Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical terms, "discourse" refers to the communication of thought by words, conversation, or a formal discussion of a subject in speech or writing. The Bible contains numerous examples of discourse, ranging from divine communication to human dialogue, each serving a unique purpose in the narrative of Scripture.
Divine DiscourseDivine discourse is a central theme in the Bible, where God communicates His will, commandments, and promises to humanity. One of the most significant examples is the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai. In
Exodus 20:1-17, God speaks directly to Moses, providing the foundational laws for the Israelites. This divine discourse establishes a covenant relationship between God and His people.
Another profound instance of divine discourse is found in the prophetic books, where God speaks through His prophets. For example, in
Isaiah 1:18, God invites His people to reason together with Him: "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Here, God uses discourse to offer redemption and forgiveness.
Jesus' DiscoursesThe New Testament records several key discourses of Jesus Christ, which are essential for understanding His teachings and ministry. The Sermon on the Mount, found in
Matthew 5-7, is one of the most comprehensive discourses of Jesus. In this sermon, Jesus expounds on the nature of the Kingdom of Heaven, providing ethical teachings and spiritual insights that guide Christian living. He begins with the Beatitudes, offering blessings to those who embody the values of the Kingdom (
Matthew 5:3-12).
Another significant discourse is the Olivet Discourse, recorded in
Matthew 24-25, where Jesus speaks about the end times and His second coming. This discourse provides prophetic insight into future events and encourages believers to remain vigilant and faithful.
Apostolic DiscoursesThe Acts of the Apostles contains several important discourses delivered by the early church leaders. Peter's sermon at Pentecost (
Acts 2:14-36) is a pivotal moment in the early church, where he explains the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and calls for repentance and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. This discourse results in the conversion of about three thousand people (
Acts 2:41).
Paul's discourses are also noteworthy, particularly his address to the Areopagus in Athens (
Acts 17:22-31). In this discourse, Paul engages with Greek philosophers, presenting the gospel in a way that connects with their cultural context. He speaks of the "unknown god" they worship and reveals Him as the one true God who raised Jesus from the dead.
Human DiscourseThe Bible also records numerous instances of human discourse, which reveal the thoughts, emotions, and relationships of its characters. The dialogues between Job and his friends in the Book of Job explore themes of suffering, justice, and divine sovereignty. These discourses provide insight into the human condition and the struggle to understand God's ways.
In the Gospels, the interactions between Jesus and various individuals, such as the Samaritan woman at the well (
John 4:7-26) and Nicodemus (
John 3:1-21), highlight the transformative power of personal discourse with Christ. These conversations reveal deep spiritual truths and invite individuals into a relationship with Jesus.
ConclusionDiscourse in the Bible serves as a means of revelation, instruction, and relationship. Whether through divine communication, the teachings of Jesus, apostolic preaching, or human dialogue, discourse plays a vital role in conveying God's message and advancing His redemptive plan.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The power of the mind to reason or infer by running, as it were, from one fact or reason to another, and deriving a conclusion; an exercise or act of this power; reasoning; range of reasoning faculty.
2. (n.) Conversation; talk.
3. (n.) The art and manner of speaking and conversing.
4. (n.) Consecutive speech, either written or unwritten, on a given line of thought; speech; treatise; dissertation; sermon, etc.; as, the preacher gave us a long discourse on duty.
5. (n.) Dealing; transaction.
6. (v. i.) To exercise reason; to employ the mind in judging and inferring; to reason.
7. (v. i.) To express one's self in oral discourse; to expose one's views; to talk in a continuous or formal manner; to hold forth; to speak; to converse.
8. (v. i.) To relate something; to tell.
9. (v. i.) To treat of something in writing and formally.
10. (v. t.) To treat of; to expose or set forth in language.
11. (v. t.) To utter or give forth; to speak.
12. (v. t.) To talk to; to confer with.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
DISCOURSEdis-kors': In the Revised Version (British and American) ofActs 20:7, 9, the translation of Greek dialegomai (the King James Version "preach"), elsewhere rendered, according to the implications of the context, "reason" or "dispute," asActs 17:2;Acts 19:9 (the King James Version "disputing," the Revised Version (British and American) "reasoning");Jude 1:9.
TIMOTHY, EPISTLES TO
SeePASTORAL EPISTLES.
Greek
3056. logos -- a word (as embodying an idea), a statement, a...... [3056 () is a common term (used 330 times in the NT) with regards to a person
sharing a message (
discourse, "communication-speech").
...1258. dialektos -- speech, language
... language, tongue. From dialegomai; a (mode of)discourse, ie "dialect" -- language,
tongue. see GREEK dialegomai. (dialekto) -- 6 Occurrences. 1257, 1258....
5274. hupolambano -- to take or bear up, to receive, to assume
... From hupo and lambano; to take from below, ie Carry upward; figuratively, to take
up, ie Continue adiscourse or topic; mentally, to assume (presume) -- answer...
3004. lego -- to say
... A primary verb; properly, to "lay" forth, ie (figuratively) relate (in words (usually
of systematic or setdiscourse; whereas epo and phemi generally refer to...
3754. hoti -- that, because
... Transliteration: hoti Phonetic Spelling: (hot'-ee) Short Definition: that, since,
because Definition: that, since, because; may introduce directdiscourse....
