high priest’s ephod, girdle, and breastplate (Exodus 28:5, 6, 8, 15). Scarlet
thread is mentioned in connection with the rites of cleansing the leper
(Leviticus 14:4, 6, 51) and of burning the red heifer (Numbers 19:6). It was
a crimson thread that Rahab was to bind on her window as a sign that she
was to be saved alive (Joshua 2:18; 6:25) when the city of Jericho was
taken.
Vermilion, the red sulphuret of mercury, or cinnabar; a colour used for
drawing the figures of idols on the walls of temples (Ezekiel 23:14), or for
decorating the walls and beams of houses (Jeremiah 22:14).
- COMFORTER the designation of the Holy Ghost (John 14:16, 26; 15:26;
16:7; R.V. marg., “or Advocate, or Helper; Gr. paracletos”). The same
Greek word thus rendered is translated “Advocate” in 1 John 2:1 as
applicable to Christ. It means properly “one who is summoned to the side
of another” to help him in a court of justice by defending him, “one who is
summoned to plead a cause.” “Advocate” is the proper rendering of the
word in every case where it occurs.
It is worthy of notice that although Paul nowhere uses the word
paracletos, he yet presents the idea it embodies when he speaks of the
“intercession” both of Christ and the Spirit (Romans 8:27, 34).
- COMING OF CHRIST (1) with reference to his first advent “in the
fulness of the time” (1 John 5:20; 2 John 1:7), or (2) with reference to his
coming again the second time at the last day (Acts 1:11; 3:20, 21; 1
Thessalonians 4:15; 2 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 9:28).
The expression is used metaphorically of the introduction of the gospel
into any place (John 15:22; Ephesians 2:17), the visible establishment of
his kingdom in the world (Matthew 16:28), the conferring on his people of
the peculiar tokens of his love (John 14:18, 23, 28), and his executing
judgment on the wicked (2 Thessalonians 2:8).
- COMMANDMENTS, THE TEN (Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 10:4, marg.
“ten words”) i.e., the Decalogue (q.v.), is a summary of the immutable
moral law. These commandments were first given in their written form to
the people of Israel when they were encamped at Sinai, about fifty days
after they came out of Egypt (Exodus 19:10-25). They were written by
the finger of God on two tables of stone. The first tables were broken by
Moses when he brought them down from the mount (32:19), being thrown