf. Esau/Jacob, David/Goliath).

Abel offers “the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof” (v. 4) – a formula that foreshadows the later legal requirements for a chosen sacrifice without blemish (Ex. 13:12; Lev. 3:1, 16). God “looks with favor” on Abel’s sacrifice, but not on “Cain’s offering.” The text does not explicitly explain why; ancient interpreters see the key in the “quality” (the first and best of what is possessed) and in the attitude of the heart of the sacrificer (Josephus, Ant. I.2; Heb. 11:4).

In the New Testament, Abel is considered a type of the righteous: “the blood of righteous Abel” (Matt. 23:35); “from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah” (Luke 11:51); “by faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous” (Heb. 11:4); “and to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, which speaks better things than that of Abel” (Heb. 12:24); “not as Cain, who was of the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own works were evil, but his brother’s were righteous.” (1 John 3:12).

In fine art, the scene of Abel’s sacrifice is found in early Christian sarcophagi, in the catacombs of St. Priscilla (3rd century), the mosaics of San Vitale (6th century) and the cycle of Renaissance frescoes in Padua (14th century).

Absalom

Absalom is the third son of King David, known for his rebellion against his father. He possesses exceptional beauty and royal lineage also on the maternal side, which strengthens his ego. After avenging his sister Tamar, he organizes a coup and temporarily seizes the throne in Jerusalem. But during the pursuit, his long hair gets tangled in the branches of an oak tree and he dies tragically. His rebellion is a symbol of destructive anger and pride.

Etymology: Hebrew: אַבְשָׁלוֹם — ’Avšālōm, “father of peace/healing”; abbreviated form Abšālōm → Avšālōm; Greek. Ἀβεσσαλώμ; Latin. Absalom. The root š-l-m in Northwest Semitic languages ​​means “wholeness, peace, well-being” (cf. שָׁלוֹם, shalom). With the name “Absalom” the story begins as if with expectation, but the bearer of “peace” turns out to be the personification of rebellion and disunity.

Appearance: “From the sole of his foot to the top of his head there was no blemish in him” (2 Sam. 14:25). His hair, which was cut annually, weighed ~200 shekels ≈ 2.3 kg.

In the Orthodox liturgy, the 7th song of the Great Penitential Canon of St. Andrew of Crete mentions Absalom as an image of reason rebelling against God.

Found in: 2 Sam. 13–18.

Abijah’s Division

Abijah’s Division is one of the 24 priestly divisions (flocks) established in Israel under the law of Moses and organized by King David to ensure the regular and equal participation of the priestly families in the service in the Temple.

According to the law of Moses, only descendants of the high priest Aaron could be priests. The two main lines were from his sons Eleazar and Ithamar (Naddav and Abihu left no descendants). As the number of descendants increased, King David introduced an order of shifts (flocks) in order to distribute the service fairly. In the generation of Eleazar, 16 families were formed, and in the generation of Ithamar – 8 families, which gives a total of 24 flocks. Each flock served for one week, with the priests changing daily. The order of service was determined by lot, with lots being drawn first for a family from the line of Eleazar, then – from the line of Ithamar. After the lot was drawn, a special scribe recorded the order to avoid confusion.

Each flock received the name of the head of the family. The shift of Abijah took eighth place among the 24 flocks.

In the New Testament, it is mentioned in Luke 1:5. Here, “the flock of Abijah” refers to the priestly order in which Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, served when he received the revelation of the birth of his son.

Abraham is the first of the patriarchs in the Bible, i.e. the ancestor of the people of Israel. God makes a covenant with him and gives him a triple promise: for a land, for a numerous offspring like the stars of the sky and for a blessing that will reach all nations. He shows faith, he is ready to sacrifice his son Isaac – a type of the sacrifice of the Son of God. Abraham is revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims.

