Topical Encyclopedia
The term "apparent" refers to something that is clearly visible or understood, though it may not always reflect the deeper or true nature of a situation. In the context of the Bible, the concept of what is apparent often contrasts with the unseen or spiritual realities that God reveals to His people. The Scriptures frequently address the difference between outward appearances and inner truths, urging believers to seek divine wisdom and discernment.
Biblical Examples and Themes:1.
God's Perspective vs. Human Perspective: · In
1 Samuel 16:7, the Lord instructs Samuel not to judge by appearance when choosing a king: "But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart.'" This passage highlights the distinction between human judgment based on what is apparent and God's deeper understanding of the heart.
2.
Faith and the Unseen: ·
Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as "the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see." This verse underscores the importance of trusting in God's promises and realities that are not immediately apparent to the human eye.
3.
Jesus and the Pharisees: · In
Matthew 23:27-28, Jesus criticizes the Pharisees for their focus on outward appearances: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness." This rebuke emphasizes the danger of valuing external appearances over internal righteousness.
4.
Spiritual Discernment: · The Apostle Paul, in
2 Corinthians 4:18, encourages believers to focus on eternal truths rather than temporary appearances: "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." This teaching calls Christians to develop spiritual discernment and prioritize eternal values over transient, apparent realities.
5.
Judgment and Justice: ·
Proverbs 24:23-25 warns against partiality in judgment based on appearances: "These also are sayings of the wise: To show partiality in judgment is not good. Whoever says to the guilty, 'You are innocent'—peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him. But it will go well with those who convict the guilty, and rich blessing will come upon them." This passage highlights the importance of justice that transcends mere appearances.
Theological Implications:The Bible consistently teaches that what is apparent to human eyes is not always aligned with God's truth. Believers are called to seek God's wisdom and understanding, which often reveals deeper spiritual realities beyond the surface. This requires a reliance on the Holy Spirit for discernment and a commitment to living by faith, trusting in God's eternal perspective rather than temporary appearances.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
a.) Easily seen or understood; open to view; visible to the eye; within sight or view.
2. (a.) Clear or manifest to the understanding; plain; evident; obvious; known; palpable; indubitable.
3. (a.) Appearing to the eye or mind (distinguished from, but not necessarily opposed to, true or real); seeming; as the apparent motion or diameter of the sun.
4. (n.) An heir apparent.
Greek
5318. phaneros -- visible, manifest... visible, manifest. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: phaneros Phonetic
Spelling: (fan-er-os') Short Definition:
apparent, clear, visible, manifest
...5319. phaneroo -- to make visible, make clear
... 5319 (from 5457 , "light") -- properly, illumine, make (); (figuratively)
make plain, in view; to becomeapparent ("graspable")....
1717. emphanes -- manifest
... manifest, openly. From a compound of en and phaino;apparent in self -- manifest,
openly. see GREEK en. see GREEK phaino. (emphane) -- 1 Occurrence....
160. aiphnidios -- sudden
... From a compound of a (as a negative particle) and phaino (compare exaiphnes) (meaning
non-apparent); unexpected, ie (adverbially) suddenly -- sudden, unawares....
84. adelos -- uncertainly
... without certain aim. Cognate: 84 -- properly, notapparent because not
clearly seen (distinguished). See 82 (). Word Origin from...
5324. phantazo -- to make visible, to become visible
... sight. From a derivative of phaino; to makeapparent, ie (passively) to appear
(neuter participle as noun, a spectacle) -- sight. see GREEK phaino....
852. aphanes -- unseen
... invisible, hidden. From a (as a negative particle) and phaino; non-apparent) --
that is not manifest. see GREEK a. see GREEK phaino. (aphanes) -- 1 Occurrence....
1436. ea -- ah! ha! (interj. expressing surprise, indignation...
... aha!Apparent imperative of eao; properly, let it be, ie (as interjection) aha! --
let alone. see GREEK eao. (ea) -- 1 Occurrence. 1435, 1436. ea. 1437 ....
1391. doxa -- opinion (always good in NT), hence praise, honor...
... From the base of dokeo; glory (as veryapparent), in a wide application (literal
or figurative, objective or subjective) -- dignity, glory(-ious), honour...
4767. stugetos -- hateful
... [4767() describes what is odious (repulsive, disgusting) -- as when "self-revealed
failure" isapparent even to the perpetrator of a crime (see White, EGT, 4...
Strong's Hebrew
853. eth -- untranslatable mark of the accusative case....Apparent contracted from 'owth in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self
(but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or
...956. buth -- pass the night
... Word Origin see bith. pass the night (Aramaic)apparent denominative from bayith;
to lodge over night -- pass the night. see HEBREW bayith. 955, 956....
