Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical terms, the concept of "exchange" often involves the trading or substitution of one thing for another, whether it be material goods, spiritual states, or moral conditions. The idea of exchange is woven throughout Scripture, illustrating both positive and negative aspects of human and divine interactions.
Old Testament ContextIn the Old Testament, exchange frequently appears in the context of commerce and trade. For example, in the book of Genesis, Joseph's brothers sold him into slavery for twenty pieces of silver, an exchange that set the stage for God's providential plan (
Genesis 37:28). The Law of Moses also contains regulations concerning fair trade and honest weights and measures, emphasizing the importance of integrity in exchanges (
Leviticus 19:35-36).
The concept of exchange is also evident in the sacrificial system. The Israelites were required to offer sacrifices to atone for their sins, symbolizing the exchange of the life of the animal for the life of the sinner (
Leviticus 17:11). This foreshadows the ultimate exchange in the New Testament, where Christ's sacrifice replaces the need for continual animal offerings.
New Testament ContextIn the New Testament, the most profound exchange is the atoning work of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul writes, "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (
2 Corinthians 5:21). This divine exchange is central to Christian theology, where Christ takes on the sins of humanity, and believers receive His righteousness.
The theme of exchange is also present in Jesus' teachings. In
Matthew 16:26, Jesus poses the rhetorical question, "What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" . Here, Jesus highlights the futility of worldly gain compared to the value of one's eternal soul.
Moral and Spiritual ImplicationsThe Bible warns against exchanging the truth of God for lies. In
Romans 1:25, Paul describes those who "exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator" . This exchange leads to moral decay and spiritual blindness, illustrating the consequences of turning away from God's truth.
Conversely, the Bible encourages believers to exchange their old ways for new life in Christ.
Ephesians 4:22-24 urges Christians to "put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be renewed in the spirit of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" .
Practical ApplicationsThe principle of exchange can be applied to Christian living through acts of generosity and service. Believers are called to exchange selfish desires for selfless love, as seen in
Philippians 2:3-4: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" .
In summary, the biblical concept of exchange encompasses a wide range of meanings, from commercial transactions to profound spiritual truths. It challenges believers to consider what they value and to prioritize eternal over temporal gains, reflecting the transformative power of the Gospel.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The act of giving or taking one thing in return for another which is regarded as an equivalent; as, an exchange of cattle for grain.
2. (n.) The act of substituting one thing in the place of another; as, an exchange of grief for joy, or of a scepter for a sword, and the like; also, the act of giving and receiving reciprocally; as, an exchange of civilities or views.
3. (n.) The thing given or received in return; esp., a publication exchanged for another.
4. (n.) The process of setting accounts or debts between parties residing at a distance from each other, without the intervention of money, by exchanging orders or drafts, called bills of exchange. These may be drawn in one country and payable in another, in which case they are called foreign bills; or they may be drawn and made payable in the same country, in which case they are called inland bills. The term bill of exchange is often abbreviated into exchange; as, to buy or sell exchange.
5. (n.) A mutual grant of equal interests, the one in consideration of the other. Estates exchanged must be equal in quantity, as fee simple for fee simple.
6. (n.) The place where the merchants, brokers, and bankers of a city meet at certain hours, to transact business. In this sense often contracted to 'Change.
7. (n.) To part with give, or transfer to another in consideration of something received as an equivalent; -- usually followed by for before the thing received.
8. (n.) To part with for a substitute; to lay aside, quit, or resign (something being received in place of the thing parted with); as, to exchange a palace for cell.
9. (n.) To give and receive reciprocally, as things of the same kind; to barter; to swap; as, to exchange horses with a neighbor; to exchange houses or hats.
10. (v. i.) To be changed or received in exchange for; to pass in exchange; as, dollar exchanges for ten dimes.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
EXCHANGE; EXCHANGEReks-chanj', eks-chan'-jer.
SeeBANK, BANKING.
