Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and ConceptProportion, in a biblical context, refers to the harmonious and balanced relationship between different elements, often reflecting God's order and design. It is the principle of balance and fairness, ensuring that each part of a whole is appropriately related to the others. This concept is evident in various aspects of biblical teaching, including justice, stewardship, and the distribution of resources.
Biblical References1.
Creation and Order The concept of proportion is foundational in the creation narrative, where God establishes order and balance in the universe.
Genesis 1 describes the systematic and proportionate creation of the world, where each element is created in its time and place, reflecting divine wisdom and order.
2.
Justice and Fairness Proportion is closely related to justice, as seen in the biblical mandate for fair treatment and equitable distribution.
Leviticus 19:36 states, "You must have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt." This command underscores the importance of proportionality in economic transactions and social justice.
3.
Stewardship and Giving The principle of proportion is also evident in the biblical teachings on stewardship and giving. In
2 Corinthians 8:12-14 , Paul writes, "For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time, your surplus will supply their need, so that in turn their surplus will supply your need. Then there will be equality." This passage highlights the importance of proportional giving, where contributions are made according to one's means, promoting balance and mutual support within the community.
4.
Talents and Abilities The Parable of the Talents in
Matthew 25:14-30 illustrates the concept of proportion in the distribution and use of gifts and abilities. Each servant is given talents according to his ability, and they are expected to use them wisely and proportionately. This parable emphasizes accountability and the responsible use of resources entrusted by God.
5.
Proportional Retribution The principle of "an eye for an eye" found in
Exodus 21:23-25 reflects the idea of proportional retribution in justice: "But if there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, and stripe for stripe." This law was intended to ensure that punishment was proportionate to the offense, preventing excessive retribution and maintaining justice.
Theological ImplicationsProportion in the Bible underscores the divine attribute of justice and the call for humans to reflect God's character in their dealings with one another. It is a reminder of the need for balance in all aspects of life, whether in personal conduct, community relations, or worship. The biblical emphasis on proportion encourages believers to seek fairness, equity, and harmony, aligning their lives with God's righteous standards.
Easton's Bible Dictionary
Proportion of faith
(Romans 12:6). Paul says here that each one was to exercise his gift of prophecy, i.e., of teaching, "according to the proportion of faith." The meaning is, that the utterances of the "prophet" were not to fluctuate according to his own impulses or independent thoughts, but were to be adjusted to the truth revealed to him as a beliver, i.e., were to be in accordance with it.
In post-Reformation times this phrase was used as meaning that all Scripture was to be interpreted with reference to all other Scripture, i.e., that no words or expressions were to be isolated or interpreted in a way contrary to its general teaching. This was also called the "analogy of faith."
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The relation or adaptation of one portion to another, or to the whole, as respect magnitude, quantity, or degree; comparative relation; ratio; as, the proportion of the parts of a building, or of the body.
2. (n.) Harmonic relation between parts, or between different things of the same kind; symmetrical arrangement or adjustment; symmetry; as, to be out of proportion.
3. (n.) The portion one receives when a whole is distributed by a rule or principle; equal or proper share; lot.
4. (n.) A part considered comparatively; a share.
5. (n.) The equality or similarity of ratios, especially of geometrical ratios; or a relation among quantities such that the quotient of the first divided by the second is equal to that of the third divided by the fourth; -- called also geometrical proportion, in distinction from arithmetical proportion, or that in which the difference of the first and second is equal to the difference of the third and fourth.
6. (n.) The rule of three, in arithmetic, in which the three given terms, together with the one sought, are proportional.
7. (v.) To adjust in a suitable proportion, as one thing or one part to another; as, to proportion the size of a building to its height; to proportion our expenditures to our income.
8. (v.) To form with symmetry or suitableness, as the parts of the body.
9. (v.) To divide into equal or just shares; to apportion.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PROPORTIONpro-por'-shun: Occurs once in the sense of "space" as the translation of ma`-ar, "void or open space" (1 Kings 7:36 the King James Version margin "Hebrew `nakedness,' " the Revised Version (British and American) "space"); once in the obsolete sense of "form" as the translation of `erekh, "array," or "row" (Job 41:12, the Revised Version (British and American) "frame"); and once in the sense of "measure" as the translation of analogia, "proportion" "equality" (Romans 12:6, "the proportion of faith," the Revised Version (British and American) "the proportion of our faith"). "Proportionally" occurs in The Wisdom of Solomon 13:5, analogos, the Revised Version (British and American) "in like proportion," margin "correspondently."
Greek
356. analogia --proportion...proportion. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: analogia Phonetic Spelling:
(an-al-og-ee'-ah) Short Definition:
proportion, measure Definition
...2531. kathos -- according as, just as
... 2531 (an adverb derived from 2596 , "according to" and 5613 , "as compared to, to
the extent of") -- properly, "inproportion, to the degree that" (J. Thayer...
2526. katho -- according as
... to the degree that, inasmuch as. From kata and hos; according to which thing, ie
Precisely as, inproportion as -- according to that, (inasmuch) as....
2531a. kathos -- according as, just as
... from kata and hos Definition according as, just as NASB Word Usage according (1),
even (13), even so (1), how (2), just (92), only (1),proportion (1), so (2...
