Glossary of Terms
Listed below are some brief working definitions of terms often used in the discussion of deity and humanity.
Can't find what you're looking for? Use the "search" feature here to find specific terms elsewhere on this website, OR to find articles and listen to audios containing these terms, where they may be elaborated upon in greater detail. Search here ...
Can't find what you're looking for? Use the "search" feature here to find specific terms elsewhere on this website, OR to find articles and listen to audios containing these terms, where they may be elaborated upon in greater detail. Search here ...
Is there a term you have read on this website that you would like to have clarified? Submit a question.
begotten: Means "born", though often carries the sense of "that which came from" something.
Christ: Means “Messiah”, or “Anointed One”.
Christology: The study of the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly the attempt to explain and reconcile His deity with His humanity.
This term is often used when discussing Christ’s deity, divinity and humanity. It is a word frequently linked with the historical debates prevalent
in the church during the first 1000 years after Christ walked the earth. See the article titled A Brief History of Christology for more details. "Christology" is not a term I favour to describe Christ's deity and humanity. To my mind, “Christology” should actually refer more to those aspects of the Lord Jesus that relate to His Messiahship, Him being the anointed one of promise, the fulfilment of prophecies about Him, and the like – for this is more accurately what the word “Christ” means. Nevertheless, “Christology” is an expression commonly used by many commentators when writing on issues of Christ’s deity, divinity and humanity, and the reader should be aware of this usage.
dabar: A Hebrew word, most commonly translated into English as "word" or "saying".
deity: As a noun, "deity" refers to the one true God, or an entity that is worshipped as a god. As an adjective, it refers to an aspect of “Godness”. When speaking of the deity of Christ, one is referring to His "God-ness".
The word “deity” is not a term we find often in the Bible, but is a term that may come up in discussion in one of two ways. Firstly, the term may be used as a noun meaning “a god”, a being that is worshipped. In reference to Baal, where Judges 6:31 reads, “If he is a god, let him plead for himself”, we might say, “if he is a deity …”. We don’t generally use the word as a noun in reference to the one true God, though the NIV does use it once in this sense (Colossians 2:9). Secondly, the term may also be used as an adjective, as in “the deity of Christ”, referring to His “Godness”, i.e. the fact that He is God in some way. This is really the sense in which the word “deity” is referred to on this site.
divine / divinity: Things that are of God, or from God, or are God-like.
The term “deity” needs to be distinguished from the term “divinity”, which carries a much less specific meaning. Divinity usually describes more of an association with God (or a god), but not necessarily equality with God. So, some will speak of the “divinity” of Christ, whilst not agreeing to the “deity” of Christ; some will speak of the Lord Jesus being “divine”, but not assent to Him being equal with God. By this it is meant that He is a special being, beyond a mere human, being from God or having some association with God, but not having a legitimate claim to applying the title of “God” to Himself. However, on this website, it is suggested that that the Lord Jesus Christ was indeed God in the flesh, and that the term “deity” is one entirely applicable to Him – as difficult as that concept is for man to fully comprehend.
elohim: The Hebrew word most commonly translated "God" in the Old Testament. Peculiarities about this word and its meanings are discussed elsewhere on this site.
God / god: In a general sense, a god is a being that is reckoned to be superior to man, and is worshipped by man. From a Christian perspective, the one true God is the only being actually worthy of man’s worship.
