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by Whitney V. Myers
The World Did Not Know Him - John 1:10 - Photo 123RF.com - Used under license
"He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him." (John 1:10)
This lesson is the first in the series on "Christians and the World." This lesson explains the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words for "the world" in the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.
Consider. What does the expression, "the world," mean to you? Do you think of just the physical earth which God created? Or, do you think about the people of the world? Does the world described in the Bible include people who know Christ as well as those who do not know Christ?
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word used most often for "the world" is tebel (pronounced as tay-bale'). "The world" (tebel) is the earth as moist and therefore inhabited (Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, Ref. 1). So, the word for "the world" in the Old Testament refers to the earth and by implication to the inhabitants of the earth (Ref. 1). The first mention of "the world" (tebel) in the Old Testament occurs in 1 Samuel 2:8. Tebel occurs 36 times in the Old Testament (Ref. 1).
The Old Testament describes "the world" in these four main ways:
The Old Testament describes "the world" in these four main ways:
- God established the world by his wisdom (Jeremiah 10:12, Jeremiah 51:15)
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God firmly established the world, and the world will not totter, or deviate from its course (1 Chronicles 16:30, Psalm 93:1,
Psalm 96:10). In these verses, the writer says the world will not be moved. The Hebrew word for moved is mot which means totter, shake, slip (Ref. 2).
- The whole world belongs to God. He made it, and he remains its sole Owner and Master (Psalm 24:1, Psalm 50:12, Psalm 89:11, Ref. 3, Ref. 4). David wrote, "The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it" (Psalm 24:1). God's claim on the earth includes not only its animals, vegetables, and minerals, but also its people. "All belong to God, and He has a right to claim them for His service" (Ref. 3).
- God will judge the world with righteousness (Psalm 9:8, Psalm 96:13, Psalm 98:9). The Hebrew word for judge in these verses is shaphat. Shaphat means not only to pronounce sentence but also to govern (Ref. 5). For those who are in Christ, the fact that Christ will come and judge, or govern, the world is cause for joy and praise to God. We sing about Christ's coming to rule the world when we sing Isaac Watt's hymn, "Joy to the World." Isaac Watts had Psalm 98:4-9 in mind when he wrote, "He rules the world with truth and grace, and makes the nations prove the glories of his righteousness, and wonders of his love" (Ref. 6).
In the New Testament, the Greek word used most often for "the world" is kosmos. Kosmos means an "ordered system" (like the universe, creation) (Ref. 7). Kosmos also refers to the inhabitants of the world and to worldly affairs. Kosmos occurs 186 times in the New Testament (Ref. 7). "The world" (kosmos) occurs more often in the Gospel of John than in any other New Testament book (more than 70 occurrences in John).
The New Testament writers use "the world" (kosmos) in three main ways:
The New Testament writers use "the world" (kosmos) in three main ways:
-
The world which God created through Christ
-- "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him ..." (John 1:10)
- The inhabitants of the world -- "The world" (kosmos) includes:
-- All the people of the world -- "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16)
-- People who do not know Christ -- "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him" (John 1:10). Also refer to John 14:16-17.
-- People who are hostile to Christ and to Christ's followers -- "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you" (John 15:18). Also refer to John 17:14. I plan to address in future lessons the world's hostility to Christ and God's role for Christians in the world.
- The affairs of the world which seduce us from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ -- "Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world" (1 John 2:15-16)
- -- "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?" (Matthew 16:26)
The Hebrew and Greek words for "the world" in both the Old and New Testaments of the Bible include not only the physical world which God created but also the people of the world. Even though God loves all the people of the world, some people know and love Christ, and others do not know Christ. Some people are hostile to Christ and to those who follow Christ. I plan to discuss God's love for the world in the next lesson in this series.
Apply. John, Jesus' disciple, wrote about Jesus, "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him" (John 1:10). If you do not know Jesus Christ, put your faith and trust in him. Ask him to forgive your sins, and he will cleanse you from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Ask Jesus to come into your life. You and he will begin a new relationship, and you will know him better each day. If you already do know Jesus, ask him to show you what steps you can take to help other people know him as their Savior and Lord.
Related Lessons
"The Holy Spirit Whom the World Cannot Receive" (John 14:16-17)
"Do Not Love the World" (1 John 2:15)
"The World Hates Jesus and His Disciples" (John 7:7, John 15:18-19)
"God's Offer of Salvation and Eternal Life" (John 3:16-17)
"The Holy Spirit Whom the World Cannot Receive" (John 14:16-17)
"Do Not Love the World" (1 John 2:15)
"The World Hates Jesus and His Disciples" (John 7:7, John 15:18-19)
"God's Offer of Salvation and Eternal Life" (John 3:16-17)
References
1. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/8398.htm
2. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4131.htm
3. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/psalms/24.htm
4. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/psalms/24.htm
5. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/8199.htm
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_to_the_World
7. https://biblehub.com/greek/2889.htm
1. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/8398.htm
2. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4131.htm
3. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/barnes/psalms/24.htm
4. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/psalms/24.htm
5. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/8199.htm
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joy_to_the_World
7. https://biblehub.com/greek/2889.htm
mentioned the word " WORLD"
He hath made everything beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.
What does this word " world" implies
Thank you for your question. I believe the Ecclesiastes 3:11 verse that you mention is from the King James Version because it says, “He hath set the world in their heart.” According to Biblehub.com for Ecclesiastes 3:11 (Interlinear), the Hebrew word for “world” in this verse is “olam,” which means “long duration, antiquity, futurity.” According to Biblehub.com, the best translation for this word is “eternity.” The New American Standard Bible that I use which is an excellent, literal translation translates the same phrase in Ecclesiastes 3:11 as “He has also set eternity in their heart.”
So, the word “world” in the KJV translation of Ecclesiastes 3:11 means long duration, as from the beginning of time to the end of time. That’s why I suggest the word “eternity” is a better choice for translation. Most of the other Old Testament references to the world use an entirely different Hebrew word, “tebel,” which means “the earth as moist and inhabited.”
I hope that helps.
Whitney
There are only two spots in the King James Version Old Testament where the Hebrew word “olam” (eternity) is translated as “world.” One place is in Ecclesiastes 3:11. The other is in Isaiah 45:17. By far, the most common Hebrew word translated as “world” in the KJV Old Testament (with more than 30 occurrences) is “tebel” which means “the earth as moist and therefore inhabited.” For example, see 1 Chronicles 16:30 and Psalm 24:1.
Whitney
In 1 John 2:15 it says, "Do not love the world nor the things in the world." This verse instructs us not to love worldly culture with its lusts and pride (1 John 2:16). 1 John 2:15 contrasts with verses such as John 3:16 that tell us that God loves the people of the world.
You might be interested to read the "related" lesson, "Do Not Love the World" based on 1 John 2:15 which explains this scripture further. Here is the link:
https://www.scriptureway.com/home/do-not-love-the-world
I hope that helps.
Best regards in Christ,
Mr. Whitney V. Myers