Words of Current Interest

The words in this issue are related to the Lesson-Sermon in the
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE QUARTERLY designated to be read
in Christian Science churches on July 9, 1967.

Every devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord (Lev. 27:28)

Moffatt translates, "Everything thus set apart is most sacred to the Eternal." "Devoted things," comments Dummelow, "are those consecrated to God by an extreme form of vow...."

All our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea (I Cor. 10:1)

While, as Dummelow observes, "most of the Corinthians were Gentiles, yet the Israelites were their spiritual forefathers; the Christian Church is a continuation of the Jewish." The reference to "the cloud" and "the sea" would naturally recall to the thought of the apostle's correspondents the protective cloud which aided the Israelites in their flight from Egypt, and their safe crossing of the Red Sea (e. g. Ex. 14:19-21).

One owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty (Luke 7:41)

The Greek denarion(penny) was a small silver coin, which often formed the wage of a day laborer or of a soldier. The New English Bible has, "One owed him five hundred silver pieces, the other fifty"; and Goodspeed translates, "One owed him a hundred dollars and the other ten." The specific value of the denarion is indeterminate.

Even as Elias did (Luke 9:54)

The reference is to Elijah, also termed Elias, who had called for the destruction by fire of repeated emissaries from Ahaziah, king of Israel, who had wrathfully demanded the prophet's presence at his court (II Kings 1:10, 12). Ahaziah had done "evil in the sight of the Lord" besides turning to Baalzebub, the pagan "god of Ekron" for healing (I Kings 22:52; II Kings 1:2). This may explain Elijah's stern judgment against Ahaziah's retainers but what a contrast to Jesus' statement that he came "not...to destroy men's lives, but to save them"! (Luke 9:56.)

A place called Gethsemane (Matt. 26:36)

(geth-sem'a-ne—first and second e as in end, third as in event, a as in sofa). The word means either "olive press" or "olive vat." which is natural when we recall that verse 30 indicates that it was on "the mount of Olives." Moreover the Greek chorion (place) meant specifically "a piece of ground fenced in as a private plot" which would correspond with the "garden" mentioned in John 18:1.

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