Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Usage:The term "perceive" in the Bible generally refers to the ability to see, understand, or become aware of something through the senses or the mind. It involves discernment and insight, often with a spiritual or moral dimension. In the original languages of the Bible, various words are translated as "perceive," each carrying nuances of understanding, recognition, or realization.
Old Testament Context:In the Hebrew Bible, the concept of perception is often linked with wisdom and understanding. For example, in
Proverbs 1:2, the purpose of the proverbs is "for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight." The Hebrew word often translated as "perceive" is "bin," which implies discernment and comprehension.
In
1 Samuel 3:8, Eli perceives that the Lord is calling Samuel: "A third time the LORD called Samuel. And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, 'Here I am, for you called me.' Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy." Here, perception involves spiritual insight and recognition of God's voice.
New Testament Context:In the New Testament, perception is frequently associated with spiritual awareness and the recognition of truth. Jesus often spoke about the importance of perceiving spiritual realities. In
Matthew 13:13, Jesus explains why He speaks in parables: "This is why I speak to them in parables: 'Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.'" Here, perception is linked to spiritual blindness and the inability to grasp divine truths.
In
Acts 14:9, Paul perceives the faith of a man who is healed: "He listened to Paul as he was speaking. Paul looked directly at him, saw that he had faith to be healed." The Greek word "horao" is used, indicating a deeper insight beyond mere physical sight.
Theological Significance:Perception in the biblical sense often transcends physical sight and hearing, involving a deeper, spiritual understanding. It is closely related to the condition of the heart and one's openness to God's revelation. In
John 9:39, Jesus says, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind." This statement underscores the spiritual dimension of perception, where true sight is equated with recognizing Jesus as the Messiah.
Practical Implications:Believers are encouraged to cultivate spiritual perception through prayer, study of Scripture, and reliance on the Holy Spirit. In
Ephesians 1:18, Paul prays for the church: "I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints." This prayer highlights the importance of spiritual perception in understanding God's purposes and promises.
Conclusion:The biblical concept of perception challenges believers to seek a deeper understanding of God's truth and to be attentive to His voice. It calls for a heart that is open and responsive to the leading of the Holy Spirit, enabling one to discern and act upon divine insights.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To obtain knowledge of through the senses; to receive impressions from by means of the bodily organs; to take cognizance of the existence, character, or identity of, by means of the senses; to see, hear, or feel; as, to perceive a distant ship; to perceive a discord.
2. (v. t.) To take intellectual cognizance of; to apprehend by the mind; to be convinced of by direct intuition; to note; to remark; to discern; to see; to understand.
3. (v. t.) To be affected of influenced by.
Greek
143. aisthanomai -- toperceive... to
perceive. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: aisthanomai Phonetic Spelling:
(ahee-sthan'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I
perceive Definition: I
perceive...3708. horao -- to see,perceive, attend to
... to see,perceive, attend to. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: horao Phonetic
Spelling: (hor-ah'-o) Short Definition: I see, look upon, experience Definition...
2657. katanoeo -- to take note of,perceive
... to take note of,perceive. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: katanoeo Phonetic
Spelling: (kat-an-o-eh'-o) Short Definition: I understand,perceive, consider...
3539. noeo -- toperceive, think
... toperceive, think. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: noeo Phonetic Spelling:
(noy-eh'-o) Short Definition: I understand, consider Definition: I understand...
1097. ginosko -- to come to know, recognize,perceive
... to come to know, recognize,perceive. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ginosko
Phonetic Spelling: (ghin-oce'-ko) Short Definition: I come to know, learn...
1492. eido -- be aware, behold, consider,perceive
... be aware, behold, consider,perceive. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: eido
Phonetic Spelling: (i'-do) Short Definition: I know, remember Definition: I know...
1921. epiginosko -- to know exactly, to recognize
... oce'-ko) Short Definition: I come to know, discern, recognize Definition: I come
to know by directing my attention to him or it, Iperceive, discern, recognize...
991. blepo -- to look (at)
... Speech: Verb Transliteration: blepo Phonetic Spelling: (blep'-o) Short Definition:
I look, see Definition: (primarily physical), I look, see,perceive, discern...
145. aistheterion -- organ of perception
... 145 (a neuter noun derived from , "perceive, discern ") -- properly, "the organ
of " (), emphasizing the result of () -- ie to know what is right or wrong in...
2334. theoreo -- to look at, gaze
... envoy, spectator) Definition to look at, gaze NASB Word Usage beholds (1), look
(1), looking (5), observe (3), observed (4), observing (3),perceive (2), saw (8...
Strong's Hebrew
2938. taam -- to taste,perceive... taam. 2939 . to taste,
perceive. Transliteration: taam Phonetic Spelling:
(taw-am') Short Definition: taste. Word Origin a prim.
... but,
perceive, taste.
...7381a. riach -- to smell,perceive odor
... 7381, 7381a. riach. 7381b . to smell,perceive odor. Transliteration:
riach Short Definition: smell. Word Origin denominative verb...
7381. reyach -- to smell,perceive odor
... 7380, 7381. reyach. 7381a . to smell,perceive odor. Transliteration: reyach
Phonetic Spelling: (ray'-akh) Short Definition: savour. savour, scent, smell...
