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New Testament Synonyms
by
R. C. Trench
This work was first accomplished in 1854 by
Trench, an Anglican archbishop at Dublin. It has been in print nearly all
the time since, because the good archbishop had a genius for understanding
Biblical Greek, and the proper synonyms of the same. Though old, it is not
lacking in style. And he was able to express himself in a way that is easily
understood. In this case the old may be better than what is coming out in
our day.
There are one hundred and seventeen sets of
synonyms given and compared. A thorough discussion is given of the meaning
and use of each Greek word. Then a comparison between them shows why they
are used in various parts of the Holy Scriptures.
The Greek of the Septuagint is used to bring
the Old Testament words into the comparisons, thus throwing much light on
the Hebrew words in many places.
There is no question that the whole of the
book will strain the mind of most people. For R.C. Trench was a very learned man,
with knowledge of dozens and dozens of Greek authors and their use of the
words he highlights in this book. Besides, he knew the Latins as well.
Because of this there are many paragraphs of both Greek and Latin on page
after page. Nevertheless, there is exquisite knowledge to be attained by
anyone interested studying Bible words, what they mean, how they differ from
others, etc. Besides, there are many illustrations of how Biblical words
have been elevated from the Greek uses and meaning.
For instance, the word ekklhsiva,
which means assembly (though commonly translated as
"church" in today’s Bibles). Trench says that we have three
distinct stages of meaning – the heathen, the Jewish, and the Christian.
The heathen use was for a lawful assembly that was summoned for the
transaction of public affairs.
ekklhsiva was ennobled
by being elevated to be used in the Bible only as an assembly met for
worship of Jesus Christ.
R.C. Trench notes that this higher meaning of
Greek words often occurs in the Holy Scriptures, though oftentimes they
retain the lower meaning.
R.C. Trench was an Anglican with considerable
influence in the English church in the nineteenth century. He was archbishop
in Gladstone's time. Being much interested in words, Trench was a decisive
influence in the early stages of the monumental Oxford English Dictionary
(for which all authors should be particularly grateful to him).
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