The name “Abraham” (Hebrew: אַבְרָהָם, Avraham; Greek: Ἀβραάμ) was originally “Abraham” (אַבְרָם, Avram). “Abram” means “exalted father” (Av – father, ram – exalted). The name speaks of a great ancestor standing between heaven and earth. In Gen. 17:5 God changes the name to “Abraham”, which means “father of a multitude” or “father of many nations”.

In Christianity, he is considered the father of all believers (Rom. 4:11).

Found in: Gen. 12–25; Matt. 1:1-2; 3:9; 8:11; 22:32; Luke 1:55; 3:8; 13:16; 16:22-24; 19:9; John 8:39-40; Rom. 4:1-25; Heb. 11:8-12, etc.

Agabus the prophet

Agabus (Acts 11:28) was one of the prophets; he predicted (around 43 AD) that a great famine would come upon the whole earth—an event that secular historians believe occurred during the reign of Emperor Claudius (41–54 AD). A few years later, Agabus met the apostle Paul in Caesarea Primorsky and, through a symbolic action, prophesied the suffering that awaited the apostle in Jerusalem if he continued his journey there (Acts 21:10–11). According to tradition, Agabus was one of the 70 disciples of the Lord and suffered a martyr’s death in Antioch. His memory is honored on January 4 and April 8.

Agraphia

AGRAPHIA (Greek ἄγραφα – “unwritten [words]”) are words attributed to Jesus Christ that are not contained in either the canonical Gospels or the known Gospel apocrypha. The term agrapha was introduced into scientific use in 1776 by J. G. Körner, which marked the beginning of their systematic study in biblical scholarship. Agraphs are more precisely understood as individual sentences, teachings, or short maxims that circulated in the early Christian tradition outside the strictly fixed New Testament gospel canon.

Agraphs are found scattered in various sources. They are found first of all in some New Testament canonical books outside the Gospels, especially in the Acts of the Apostles and the Apostolic Epistles, where words of Christ are transmitted that are not attested in the four Gospels (e.g. Acts 20:35). In addition, agraphs are found in the writings of the holy fathers and other early Christian writers, in early Christian liturgical and liturgical texts, as well as in some ancient manuscripts discovered in more recent times, containing isolated sentences attributed to the Lord.

In their origin, agraphs do not constitute a homogeneous group. Some of them can be explained as preserved through the oral tradition, which was active during the apostolic and post-apostolic period. Others probably represent fragments of lost or partially preserved gospel apocrypha. It is not excluded that some agraphs also reflect an early pre-canonical phase of gospel writing, which preceded the final formation and approval of the four canonical Gospels. In this sense, the agraphs are important evidence of the richness and diversity of the early Christian tradition, as well as of the complex process of forming the New Testament canon.

The authenticity of the agraphs cannot be established with complete certainty and is therefore assessed hypothetically. The criterion for such an assessment is their content and theological kinship with the canonical Gospels or, conversely, their proximity to the apocryphal tradition and their distance from the evangelical spirit. Modern research shows that even those agraphs that can most likely be attributed to the earliest Christian tradition do not bring anything substantially new to the doctrinal and moral meaning of the Gospel. This fact is viewed in the Orthodox theological perspective as indirect evidence of the providential role of the Church, which in shaping the New Testament canon has preserved precisely that which is most necessary and salvifically sufficient for the knowledge and acceptance of the Good News.

Agrippa

Agrippa I (Herod Agrippa I) (Greek: Ἀγρίππας; Latin: Marcus Julius Agrippa). Meaning of the name: “one who causes pain at birth” (from Latin: agrippus – born feet first).

Agrippa I was the grandson of Herod the Great and the father of Agrippa II. He was a Jew by birth, but was raised in Rome, close to the Roman imperial authority. He gained power in different stages – first over parts of his father’s kingdom, and then, under Emperor Caligula, over almost the entire Jewish territory. He is known in the New Testament mostly for his persecution of Christians – under him the apostle James, the brother of John, was killed, and the apostle Peter was thrown into prison (Acts 12:1–3). He died, struck down by an angel because of his pride when the people called him “the voice of God, and not of man” (Acts 12:21–23). His death is described with amazing vividness as God’s punishment for his blasphemy and bloodshed.

