Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical terms, the concept of "capital" can be understood in various contexts, including wealth, resources, and the head or top of a structure. The Bible addresses the use and management of capital in both material and spiritual dimensions, emphasizing stewardship, justice, and the moral implications of wealth.
Wealth and ResourcesThe Bible frequently discusses wealth and resources, which can be considered forms of capital. In the Old Testament, wealth is often seen as a blessing from God, contingent upon obedience and righteousness. For instance,
Deuteronomy 8:18 states, "But remember that it is the LORD your God who gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers, as it is this day."
The management of wealth is a recurring theme, with an emphasis on using resources wisely and justly.
Proverbs 13:11 advises, "Dishonest wealth will dwindle, but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied." This highlights the importance of integrity and diligence in the accumulation and use of capital.
StewardshipThe Bible underscores the principle of stewardship, where individuals are seen as caretakers of God's creation, including their material possessions. In the Parable of the Talents (
Matthew 25:14-30), Jesus illustrates the responsibility of managing resources. The servants are entrusted with varying amounts of money, and their faithfulness in handling these resources determines their reward. This parable teaches that capital should be used productively and for the glory of God.
Justice and EquityThe Bible also addresses the ethical dimensions of capital, advocating for justice and equity. The prophets frequently condemn the misuse of wealth and exploitation of the poor. For example,
Amos 5:11-12 warns, "Therefore, because you trample on the poor and exact a tax of grain from him, though you have built houses of hewn stone, you will not dwell in them; though you have planted pleasant vineyards, you will not drink their wine."
The New Testament continues this theme, with
James 5:1-5 cautioning the rich about hoarding wealth and exploiting laborers. This passage serves as a reminder that capital should not be amassed at the expense of others' well-being.
Spiritual CapitalBeyond material wealth, the Bible speaks of spiritual capital, which includes faith, wisdom, and knowledge. These are seen as invaluable resources that believers are to cultivate and share.
Colossians 2:2-3 speaks of Christ, "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Spiritual capital is portrayed as eternal and far more significant than earthly wealth.
Architectural CapitalIn a more literal sense, the term "capital" can refer to the top part of a column or pillar in architecture. The Bible describes the capitals of the temple built by Solomon, highlighting their ornate design.
1 Kings 7:16 notes, "He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on top of the pillars; each capital was five cubits high." These architectural elements symbolize beauty and craftsmanship, reflecting the glory of God’s house.
In summary, the biblical perspective on capital encompasses a broad range of meanings, from material wealth to spiritual resources, and emphasizes the responsible and ethical use of all forms of capital in accordance with God's will.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) of or pertaining to the head.
2. (n.) Having reference to, or involving, the forfeiture of the head or life; affecting life; punishable with death; as, capital trials; capital punishment.
3. (n.) First in importance; chief; principal.
4. (n.) Chief, in a political sense, as being the seat of the general government of a state or nation; as, Washington and Paris are capital cities.
5. (n.) of first rate quality; excellent; as, a capital speech or song.
6. (n.) The head or uppermost member of a column, pilaster, etc. It consists generally of three parts, abacus, bell (or vase), and necking. See these terms, and Column.
7. (n.) The seat of government; the chief city or town in a country; a metropolis.
8. (n.) Money, property, or stock employed in trade, manufactures, etc.; the sum invested or lent, as distinguished from the income or interest. See Capital stock, under Capital, a.
9. (a.) That portion of the produce of industry, which may be directly employed either to support human beings or to assist in production.
10. (a.) Anything which can be used to increase one's power or influence.
11. (n.) An imaginary line dividing a bastion, ravelin, or other work, into two equal parts.
12. (n.) A chapter, or section, of a book.
13. (a.) See Capital letter, under Capital, a.
Greek
4516. Rhome -- Rome, thecapital of Italy and the Rom. Empire...... 4515, 4516. Rhome. 4517 . Rome, the
capital of Italy and the Rom.
... Word Origin
of Latin origin Definition Rome, the
capital of Italy and the Rom.
...116. Athenai -- Athens,capital of Attica in Greece
... Athens,capital of Attica in Greece. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration:
Athenai Phonetic Spelling: (ath-ay-nahee) Short Definition: Athens...