Greek
465. antallagma -- anexchange... an
exchange. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: antallagma Phonetic Spelling:
(an-tal'-ag-mah) Short Definition: an
exchange, purchasing price
...474. antiballo -- to throw in turn,exchange
... to throw in turn,exchange. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: antiballo Phonetic
Spelling: (an-tee-bal'-lo) Short Definition: I throw at in opposition...
3337. metallasso -- to change,exchange
... to change,exchange. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: metallasso Phonetic Spelling:
(met-al-las'-so) Short Definition: I change, transform, alter Definition...
1259. diallasso -- change,exchange
... change,exchange. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: diallasso Phonetic Spelling:
(dee-al-las'-so) Short Definition: I become reconciled to, reconcile myself...
4453. poleo -- toexchange or barter, to sell
... toexchange or barter, to sell. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: poleo Phonetic
Spelling: (po-leh'-o) Short Definition: I sell Definition: I sell,exchange...
287. amoibe -- requital, recompense.
... Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: amoibe Phonetic Spelling:
(am-oy-bay') Short Definition: a change, anexchange Definition: a change, anexchange...
2644. katallasso -- to reconcile
... Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: katallasso Phonetic Spelling: (kat-al-las'-
so) Short Definition: I reconcile Definition: I change,exchange, reconcile....
4336. proseuchomai -- to pray
... 4336 (from 4314 , "towards,exchange" and 2172, "to wish, pray") -- properly, to
exchange wishes; -- literally, to the Lord by switching human (ideas) for as...
4335. proseuche -- prayer
... synagogue). Cognate: 4335 (from 4314 , "towards,exchange" and 2171, "a wish,
prayer") -- properly,exchange of wishes; . See 4335 ()....
487. antilutron -- a ransom
... 487 (from 473 , "corresponding to, instead of/exchange" and 3083 , "ransom-price") --
properly, a , referring to Christ paying the complete to secure our...
Strong's Hebrew
8545. temurah --exchange, recompense... 8544, 8545. temurah. 8546 .
exchange, recompense. Transliteration: temurah
Phonetic Spelling: (tem-oo-raw') Short Definition: substitute.
...3235. yamar -- perhaps toexchange
... perhaps toexchange. Transliteration: yamar Phonetic Spelling: (yaw-mar') Short
Definition: boast.... root Definition perhaps toexchange NASB Word Usage boast (1)....
6148. arab -- to take on pledge, give in pledge,exchange
... arab. 6149 . to take on pledge, give in pledge,exchange. Transliteration: arab
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-rab') Short Definition: associate. Word Origin a prim....
2500. cheleph -- anexchange
... 2499, 2500. cheleph. 2501 . anexchange. Transliteration: cheleph Phonetic
Spelling: (klay'-lef) Short Definition: return. Word...
4627. maarab -- articles ofexchange, merchandise
... 4626, 4627. maarab. 4628 . articles ofexchange, merchandise. Transliteration:
maarab Phonetic Spelling: (mah-ar-awb') Short Definition: merchandise....
4171. mur -- to change
... root Definition to change NASB Word Usage change (3), changed (3), doesexchange
(2),exchange (3), exchanged (1), exchanges (1).exchange, remove....
6161. arubbah -- a thing exchanged, pledge, token
... Feminine passive participle of Anammelek in the sense of a bargain orexchange;
something given as security, ie (literally) a token (of safety) or...
6162. erabon -- a pledge
... pledge. From arab (in the sense ofexchange); a pawn (given as security) -- pledge.
see HEBREW arab. 6161, 6162. erabon. 6163 . Strong's Numbers.
520. ammah -- an ell, a cubit
... mother (ie Unit of measure, or the fore-arm (below the elbow), ie A cubit; also
a door-base (as a bond of the entrance) -- cubit, + hundred (byexchange for me...