7789. shur -- to behold, regard
... regards (1), see (1), watch (1). behold, lay wait, look, observe,perceive,
regard, see. A primitive root (identical with shuwr through...
3045. yada -- to know
... 1), make myself known (4), make them known (1), make your known (1), make yourself
known (1), make known (14), notice (2), observe (2),perceive (1), perceived...
995. bin -- to discern
... 1), look carefully (1), looked at him carefully (1), observe (1), observed (2),
observing (1), paid close attention (1), pay heed (2),perceive (5), perceived...
238. azan -- to give ear, listen
... listening (1), pays attention (1), perceived by ear (1). giveperceive by the
ear, hearken. A primitive root; probably to expand; but used...
7200. raah -- to see
... looks (11), make an inspection (2), make me see (1), makes an inspection (1), noticed
(1), observe (1), observed (5), observing (1),perceive (2), perceived (2...
8085. shama -- to hear
... declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell),
X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey,perceive, (make a...
2372. chazah -- see, behold
... A primitive root; to gaze at; mentally, toperceive, contemplate (with pleasure);
specifically, to have a vision of -- behold, look, prophesy, provide, see....
Library
Chap. Ii Though the SoulPerceive it Self Deprived of Discourse...
... II Though the Soulperceive it self deprived of Discourse, or Ratiocination, yet
it ought to presevere in Prayer, and not be afflicted, because that is its...
And Yet, Lord, wePerceive Intervals of Times, and Compare Them...
... Book XI Chapter XVI And yet, Lord, weperceive intervals of times, and compare
them? And yet, Lord, weperceive intervals of times...
Real Contact with Jesus. "And Jesus Said, Somebody Hath Touched Me...
... REAL CONTACT WITH JESUS. "And Jesus said, Somebody hath touched Me: for Iperceive
that virtue is gone out of Me.""Luke viii. 46. REAL CONTACT WITH JESUS....
The Same Methodius. Human Nature Cannot ClearlyPerceive Pure...
... Some Other Fragments of the Same Methodius. VII. The Same Methodius. Human
nature cannot clearlyperceive pure justice in the soul?...
But if Our Sense is not Able Till after Long Expectation to...
... Of Prayer. John Calvin Chapter 52 But if our sense is not able till after
long expectation toperceive what the? But if our sense...
Then who is There that could Fail toPerceive from what a Vein...
... Book III. Chapter 53. " 65. Then who is there that could fail toperceive
from what a vein? "65. Then who is there that could...
That it Arises from Our Fault and Our Desert that we Suffer, and...
... Third Book. 47. That it arises from our fault and our desert that we suffer,
and do notperceive God's help in everything. In Hosea...
We May Commence Our Inquiry into the Subject by Noticing...
... We have an organization, by means of which we are enabled toperceive various objects
around us; and, by travelling to other lands, we can obtain a knowledge...
Every Error is not a Sin. An Examination of the Opinion of the...
... he is; or when, instead of the ordinary perceptions through the bodily senses, other
appearances of a similar kind present themselves, which weperceive in the...
The Sermon that the Reverend Father in Christ
... Filii hujus seculi, &c."Luc. xvi. Brethren, ye be come together this day,
as far as Iperceive, to hear of great and weighty matters....
Thesaurus
Perceive (53 Occurrences)... of the bodily organs; to take cognizance of the existence, character, or identity
of, by means of the senses; to see, hear, or feel; as, to
perceive a distant
...Perceiving (25 Occurrences)
... (p. pr. & vb. n.) ofPerceive. Multi-Version Concordance... Don't youperceive yet,
neither understand? Is your heart still hardened? (WEB ASV)....
Feel (58 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) Toperceive by the touch; to take cognizance of by means of the nerves of
sensation distributed all over the body, especially by those of the skin; to...
Understanding (248 Occurrences)
... is the prophecy of Isaiah, that saith, With hearing ye shall hear, and ye shall
not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and ye shall notperceive, (See NIV)....
Taste (46 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To try by the touch of the tongue; toperceive the relish or flavor of
(anything) by taking a small quantity into a mouth. Also used figuratively....
Savor (51 Occurrences)
... with of. 7. (n.) To use the sense of taste. 8. (vt) Toperceive by the smell
or the taste; hence, toperceive; to note. 9. (vt) To...
See (8256 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) Toperceive by the eye; to have knowledge of the existence and apparent
qualities of by the organs of sight; to behold; to descry; to view....
Understand (208 Occurrences)
... of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says,'By hearing you will hear, and will in no way
understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no wayperceive: (WEB KJV WEY ASV...
Haply (26 Occurrences)
... 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they shouldperceive with their...
Otherwise (78 Occurrences)
... 13:15 for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing,
they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they mightperceive with their...
Resources
What did Jesus mean when He said, “the eye is the lamp of the body” (Matthew 6:22)? | GotQuestions.orgDoes God have a sense of humor? | GotQuestions.orgWhat did Jesus mean when He said, “I am the Light of the World” (John 8:12)? | GotQuestions.orgPerceive: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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