2419. Ierousalem -- Jerusalem, thecapital of united Isr. and...
... Ierousalem. 2420 . Jerusalem, thecapital of united Isr.... Word Origin of Hebrew
origin Yerushalaim Definition Jerusalem, thecapital of united Isr....
2414. Hierosoluma -- Jerusalem, thecapital of united Isr. and...
... Hierosoluma. 2415 . Jerusalem, thecapital of united Isr.... Word Origin of Hebrew
origin Yerushalaim Definition Jerusalem, thecapital of united Isr....
4716. stauros -- an upright stake, hence a cross (the Rom....
... 4716 -- the crosspiece of a Roman ; the cross-beam (Latin, ) placed at the top of
the vertical member to form acapital "T." "This transverse beam was the one...
2449. Ioudaia -- Judaea.
... Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Ioudaia Phonetic Spelling: (ee-oo-dah'-yah) Short
Definition: Judea Definition: Judea, a Roman province,capital Jerusalem....
3535. Nineui -- Nineve.
... Nineve. Of Hebrew origin (Niynveh); Ninevi (ie Nineveh), thecapital of Assyria --
Nineve. see HEBREW Niynveh. 3534, 3535. Nineui. 3536 . Strong's Numbers.
4946. Surakousai -- Syracuse, a large maritime city of Sicily
... Syracuse. Plural of uncertain derivation; Syracuse, thecapital of Sicily -- Syracuse.
(surakousas) -- 1 Occurrence. 4945, 4946. Surakousai. 4947 ....
2882. Korinthos -- Corinth, a city of Greece
... Transliteration: Korinthos Phonetic Spelling: (kor'-in-thos) Short Definition: Corinth
Definition: Corinth, in north-east Peloponnese, thecapital of the Roman...
5019. Tarsos -- Tarsus, a city of Cilicia
... of Cilicia. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: Tarsos Phonetic Spelling:
(tar-sos') Short Definition: Tarsus Definition: Tarsus, thecapital of the...
Strong's Hebrew
6858. tsepheth -- probably platedcapital (of a pillar)... 6857, 6858. tsepheth. 6859 . probably plated
capital (of a pillar).
Transliteration: tsepheth Phonetic Spelling: (tseh'-feth) Short Definition:
capital.
...3805. kothereth --capital (of a pillar)
... 3804, 3805. kothereth. 3806 .capital (of a pillar). Transliteration: kothereth
Phonetic Spelling: (ko-theh'-reth) Short Definition: capitals....
307. Achmetha -- thecapital of Media
... 306, 307. Achmetha. 308 . thecapital of Media. Transliteration: Achmetha
Phonetic Spelling: (akh-me-thaw') Short Definition: Ecbatana....
3730. kaphtor --capital, knob, bulb
... 3729, 3730. kaphtor or kaphtor. 3731 .capital, knob, bulb. Transliteration:
kaphtor or kaphtor Phonetic Spelling: (kaf-tore') Short Definition: bulb....
3389. Yerushalaim -- probably "foundation of peace,"capital city...
... probably "foundation of peace,"capital city of all Isr.... Word Origin from yarah and
shalem Definition probably "foundation of peace,"capital city of all Isr....
5210. Nineveh --capital of Assyr.
... 5209, 5210. Nineveh. 5211 .capital of Assyr.... Word Origin of foreign or Definition
capital of Assyr. NASB Word Usage Nineveh (17). Nineveh....
4644. Moph -- ancientcapital of Egypt
... 4643, 4644. Moph. 4645 . ancientcapital of Egypt. Transliteration: Moph
Phonetic Spelling: (mofe) Short Definition: Memphis. Word...
8111. Shomron --capital of N. kingdom of Isr.
... 8110b, 8111. Shomron. 8112 .capital of N. kingdom of Isr.... Word Origin from
shamar Definitioncapital of N. kingdom of Isr. NASB Word Usage Samaria (109)....
895. Babel -- an E. Mediterranean empire and itscapital city
... 894, 895. Babel. 896 . an E. Mediterranean empire and itscapital city.