5414. nathan -- to give, put, set
... 1), displayed (1), distribute (2), divide (1), enabled (1), entrust* (1), entrusted
(2), entrusted* (1), establish (1), established (1),exchange (1), execute...
Library
TheExchange
... HYMNS THEEXCHANGE. "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord.""Philippians 3:8. Mechthild of Hellfde, 1277....
ForeignExchange.
... Money: The Golden Channel of Service. (Luke xvi:1-18.) ForeignExchange.Exchange
your gold into men.... But "banker" and "exchange""that sounds familiar....
TheExchange for One's Life.
... Book XII. 28. TheExchange for One's Life. But the saying, "What shall
a man give inexchange for his own life," [5731] if spoken...
He that Will notExchange his Riches Now Will not Forsake them...
... THE FOURTH CENTURY 10 He that will notexchange his riches now will not forsake
them hereafter. He that will notexchange his riches...
Conventional Signs, on the Other Hand, are those which Living...
... Book 2 Chapter 3. Conventional signs, on the other hand, are those which
living beings mutuallyexchange for? 3. Conventional...
Whether, in Trading, it is Lawful to Sell a Thing at a Higher...
... I answer that, A tradesman is one whose business consists in theexchange of
things. According to the Philosopher (Polit. i, 3),exchange...
What, Then, was it Likely that the Master of the Slave Would...
... and fundamental cause of propension to the bad and the mother, so to speak, of all
the wickedness that follows,"what would he accept inexchange for the...
The Alchemy of Influence
... No man can meet another on the street without making some mark upon him. We
say weexchange words when we meet; what weexchange is souls....
Differences in Judgment About Water Baptism, no Bar to Communion...
... London: Printed for John Wilkins, and are to be sold at his shop inExchange Alley,
next door to theExchange Coffee House, over against the RoyalExchange...
Jesus' Law for the Use of Money.
... That is to say,exchange your money into the kind of coin that is current
in the kingdom of God.Exchange your gold into lives....
Thesaurus
Exchange (41 Occurrences)... 1. (n.) The act of giving or taking one thing in return for another which is
regarded as an equivalent; as, an
exchange of cattle for grain.
...Barter (5 Occurrences)
... 2. (vt) To trade orexchange in the way of barter; toexchange (frequently for an
unworthy consideration); to traffic; to truck; -- sometimes followed by away...
Exchanged (22 Occurrences)
... (imp. & pp) ofExchange. Multi-Version Concordance... but my people have given up
their glory inexchange for what is of no profit. (See NIV)....
Trade (33 Occurrences)
... 10. (vi) To barter, or to buy and sell; to be engaged in theexchange, purchase,
or... 11. (vi) To buy and sell orexchange property in a single instance. 12....
Mart (2 Occurrences)
... 3) Agora, from root meaning "to collect," means a "town meeting-place," "resort
of the people," so a place where the public generally met toexchange views and...
Buying (12 Occurrences)
... course, no organized commerce. Yet they buy and sell, by barter andexchange,
in rude and simple ways. When tribes become settled...
Commerce (3 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) Theexchange or buying and selling of commodities; esp.... 4. (n.) A round game
at cards, in which the cards are subject toexchange, barter, or trade....
Bank (28 Occurrences)
... 16. (n.) A bench, or row of keys belonging to a keyboard, as in an organ. 17. (n.)
An establishment for the custody, loan,exchange, or issue, of money, and...
Market (24 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.)Exchange, or purchase and sale; traffic; as, a dull market; a slow market.
5. (n.) The price for which a thing is sold in a market; market price....
Exchanger
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) One who exchanges; one who practicesexchange. Int.
Standard Bible Encyclopedia.EXCHANGE; EXCHANGER. eks-chanj', eks-chan'-jer....
Resources
What was the purpose of a dowry (Genesis 31:15)? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the story of Jacob, Leah, and Rachel? | GotQuestions.orgIs it possible to make a deal with the devil? | GotQuestions.orgExchange: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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