1248. bar -- son
... Word Origin from bar Definition son NASB Word Usage son (4). son. Borrowed (as a
title) from bar; the heir (apparent to the throne) -- son. see HEBREW bar....
577. annah -- ah, now! I (we) beseech you!
... I beseech thee, O. Or mannah {awn-naw'};apparent contracted from 'ahabah and na';
oh now! -- I (me) beseech (pray) thee, O. see HEBREW 'ahabah. see HEBREW na'....
Library
Letter xvi. --Explanation ofApparent Despair.
... THE FRUIT THEREOF. Letter XVI."Explanation ofApparent Despair. To Mother
Louise-Fran??oise de Rosen (1735). Explanation ofapparent despair....
Apparent Discrepancies, and Mode of Removing Them.
... CHAPTER V. THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST. Section 91.Apparent Discrepancies, and
Mode of Removing them. There areapparent contradictions...
Magic and Sorcery OnlyApparent in their Effects God Alone Can...
... Chapter LVII."Magic and Sorcery OnlyApparent in Their Effects God Alone
Can Raise the Dead. It is either a very fine thing to...
Every Severity, Therefore, andApparent Cruelty, Either in Word or...
... Book 3 Chapter 17. Every severity, therefore, andapparent cruelty, either
in word or deed? 17. Every severity, therefore, and...
Peter's Explanation of theApparent Contradictions of Scripture.
... Homily XVI. Chapter X."Peter's Explanation of theApparent Contradictions
of Scripture. And Peter said: "They do not lead astray...
The Three Days of the Resurrection, in which Also the Ratio of...
... Book IV. Chapter 6."The Three Days of the Resurrection, in Which Also
the Ratio of Single to Double isApparent. 10. Scripture...
But Perhaps this Foul Pollution May be LessApparent in the Rest....
... Book IV. 21 But perhaps this foul pollution may be lessapparent in the rest.? But
perhaps this foul pollution may be lessapparent in the rest....
Pious Parents, in Such a Circumstance, have Farther Reason to Say...
... PIOUS PARENTS, in such a Circumstance, have farther Reason to say, It is well,"as
they may observe anapparent Tendency in such a Dispensation to teach them...
Christ's Nativity Both Possible and Becoming the Heretical Opinion...
... Chapter III."Christ's Nativity Both Possible and Becoming The Heretical Opinion
of Christ'sApparent Flesh Deceptive and Dishonourable to God, Even on...
The Romance of Orthodoxy
... But in truth the chief mark of our epoch is a profound laziness and fatigue; and
the fact is that the real laziness is the cause of theapparent bustle....
Thesaurus
Apparent (4 Occurrences)... 3. (a.) Appearing to the eye or mind (distinguished from, but not necessarily opposed
to, true or real); seeming; as the
apparent motion or diameter of the sun
...Discrepancies
... the Bible; (2) to obtain at least a general understanding of the conditions and
causes that may have given rise to the discrepancies, real orapparent; (3) to...
Manifest (74 Occurrences)
... to the sight;apparent; distinctly perceived; hence, obvious to the understanding;
apparent to the mind; easily apprehensible; plain; not obscure or hidden....
Upharsin (1 Occurrence)
... In either case, the inscription wasapparent but not readable, except by Daniel
with the aid of God, through whom also the seer was enabled to give the proper...
Tekel (2 Occurrences)
... In either case, the inscription wasapparent but not readable, except by Daniel
with the aid of God, through whom also the seer was enabled to give the proper...
Mene (2 Occurrences)
... In either case, the inscription wasapparent but not readable, except by Daniel
with the aid of God, through whom also the seer was enabled to give the proper...
Power (862 Occurrences)
... or any optical instrument, magnifies; in the telescope, and usually in the microscope,
the number of times it multiplies, or augments, theapparent diameter of...
Bull (114 Occurrences)
... See Apostolical brief, under Brief. 11. (n.) A grotesque blunder in language; an
apparent congruity, but real incongruity, of ideas, contained in a form of...
Sphere (3 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) Theapparent surface of the heavens, which is assumed to be spherical and
everywhere equally distant, in which the heavenly bodies appear to have their...
Show (1340 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To makeapparent or clear, as by evidence, testimony, or reasoning; to prove;
to explain; also, to manifest; to evince; as, to show the truth of a...
Resources
What age was Jehoiachin when he began his reign? | GotQuestions.orgOld earth vs. young earth'what are the core issues in the debate? | GotQuestions.orgWhat are the Five Ways of Thomas Aquinas? | GotQuestions.orgApparent: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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