Topical Encyclopedia
The pencil, as a modern writing instrument, does not appear in the biblical text, as it was developed long after the time of the Bible's composition. However, the concept of writing and recording information is deeply rooted in Scripture, and various tools for writing are mentioned throughout the Bible.
Writing in Biblical TimesIn biblical times, writing was primarily done on materials such as papyrus, parchment, clay tablets, and stone. Instruments used for writing included styluses for clay tablets and reed pens for papyrus and parchment. The act of writing was significant in the ancient world, serving as a means to record God's laws, prophecies, historical events, and personal correspondence.
Scriptural References to WritingThe Bible frequently emphasizes the importance of writing and recording God's words. In
Exodus 31:18, God gives Moses the tablets of stone inscribed with the Ten Commandments: "When He had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses the two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone inscribed by the finger of God" . This divine act of writing underscores the sacredness and authority of God's commandments.
In
Habakkuk 2:2, the Lord instructs the prophet to write down a vision: "Then the LORD answered me: 'Write down this vision and clearly inscribe it on tablets, so that a herald may run with it'" . This passage highlights the importance of making God's message accessible and understandable to others.
Symbolism of WritingWriting in the Bible often symbolizes permanence and authority. In
Jeremiah 31:33, God speaks of writing His law on the hearts of His people: "But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people" . This metaphorical use of writing signifies an intimate and enduring relationship between God and His people.
The Role of ScribesScribes played a crucial role in the preservation and transmission of biblical texts. They were responsible for copying and maintaining the accuracy of Scripture. Ezra, a priest and scribe, is noted for his dedication to studying and teaching God's law.
Ezra 7:10 states, "For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel" .
Modern ApplicationWhile the pencil itself is not mentioned in the Bible, the principles of writing and recording remain relevant for Christians today. The act of writing can be a spiritual discipline, aiding in the study and meditation of Scripture. Journaling, note-taking during sermons, and personal reflection are ways believers can engage with God's Word, much like the scribes and prophets of old.
In summary, while the pencil is a contemporary tool, the biblical emphasis on writing as a means of communication, preservation, and reflection continues to hold significance for believers seeking to deepen their understanding and relationship with God.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) A small, fine brush of hair or bristles used by painters for laying on colors.
2. (n.) A slender cylinder or strip of black lead, colored chalk, slate etc., or such a cylinder or strip inserted in a small wooden rod intended to be pointed, or in a case, which forms a handle, -- used for drawing or writing. See Graphite.
3. (n.) Hence, figuratively, an artist's ability or peculiar manner; also, in general, the act or occupation of the artist, descriptive writer, etc.
4. (n.) An aggregate or collection of rays of light, especially when diverging from, or converging to, a point.
5. (n.) A number of lines that intersect in one point, the point of intersection being called the pencil point.
6. (n.) A small medicated bougie.
7. (v. t.) To write or mark with a pencil; to paint or to draw.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PENCILpen'-sil (Isaiah 44:13, margin "red ochre," the King James Version "line").
SeeLINE;OCHRE, RED.
Library
Cast Your Eye Round the Room in which You Sit...
... The modern man will wave a cigarette instead of a stick; he will cut hispencil
with a little screwingpencil-sharpener instead of a knife; and he will even...
The Divine Word Our Model.
... of mind, but only by the passive way of abandonment to, its reception, and by yielding
to it like metal in a mould, or canvas under thepencil, or stone in the...
How to Use this Book
... This study should be pursued withpencil in hand, so that you may readily
underscore phrases which make a special appeal to you....
A New Year's Benediction
... Have you never seen a canvas upon which the hand of the painter has sketched
with daringpencil some marvellous scene of grandeur?...
On Counter Promises.
... of truth, are they made fitter for receiving the instruction that is to come; as
if, when one would paint an image, he were first with a lightpencil to trace...
Questions which Ought to be Asked
... Have you gone abroad through the various fields of nature, and have you never wished
to know him whose breath perfumes the flowers, whosepencil paints the...
Prayer Takes in the Whole Man
... He was at my home years ago and we were talking about prayer.' Why, Trumbull,' I
said, you don't mean to say if you lost apencil you would pray about it, and...
Money for Postage.
... I looked it over, and there were only these words inpencil: 'For a Bible, and three
dollars.' We looked at each other; I could not say a word, until she said...
To the Right Honourable the Earl of Lichfield.
... Thoughts, such as shall revisit your last hour; Visit uncall'd, and live when
life expires; And thy darkpencil, Midnight! darker still....
The Ancestral Home
... The wheat was ripe, and it has been harvested. No painter'spencil or poet's
rhythm could describe that magnificent sun setting....
Thesaurus
Pencil (1 Occurrence)... 5. (n.) A number of lines that intersect in one point, the point of intersection
being called the
pencil point. 6. (n.) A small medicated bougie.
...PENCIL.
...Mark (182 Occurrences)
... 8. (n.) A trace, dot, line, imprint, or discoloration, although not regarded as
a token or sign; a scratch, scar, stain, etc.; as, thispencil makes a fine mark...
Ochre
... o'-ker, (Isaiah 44:13, "He marketh it out with apencil," margin "red ochre," the
King James Version "line"; seredh, a word found only here, and of unknown...
Outline (4 Occurrences)
... contour. 2. (n.) In art: A line drawn bypencil, pen, graver, or the like,
by which the boundary of a figure is indicated. 3. (n...
Tools (3 Occurrences)
... invented. Thepencil of Isaiah 44:13 is probably a stylus, for engraving
as well as for marking out lines.... used. See LINE;PENCIL....
Line (131 Occurrences)
... clothesline; a towline. 8. (n.) A more or less threadlike mark of pen,pencil,
or graver; any long mark; as, a chalk line. 9. (n.) The...
Pendant (1 Occurrence)
Pence (8 Occurrences)
Red (124 Occurrences)
... o'-ker, (Isaiah 44:13, "He marketh it out with apencil," margin "red ochre," the
King James Version "line"; seredh, a word found only here, and of unknown...
Writing (194 Occurrences)
... This hand gesture, refined, condensed and adapted to mechanical conditions, and
provided withpencil, chisel, or pen and ink, is handwriting....
Resources
Is it wrong for a Christian to view or listen to Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) triggers? | GotQuestions.orgPencil: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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