Transliteration: Babel Phonetic Spelling: (baw-bel') Short Definition: Babylon....
3390. Yerushalem -- thecapital city of all Isr.
... 3389, 3390. Yerushalem. 3391 . thecapital city of all Isr.... Word Origin (Aramaic)
corresponding to Yerushalaim Definition thecapital city of all Isr....
Library
Whether Vainglory is aCapital vice?
... OF VAINGLORY (FIVE ARTICLES) Whether vainglory is acapital vice? Objection
1: It seems that vainglory is not acapital vice. For...
Whether Gluttony is aCapital vice?
... OF GLUTTONY (SIX ARTICLES) Whether gluttony is acapital vice? Objection
1: It would seem that gluttony is not acapital vice. For...
Whether Lust is aCapital vice?
... OF LUST (FIVE ARTICLES) Whether lust is acapital vice? Objection 1: It seems that
lust is not acapital vice.... xxxi, 45). Therefore lust is not acapital vice....
Whether Envy is aCapital vice?
... OF ENVY (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether envy is acapital vice? Objection 1: It
would seem that envy is not acapital vice. For thecapital...
Whether Covetousness is aCapital vice?
... OF THE VICES OPPOSED TO LIBERALITY, AND IN THE FIRST PLACE, OF COVETOUSNESS
(EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether covetousness is acapital vice?...
Whether Hatred is aCapital Sin?
... OF HATRED (SIX ARTICLES) Whether hatred is acapital sin? Objection 1: It would
seem that hatred is acapital sin. For hatred is directly opposed to charity....
Capital Punishment
... SERMON VI.CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. Eversley. Quinquagesima Sunday, 1872. Genesis
9:1, 3, 4, 5, 6. "And God blessed Noah and his sons, and...
The Conflict BetweenCapital and Labor.
... Chapter Six The Signs of the Redeemer's Return 7. The conflict between
Capital and Labor. "Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl...
Whether Pride Should be Reckoned aCapital vice?
... OF PRIDE (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether pride should be reckoned acapital vice?... Caenob.
v, 1: Collat. v, 2] number pride among thecapital vices....
Whether Anger Should be Reckoned among theCapital vices?
... OF ANGER (EIGHT ARTICLES) Whether anger should be reckoned among thecapital
vices?... Therefore anger should not be reckoned acapital vice....
Thesaurus
Capital (29 Occurrences)... 2. (n.) Having reference to, or involving, the forfeiture of the head or life;
affecting life; punishable with death; as,
capital trials;
capital punishment.
...Capitals (21 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 7:16 He made two capitals of molten brass, to set on the tops of the pillars:
the height of the onecapital was five cubits, and the height of the...
Network (19 Occurrences)
... 17 He also made nets of checker-work, and wreaths of chain-work, for the capitals
which were upon the top of the pillars: seven for the onecapital, and seven...
Pomegranates (20 Occurrences)
... above also on the two pillars, close by the belly which was beside the network:
and the pomegranates were two hundred, in rows around on the othercapital....
Decorated (12 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 25:17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and acapital of
brass was on it; and the height of thecapital was three cubits, with network...
Similarly (4 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 25:17 The height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, and thecapital upon
it was brass, and the height of thecapital three cubits; and the network and...
Similar (13 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 25:17 The height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, and thecapital upon
it was brass, and the height of thecapital three cubits; and the network and...
Memphis (8 Occurrences)
... It was thecapital of Lower, ie, of Northern Egypt.... MEMPHIS. mem'-fis: 1. Name: The
ancientcapital of Egypt, 12 miles South of the modern Cairo....
Achmetha (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary (Ezra 6:2), called Ecbatana by classical writers, the
capital of northern Media.... 47 degrees 9' East) wascapital of Atropatene....
Omri (16 Occurrences)
... Tirza was for six years the seat of his government. He then removed thecapital
to Samaria (qv), where he died, and was succeeded by his son Ahab....
Resources
Should Jerusalem be the capital of modern-day Israel? | GotQuestions.orgWhat are capital sins? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about the death penalty / capital punishment? | GotQuestions.orgCapital: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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