2471. isotes -- equality
... equality. Likeness (in condition orproportion); by implication, equity --
equal(-ity). (isotes) -- 1 Occurrence. (isoteta) -- 1 Occurrence....
2530. kathoti -- according as, because
... of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: kathoti Phonetic Spelling: (kath-ot'-ee) Short
Definition: according as, because Definition: (a) inproportion as, according...
Strong's Hebrew
4971. mathkoneth -- measurement, tally,proportion... measurement, tally,
proportion. Transliteration: mathkoneth or mathkuneth Phonetic
Spelling: (math-ko'-neth) Short Definition: proportions.
...4371. mekes -- computation,proportion to be paid, tax
... 4370, 4371. mekes. 4372 . computation,proportion to be paid, tax. Transliteration:
mekes Phonetic Spelling: (meh'-kes) Short Definition: levy....
8508. toknith -- measurement,proportion
... 8507, 8508. toknith. 8509 . measurement,proportion. Transliteration: toknith
Phonetic Spelling: (tok-neeth') Short Definition: perfection....
4626. maar -- a bare or naked place
... nakedness,proportion. From arah; a nude place, ie (literally) the pudenda, or
(figuratively) a vacant space -- nakedness,proportion. see HEBREW arah....
6187. erek -- an order, row, estimate
... belongs (1). equal, estimation, things that are set in order, price,proportion,
set at, suit, taxation,. From arak; a pile, equipment...
6310. peh -- mouth
... much (3), one end (2), one end to the other (1), one end to another (1), opening
(11), parts (1), portion (2), promised* (1),proportion (5), proportionate (2...
Library
September the First the virtue ofProportion
... SEPTEMBER The First THE VIRTUE OFPROPORTION. MATTHEW vi.25-34. I must put first
things first. The radical fault in much of my living is want ofproportion....
Times are Measured inProportion as they Pass By.
... Book XI. Chapter XXVII."Times are Measured inProportion as They Pass
by. 34. Persevere, O my mind, and give earnest heed. od...
This Power inProportion to Faith.
... Book IV. Chapter XVIII."This Power inProportion to Faith. "There is therefore
a measure of faith, which, if it be perfect, drives...
No Mere Metaphor in the Phrase Resurrection of the Dead in...
... Chapter XXI."No Mere Metaphor in the Phrase Resurrection of the Dead InProportion
to the Importance of Eternal Truths, is the Clearness of Their Scriptural...
Christ, by Preserving his Flesh Incorrupt in virginity, Draws to...
... Chapter V."Christ, by Preserving His Flesh Incorrupt in Virginity, Draws to the
Exercise of Virginity; The Small Number of Virgins inProportion to the...
'Salt in Yourselves'
... We are sanctified inproportion as we are coming under the influence of Christian
truth, which, believed by our understandings and our hearts, supplies motives...
Upon the Love of Our Neighbour.
... bear the same kind of affection to our neighbour as we do to ourselves, or, that
the love we bear to our neighbour should have some certainproportion or other...
What Kind of Affinity (Convenance) it is which Excites Love.
... The affinity then which causes love does not always consist in resemblance, but
in theproportion, relation or correspondence between the lover and the thing...
What the Difference is Between Christ and the Saints.
... For inproportion as anyone is fit for God's gift, so does the Divine grace reward
him: inproportion as a man seems worthy of him: inproportion as a man...
The End of Theology
... also the End of Theology. The veryproportion and analogy of these things
make such a connection requisite. For since the Author...
Thesaurus
Proportion (15 Occurrences)... Easton's Bible Dictionary
Proportion of faith. (Romans 12:6). Paul says
here that each one was to exercise his gift of prophecy, ie
...Gothic
... 2. (a.) of or pertaining to a style of architecture with pointed arches, steep roofs,
windows large inproportion to the wall spaces, and, generally, great...
Frame (33 Occurrences)
... frame, etc. 19. (n.) Form; shape;proportion; scheme; structure; constitution;
system; as, a frame of government. 20. (n.) Particular...
Tower (74 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A mass of building standing alone and insulated, usually higher than its
diameter, but when of great size not always of thatproportion....
Temper (14 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To mingle in dueproportion; to prepare by combining; to modify, as by adding
some new element; to qualify, as by an ingredient; hence, to soften; to...
Equivalent (3 Occurrences)
... in any particular compound; thus, as zinc replaces hydrogen in hydrochloric acid,
their equivalents are 32.5 and 1. (b) The combiningproportion by weight of a...
Proportionate (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (v.) To make proportional; to adjust according to a settled rate, or to due
comparative relation; toproportion; as, to proportionate punishment to crimes....
Bar (27 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A piece of wood, metal, or other material, long inproportion to its breadth
or thickness, used as a lever and for various other purposes, but...
After (10866 Occurrences)
... 13. (prep.) According to the direction and influence of; inproportion to; befitting.
14.... "Inproportion to": Psalm 28:4; compare Psalm 90:15....
Assay (3 Occurrences)
... 5. (n.) The act or process of ascertaining theproportion of a particular metal
in an ore or alloy; especially, the determination of theproportion of gold or...
Resources
Should a Christian pay into Social Security and/or accept Social Security payments? | GotQuestions.orgIs carbon dating a reliable method for determining the age of things? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean for a society to be post-Christian? | GotQuestions.orgProportion: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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