Topical Encyclopedia
In biblical terms, "loosening" often refers to the act of releasing, unbinding, or setting free. This concept is significant in both the Old and New Testaments, where it is used in various contexts, including spiritual, physical, and legal settings.
Old Testament ContextIn the Old Testament, the idea of loosening is frequently associated with liberation and deliverance. For example, in the context of the Year of Jubilee, the Israelites were commanded to release debts and free slaves, symbolizing a loosening of burdens and a restoration of freedom (
Leviticus 25:10). This practice underscored the importance of mercy and justice in the community of God's people.
The Psalms also reflect the theme of loosening as a divine act of deliverance.
Psalm 116:16 states, "Truly, O LORD, I am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You have freed me from my chains." Here, the psalmist acknowledges God's role in loosening the bonds of affliction and captivity.
New Testament ContextIn the New Testament, the concept of loosening takes on a profound spiritual dimension. Jesus Christ's ministry is marked by acts of loosening, as He heals the sick, casts out demons, and forgives sins. One notable instance is found in
Luke 13:12 , where Jesus heals a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years: "When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said, 'Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.'" This act of loosening not only restored her physical health but also symbolized the breaking of spiritual and social bonds.
The authority to bind and loose is explicitly given to the apostles in
Matthew 16:19 , where Jesus tells Peter, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." This passage has been interpreted as granting the Church authority to make decisions regarding doctrine and discipline, reflecting the power to release individuals from sin and its consequences through the proclamation of the Gospel.
Spiritual ImplicationsLoosening in a spiritual sense often refers to the release from sin and its bondage. The Apostle Paul speaks of this in
Romans 6:18 , "You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness." Through faith in Christ, believers experience a loosening from the power of sin, enabling them to live in the freedom of God's grace.
The theme of loosening is also evident in the eschatological hope of ultimate liberation.
Revelation 1:5 describes Jesus Christ as "the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has released us from our sins by His blood." This passage highlights the redemptive work of Christ, who loosens believers from the eternal consequences of sin.
Practical ApplicationsIn practical terms, the biblical concept of loosening encourages believers to seek freedom from anything that binds them, whether it be sin, fear, or legalism. It calls for a life of forgiveness, mercy, and liberation, reflecting the character of God who desires to set His people free. The Church is called to be an agent of this loosening, proclaiming the Gospel that releases captives and brings spiritual freedom to all who believe.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
p. pr. & vb. n.) of Loosen.
Greek
425. anesis -- aloosening, relaxation... a
loosening, relaxation. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: anesis
Phonetic Spelling: (an'-es-is) Short Definition: relief, remission, indulgence
...447. aniemi -- to send up, produce, send back
... Word Origin from ana and hiemi (to send) Definition to send up, produce, send back
NASB Word Usage desert (1), give (1),loosening (1), unfastened (1)....
3080. lusis -- a loosing (by divorce)
... a release, separation. From luo; aloosening, ie (specially), divorce -- to be loosed.
see GREEK luo. (lusin) -- 1 Occurrence. 3079, 3080. lusis. 3081 ....
Strong's Hebrew
4952. mishrah -- juice... liquor. From sharah in the sense of
loosening; maceration, ie Steeped juice -- liquor.
see HEBREW sharah. 4951, 4952. mishrah. 4953 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
After that the Same Apostle Adds, and Says...
... After that the same Apostle adds, and says, "Thou art bound to a wife, seek not
loosening: thou art loosed from a wife, seek not a wife." [2050] Of these two...
Paul's Reasons for Temperance
... The spurious exhilaration, theloosening of the bonds of care, the elevation above
the pettiness and monotony of daily life, which the drunkard seeks, and is...
Concerning Free-Will
... There are not with us the Sirens from the shore of Sicily, nor the bonds of Ulysses,
nor the wax poured melting into men's ears; but aloosening of all bonds...
God did not Make Evil, nor is He at all in any Way the Author of...
... and has reached a great size, and is spread over all the joints of the stones with
thickly-branching roots, ceases not to grow, till, by theloosening of the...
Death to Lawful Things is the Way Out into a Life of Surrender.
... The little hands of the calyx clasp tightly in the bud, round the beautiful petals;
in the young flower their grasp grows more elastic"loosening somewhat in...
The Tears of the Penitent.
... Suchloosening of the tension of his moral nature as is indicated in his absence
from the field, during what was evidently a very severe as well as a long...
The Signs
... Some have thought of the earthquake, which took place at the same moment, as being
connected with it through theloosening of a beam or some similar accident.[1...
God Alone the Salvation of his People
... see, the rock stands as steadfast as if it were the very foundation of the whole
world, and could not move till the wreck of creation, or theloosening of the...
The Sealed Book.
... 1-14. The written book, must symbolize God's purposes, which were about
to be unfolded on theloosening of the seals. Its being...
Sacrifice Hallows and Increases the Gift.
... upon by the Holy Spirit, mellowed by emotions that have been moved by the need,
and held steady by a disciplined judgment must attend toloosening the purse...
Thesaurus
Loosening (1 Occurrence)... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Loosen. Multi-Version
Concordance
Loosening (1 Occurrence). Acts 27:40 and, having
...Loosened (6 Occurrences)
Lashings (1 Occurrence)
... Acts 27:40 and, having cast off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same
timeloosening the lashings of the rudders, and hoisting the foresail to...
Loosens (2 Occurrences)
Dumb (34 Occurrences)
... The deaf man with the impediment in his speech (Mark 7:32) is said to have
been cured byloosening the string of his tongue. This...
Strand (3 Occurrences)
... Acts 27:40 and, having cast off the anchors, they left them in the sea, at the same
timeloosening the lashings of the rudders, and hoisting the foresail to...
Resources
What is a threshing floor? | GotQuestions.orgWhat happened on Paul's second missionary journey? | GotQuestions.orgAfter His resurrection, why did Jesus tell Mary not to touch Him, but later tell Thomas to touch Him? | GotQuestions.orgLoosening: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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