Topical Encyclopedia
The term "scarcely" is used in the Bible to convey the idea of difficulty, rarity, or insufficiency. It often highlights the challenges or improbabilities associated with certain actions or events. In the context of Scripture, "scarcely" can underscore the grace and power of God in overcoming human limitations and obstacles.
Biblical Usage:1.
Salvation and Righteousness: · In
1 Peter 4:18, the Apostle Peter writes, "And if it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" . The word "hard" here is translated from a Greek term that can also mean "scarcely." This passage emphasizes the difficulty and the narrow path of salvation, even for the righteous, underscoring the necessity of God's grace and the seriousness of living a life of faith.
2.
Divine Provision: · In
Romans 5:7, Paul states, "Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die" . The use of "very rarely" conveys the scarcity of such sacrificial acts among humans, contrasting with the abundant and selfless love of Christ, who died for us while we were still sinners (
Romans 5:8).
3.
Miraculous Deliverance: · The concept of "scarcely" can also be seen in narratives of miraculous deliverance, where human efforts seem insufficient, yet God intervenes. For instance, in
Acts 27:7-8, during Paul's voyage to Rome, the ship "sailed slowly for many days and with difficulty" . The scarcity of favorable conditions highlights the eventual divine intervention that ensures Paul's safety and the fulfillment of God's purposes.
Theological Implications:·
Human Limitation and Divine Sufficiency: The use of "scarcely" in Scripture often points to human limitations and the insufficiency of human efforts in achieving righteousness or deliverance. It serves to magnify the sufficiency of God's grace and power, reminding believers of their dependence on Him.
·
Call to Faithfulness: The recognition of the difficulty in achieving righteousness or enduring trials calls believers to a deeper faith and reliance on God. It encourages perseverance and trust in God's promises, knowing that what is impossible for man is possible with God (
Luke 18:27).
·
Contrast with Divine Abundance: While human efforts and resources may be scarce, God's provision and love are abundant. This contrast is a recurring theme in Scripture, inviting believers to trust in God's abundant grace and to live lives marked by gratitude and obedience.
In summary, the concept of "scarcely" in the Bible serves as a reminder of the challenges inherent in the Christian journey, the limitations of human effort, and the overwhelming grace and power of God that make all things possible.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
adv.) With difficulty; hardly; scantly; barely; but just.
2. (adv.) Frugally; penuriously.
Greek
3425. mogis -- hardly.... Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: mogis Phonetic Spelling: (mog'-is) Short
Definition: with difficulty,
scarcely, hardly Definition: with difficulty
...3433. molis -- with difficulty
... of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: molis Phonetic Spelling: (mol'-is) Short Definition:
with difficulty, hardly Definition: with difficulty, hardly,scarcely....
917. bareos -- heavily
... See 922 (). Word Origin adverb from barus Definition heavily NASB Word Usagescarcely
(2). heavily. Adverb from barus; heavily (figuratively) -- dull....
Strong's Hebrew
637. aph -- also, yea... much less (7), how much more (4), indeed (20), indeed* (2), less (2), more (1),
more* (1), much more* (8), much* (10), no (1), really (1),
scarcely* (3), so (2
...4592. meat -- a little, fewness, a few
... close (1), diminish (1), easily (1), enough (3), few (20), fewest (1), little (44),
little while (8), many* (1), merely (1), quickly (1),scarcely (1), slight...
1077. bal -- not
... not NASB Word Usage cannot (2), fail (1), immovable* (1), never (1), never* (4),
no (5), none (2), nor (5), nothing (1), nothing* (1),scarcely* (3), untouched...
Library
Appendix xv. The Location of Sychar, and the Date of Our Lord's...
... The first difficulty here was the name, since Shechem, or even Sichem, couldscarcely
be identified with Sychar, which is undoubtedly the correct reading....
To the Rev. A. Brandram
... I hadscarcely been at Leon three days when I was seized with a fever, against which
I thought the strength even of my constitution would have yielded; for it...
Preface
... of the Church at Kederminster.'. Of the excellence of this work, it is
scarcely possible to speak in too high terms. It is not a...
The Healing of the Man Born Blind.
... After the scene in the Temple described in the last chapter, and Christ's consequent
withdrawal from His enemies, we canscarcely suppose any other great event...
On the Journey to Jerusalem - Departure from Ephraim by Way of...
... Mark, [4876] that among those who had followed Christ there were many women which
came up with Him unto Jerusalem.' For, we canscarcely suppose that these...
Shame on Account of God's Displeasure.
... He speaks of the most emphatic and unambiguous of human methods with a "but," as
if it couldscarcely be compared with His expressions of displeasure....
Massillon -- the Small Number of the Elect
... is always spoken of as forming the party of the reprobate; while the saved, compared
with the rest of mankind, form only a small flock,scarcely perceptible to...
Its Course.
... Regarding the elect of the first class, from the very nature of the case
preparatory grace hasscarcely room here, in its limited sense....
The Apostolic Scriptures.
... Nay, these men were not such excellent personalities that the few occasional letters
from their hands couldscarcely have any significance in their lives....
Little Sarah Howley.
... than before, and was so exceedingly solicitous about her soul, that she spent great
part of the night in weeping and praying, and couldscarcely take any rest...
Thesaurus
Scarcely (14 Occurrences)... Multi-Version Concordance
Scarcely (14 Occurrences).
... Acts 14:18 and these things
saying,
scarcely did they restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them.
...Scarce (6 Occurrences)
... 4. (adv.) Alt. ofScarcely. Multi-Version Concordance... Song of Songs 3:4 I had
scarcely passed from them, when I found him whom my soul loves....
Wither (30 Occurrences)
... (KJV WBS YLT). Isaiah 40:24 They are plantedscarcely. They are sownscarcely.
Their stock hasscarcely taken root in the ground....
Whirlwind (33 Occurrences)
... (WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT NAS RSV). Isaiah 40:24 They are plantedscarcely. They are
sownscarcely. Their stock hasscarcely taken root in the ground....
Merely (30 Occurrences)
... I stand up, and you gaze at me. (See NIV). Isaiah 40:24 They are plantedscarcely.
They are sownscarcely. Their stock hasscarcely taken root in the ground....
Stock (16 Occurrences)
... (WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT). Isaiah 40:24 They are plantedscarcely. They are sown
scarcely. Their stock hasscarcely taken root in the ground....
Sown (45 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Isaiah 40:24 They are plantedscarcely.
They are sownscarcely. Their stock hasscarcely taken root in the ground....
Scant (4 Occurrences)
... 1. (superl.) Not full, large, or plentiful;scarcely sufficient; less than is wanted
for the purpose; scanty; meager; not enough; as, a scant allowance of...
Roll (57 Occurrences)
... paste rolls well. 21. (vi) To beat a drum with strokes so rapid that they
canscarcely be distinguished by the ear. 22. (vi) To...
Brook (75 Occurrences)
... Such discrimination isscarcely credible on the hypothesis that the Pentateuch is
by more than one author, in later than Mosaic times, or that it is by any...
Resources
Who was John Foxe? What is Foxe's Book of Martyrs? | GotQuestions.orgWhat impact did Friedrich Nietzsche have on the Christian faith? | GotQuestions.orgIs creationism scientific? | GotQuestions.orgScarcely: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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