Agrippa II. The son of Agrippa I, Herod Agrippa II inherited power at the age of only 17, after the death of his father (in 44 AD), but he was actually appointed as governor only in 50 AD by Emperor Claudius. Initially, he received the small kingdom of Chalcida, and later (after the death of his uncle Herod Philip) – and territories around Lebanon, Bashan and part of Iturea, with the title of “king”. Emperor Nero added other territories to it.

Agrippa II is an important participant in the events of the book of Acts of the Apostles. He arrives in Caesarea with his sister Veronica (Berenice) to greet the new Roman governor Porcius Festus (Acts 25:13). When he met the apostle Paul in Caesarea, he listened to him attentively. Paul spoke to him boldly and openly about Christ, confessing his faith publicly. Impressed, the king said: “In a little while you will persuade me to become a Christian” (Acts 26:28). After the apostle’s speech, Agrippa concluded that Paul did not deserve death or chains – “This man could have been released if he had not appealed to Caesar” (Acts 26:32).

Subsequently, Agrippa II sided with Rome during the last Jewish revolt (66–70 AD). He assisted Vespasian and participated in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem together with Titus. He then settled in Rome, where he died around 100 AD, leaving no heirs. With his death, the Herodian dynasty came to an end – his dominions came under direct Roman rule as part of the province of Syria.

They are found in the New Testament:

Agrippa I: Acts 12:1–3, 12:20–23

Agrippa II: Acts 25:13–27; 26:1–32

Adam

Adam was the first man created by God from the dust of the earth. He lived in the Garden of Eden with Eve and transgressed God’s command. After the Fall, he was expelled from Paradise. Adam is the ancestor of all mankind.

The name “Adam” (Hebrew: אָדָם, Adam; Greek: Ἀδάμ) comes from the Hebrew root אָדָם (‘adam), which means “man” or “human being”. It is close to the word אֲדָמָה (adamah) – “earth, soil, dirt”.

The root ’-d-m means “human being” and sounds close to ’adāmāh (“soil, humus”). The biblical narrative deliberately uses a play on words: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground” (Gen. 2:7). Man is earthly in origin, but receives a divine “breath of life,” being a unity of matter and spirit.

In Christ, humanity has a new Progenitor, Jesus Christ is the new Adam, “for as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:22).

Medieval traditions identify the “tomb of Adam” in the cave of Machpelah (Hebron), on Golgotha ​​(under the Holy Cross), or in Sheikh Adam (Syria).

Found in: Genesis 1–5; Job 31:33; Hos. 6:7; Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:22.etc.

Adonai

Adonai (Hebrew: אֲדֹנָי, ’Adonai) is one of the main substitute names for God in the Jewish and Christian tradition. It means “Lord”, “Lord” and is used as a respectful substitute for the Tetragrammaton – the personal name of God in the Old Testament: YHWH (יהוה), which the Jews do not pronounce out of reverence. In the Bible, Adonai often occurs where the original is YHWH, but when reading or translating it is pronounced “Adonai” to avoid pronouncing God’s name. In some cases, “Adonai” is combined with other epithets (e.g. “Adonai Elohim” – Lord God).

Etymology: Hebrew ’adon (אָדוֹן) – “lord, ruler”, in the plural form with the possessive suffix -ai, which gives ’Adonai – “my Lord” or “my Master”. The form is plural, used as an expression of greatness and respect (plural maestatis).

Usage in Candle. Scripture: The name Adonai occurs over 400 times in the Old Testament, often in prayers and prophecies. In the Psalms and prophetic books, this name expresses submission, reverence, and dependence on God’s authority. In the Greek translation of the Bible (the Septuagint), Adonai is rendered Κύριος – also “Lord.”