GLOSSARY
Elder A local community leader.
In the New Testament, elders are
senior members of the Church.Epistle A letter. Twenty-one
of the New Testament’s books
are epistles.Evangelist One who preaches the
Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who
are not believers, aiming to bring
people to recognize Jesus as Lord
and Messiah.Exiles, The The name given
to expelled inhabitants of Israel
after the Assyrian conquest of
the northern kingdom in 722 bce
and also to those forced from
the southern kingdom of Judah
after the Babylonian conquest
a century later.Exodus, The The Israelites’
release from slavery in Egypt
and their journey to Canaan,
the Promised Land, under the
leadership of Moses.Fall, The The disobedience of
Adam and Eve that led to judgment
of mankind. In Christian doctrine,
this is when sin enters the world
and pervades all humanity.Gentile A non-Jewish person.Gnosticism A general term
for 2nd-century heretical sects
that sought to live a purely
spiritual life by way of a secret
knowledge (gnosis).Gospel The teaching that God
offers redemption to humanity
through the salvation Jesus Christ
brought by His life, death, and
resurrection. When written with
an initial capital, it refers to the first
four books of the New Testament.Grace Abundant love freely given
to humanity by God through Christ.Hanukkah A Jewish religious
festival lasting eight days that
commemorates the victory of
the Maccabees in 160 bce and the
rededication of the Temple.Hebrew Bible The name used
by some non-Jews to refer to the
Jewish Scriptures. The Hebrew
term is Tanakh.Hellenism The characteristics
and spirit of Alexander the
Great’s empire and its successors.
Additionally, the attempt by those
empires to impose Greek language,
culture, and religion on the peoples
they had conquered.Herodian Of, or concerning, Herod
the Great, king of Judea (37–4 bce),
or members of his family.High place A raised place used
for religious worship, hence a
sanctuary. Often used in relation
to shrines for Canaanite gods.High priest The senior Jewish
leader responsible for the nation’s
spiritual well-being.Idol An image, often carved and
made of wood, metal, or stone,
which is worshipped as a god.Israel and Judah The northern
and southern Jewish kingdoms,
respectively, created after the
United Monarchy was divided
in c.930 bce.Jehovah A name for God related
to the Hebrew term Ya hweh.Jews The tribespeople of Israel
and their descendants.Judgment Day The day when
Jesus returns to Earth. Some
believe it is also the end of the
world, when God will assess every
human being by identifying and
condemning sin and absolving
and rewarding believers.Judges Leaders who governed
the tribes of Israel from the death
of Joshua to the time of Samuel;
and the name of the Old Testament
book concerning that same period.Kingdom of God The teaching
that the entire world will come to
accept sovereign rule of God; the
Kingdom of God comes wherever
God’s authority is recognized.Law, The Mosaic Law given to the
Israelites by God, aimed at creating
a society based on their obligations
to each other, to the land, and to
God under the Covenant.Leprosy An infectious skin
disease. In the Bible, leprosy
denotes a wider range of ailments
than just the modern definition.Living God Term denoting God
as a living, active, and powerful
deity in contrast to the idols of
nations opposed to Israel.Lots, casting of A traditional
Israelite method of discerning the
will of God in conflicts or disputes.Manna Food provided by God for
the Israelites on their journey from
Egypt to the Promised Land, with
the appearance of coriander seed
and the taste of honey.Martyr Initially used to refer to
one who spread the word of Jesus,
it is later used to refer specifically
to those who die for their faith.341
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