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The meaning of "kosmos" or "world" in Scripture

Discussion in 'Baptist Theology & Bible Study' started by The Biblicist, Jul 23, 2017.

  1. The Biblicist

    The Biblicist Well-Known Member
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    For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - Jn. 3:16

    Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.- 1 Jn. 2:15

    And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brothers to the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come here also; - Acts 17:6

    He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came to his own, and his own received him not. - Jn. 1:10-11

    The varied uses of the term "world" can be readily seen in the above quotations. The world that God loves in John 3:16 cannot be the world we are not to love in 1 Jn. 2:15. Neither of the above uses fit the third citation in Acs 17:6. However, the fourth citation is very significant as it seems to use the same term in various ways. He was "in the world" or planet earth and planet earth was made by him, but the "world" of intelligent beings knew him not while a specific type of human beings (Jews) received him not.

    However, we could go on and cite different uses of the term kosmos (world). For example, where Paul uses it to represent Gentiles in contrast to Jews (Rom. 11:10-11).

    Few take the time to find out how the term "world" was used and understood by Jews during the N.T. period. It is assumed in redemptive passages it refers to every human being that has ever lived without exception when the writers or speaks are jewish and it may mean something that was very contemptible and utterly unthinkable to the Jewish mind and usage.

    For example, in John 3 where the dialogue is between two Jewish rabbi's (Nicodemus and Jesus). The Jews believed that salvation was "of the Jews" (Jn. 4:22) and one had to become a Jew in order to be saved. Even after Jesus gave a world wide commission the early congregation at Jerusalem would not send missionaries to anyone without some kind of Jewish ancestry (Act 1:1-9). Peter had to be given a vision three consecutive times and then brought six Jews along to be witnesses because as he said even entering into a gentile home was unlawful among the jews. Even then, the congregation would not obey the world wide commission until Acts 11:19-20.

    I believe a critical and honest evaluation of the Biblical evidence will demonstrate that it is Jewish writers that primarily use the term "world" in redemptive passages and by it they mean mankind beyond the racial boundary of Jewishism or the "whole world" inclusive of Jews and non-Jews. I think the term "pas" (all) is used to mean all races, classes and genders or all mankind without distinctions rather than all human beings without exception.
     
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  2. Martin Marprelate

    Martin Marprelate Well-Known Member
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  3. Revmitchell

    Revmitchell Well-Known Member
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    The word world can certainly be different based a a few things like context but it never means the elect.
     
  4. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    LOL! ^^^^ is the funniest thing I ever read on the BB! ROFLOL!
     
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