3942. paroimia -- a byword, a parable, an allegory
... paroimia Phonetic Spelling: (par-oy-mee'-ah) Short Definition: an allegory, proverb
Definition: a cryptic saying, an allegory; a proverb, figurativediscourse....
4487. rhema -- a word, by impl. a matter
... a matter NASB Word Usage charge (1),discourse (1), fact (2), matters (1), message
(2), nothing* (1), remark (1), say (1), say say (1), saying (1), sayings (3...
Strong's Hebrew
5197. nataph -- to drop, drip,discourse... 5196, 5197. nataph. 5198 . to drop, drip,
discourse. Transliteration: nataph
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-taf') Short Definition: speak. Word Origin a prim.
...4912. mashal -- a proverb, parable
... Word Origin from mashal Definition a proverb, parable NASB Word Usage byword (3),
discourse (9), parable (3), parables (1), proverb (15), proverbs (6), taunt (2...
4406. millah -- a word, thing
... commandment, matter, thing. (Aramaic) corresponding to millah; a word, command,
discourse, or subject -- commandment, matter, thing. Word. see HEBREW millah....
4405. millah -- a word, speech, utterance
... From malal (plural masculine as if from milleh {mil-leh'}; a word; collectively,
adiscourse; figuratively, a topic -- + answer, by-word, matter, any thing...
4986. metheq -- sweetness
... sweetness. From mathaq; figuratively, pleasantness (ofdiscourse) -- sweetness.
see HEBREW mathaq. 4985, 4986. metheq. 4987 . Strong's Numbers.
5012. naba -- to prophesy
... A primitive root; to prophesy, ie Speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction
or simplediscourse) -- prophesy(-ing), make self a prophet. 5011, 5012....
Library
ADiscourse Concerning the Being and Attributes of God
ADiscourse Concerning the Being and Attributes of God. <. ADiscourse Concerning
the Being and Attributes of God Samuel Clarke. Table of Contents....
ADiscourse
... ADISCOURSE. OF THE HOUSE OF THE FOREST OF LEBANON. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR.
That part of Palestine in which the celebrated mountains...
Fragment from theDiscourse.
... On the Trinity. Fragment from theDiscourse. Gregory Thaumaturgus, Bishop
of Neo-C??sareia in Pontus, [377] near successor of the...
ADiscourse On
... ORATORY II ADISCOURSE ON. IMMORTALITY AND THE COVENANT WITH DEATH. Court not
death in the error of your life; Neither draw upon yourselves...
ADiscourse which was in the Presence of Antoninus C??sar
... Remains of the Second and Third Centuries. [Translated by the Rev. BP Pratten.]
I. ADiscourse Which Was in the Presence of Antoninus C??sar....
Discourse to The Greeks Concerning Hades
Discourse to The Greeks Concerning Hades. <.Discourse to The Greeks Concerning
Hades Flavius Josephus. Produced by David Reed Table of Contents....
From theDiscourse on the Resurrection
From theDiscourse on the Resurrection. <. From theDiscourse
on the Resurrection Methodius. Translated by the Rev....
Discourse III.
... Chapter II.Discourse III. Chapter XXIII."Texts Explained; Seventhly,
John 14:10 Introduction. The doctrine of the coinherence....
Discourse IV.
... Chapter II.Discourse IV. Sec. Sec. 1-5. The substantiality of the Word proved from
Scripture. If the One Origin be substantial, Its Word is substantial....
Discourse II.
... Chapter II.Discourse II. Chapter XIV."Texts explained; Fourthly, Hebrews
3:2 Introduction; the Regula Fidei counter to an Arian...
Thesaurus
Discourse (25 Occurrences)... speech, either written or unwritten, on a given line of thought; speech; treatise;
dissertation; sermon, etc.; as, the preacher gave us a long
discourse on duty
...Preach (72 Occurrences)
... 1. (vi) To proclaim or publish tidings; specifically, to proclaim the gospel; to
discourse publicly on a religious subject, or from a text of Scripture; to...
Deuteronomy (1 Occurrence)
... The firstdiscourse (1-4:40) recapitulates the chief events of the last forty years
in the wilderness, with earnest exhortations to obedience to the divine...
Lecture (2 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Adiscourse on any subject; especially, a formal or methodicaldiscourse,
intended for instruction; sometimes, a familiardiscourse, in contrast with a...
Talk (164 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) To utter words; esp., to converse familiarly; to speak, as in familiar
discourse, when two or more persons interchange thoughts....
Beatitudes
... of Ambrose, has been attached specifically to those words of blessing with which,
according to both Matthew and Luke, Jesus began that greatdiscourse which is...
Micah (54 Occurrences)
... Yet the contents of his firstdiscourse confirm the fact that he prophesied, not
only before the destruction of Samaria, but also before the reformation of...
Sermon (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) Adiscourse or address; a talk; a writing; as, the sermons of Chaucer....
4. (vi) To speak; todiscourse; to compose or deliver a sermon....
Oration (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) An elaboratediscourse, delivered in public, treating an important subject
in a formal and dignified manner; especially, adiscourse having reference...
Word (8118 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) Talk;discourse; speech; language. 4. (n.) Account; tidings; message;
communication; information; -- used only in the singular....
Resources
What is the Olivet Discourse? | GotQuestions.orgWhat happened on the Mount of Olives? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean that he who endures to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13)? | GotQuestions.orgDiscourse: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
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