Hellenistic / Hellenization: The influence of ancient Greek culture, customs, language, philosophies, religious beliefs, etc. upon other societies.
holy: Means "separate" or "apart". In the Scriptures a person or object that is referred to as "holy" has become separated FROM common things or from things of the world, and become separated UNTO God. See article "The Definition of the word Holy" for a more detailed explanation.
homoousia: A Greek word meaning "of the same substance (or being)". This term is often used to say that the Son was the same substance as the Father. Differing in spelling to homoiousia, listed below, this word was part of the intense debate about Christ's deity in the 300's AD.
homoiousia: A Greek word meaning "of similar substance (or being)". This term is often used to say that the Son was of a similar, but not exactly the same, substance as the Father. Differing in spelling to homoousia, listed above, this word was part of the intense debate about Christ's deity in the 300's AD.
humanity: Aspects related to mankind. When we talk about the humanity of Christ, we are referring to those facets of the Lord Jesus that pertain to Him having a truly human body, as opposed to those which pertain to Him being God. So when we read that Christ thirsted (John 4:7), was hungry, (Luke 4:2) was asleep (Luke 8:23) and so on, these are not attributes of the invisible God, but attributes directly linked with Christ’s
humanity.
hypostasis: A term that has come into English directly from the Greek language. During the early Christian centuries, it came to refer to the "coming together" of deity and humanity, God and man, in the one person of Jesus Christ. It is generally used in this sense when discussing the deity and humanity of Christ. However, the way the word is used to describe the union of God and man in Christ is not really how the word is used in the Greek of the New Testament.There it has a meaning more along the lines of a basis, a foundation, or that which we can have confidence in. This latter definition is closer to the original meaning of the word, whilst the "coming together of deity and humanity" definition arose much later. Simply put, one should not take the more modern usage of this term as being an accurate definition of the same Greek word in the text of the NT Scriptures.
incarnation: The phenomenon of God taking on human flesh, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Closely related to the word “humanity”, “incarnation” is derived from the word Latin word carnis meaning “of the flesh”, from where we get the English words “carnal”, “carnivore” (a flesh-eating animal) and “carnation” (a flesh-coloured flower). Though carnal things are often referred to with rather negative connotations as being ungodly or unspiritual (e.g. 1 Corinthians 3:1-4; Romans 8:6), carnality fundamentally refers to “flesh”, a feature of every human being, regardless of their spiritual state. Hence when we speak of the “incarnation” of our Lord, we are speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ taking on a body of flesh. So, for all His spiritual and indefinable qualities, He was also carnal in a very literal sense. Interestingly, Philippians 2:5-7 actually speaks of the Lord’s “carnality” quite favourably in highlighting His humility: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in
the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant …
coming in the likeness of men."
Jehovah / Yahweh: The name of God used most frequently in the Old Testament, though often translated and printed in English Bibles as “LORD”. Some New Testament passages use the more plainly printed “Lord” in this sense. The pronunciation "Yahweh" is probably closer to the original sounding of the name; whilst "Jehovah" is an anglicised version of the same name.
Jesus: The name given to the manifestation of God with a human body. The name means “Jehovah saves”.
Jesus Christ: The promised Messiah, God in the flesh, having the name, Jesus.
logos: A Greek word, most often translated in the New Testament as "word". See "word / logos" listed below.
Lord: (note that this is printed differently to "LORD" listed below). Has the general meaning of “Master”, and is sometimes used as a term of
respect, in the same way that “Sir” is often used in our society these days.
LORD: (note that this printed differently to "Lord" listed above). Jehovah or Yahweh, God’s name in the Old Testament. When the words “the LORD” appears printed in this way with semi-capitalised letters in the Old Testament, this phrase may usually be replaced by the name “Jehovah” or "Yahweh". Check your Bible's Preface to see how the translators have dealt with this word, especially in the New Testament, as it will differ from one Bible version to another.
manifestation: Often used in reference to a visible appearance of God in some form. On several occasions during Old Testament times, God appeared to men via different forms (chapter 6 is devoted particularly to this subject). For example, Abram “built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him” (Genesis 12:7). Such appearances may be referred to as “manifestations” of God, because God manifested Himself, or became visible (i.e. manifest) in some form. This may also be said of New Testament times, during which God manifested Himself through
the person of the Lord Jesus Christ – “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).
Messiah: Derived from a Hebrew word meaning "anointed", implying that one was chosen for a particular duty. The Greek equivalent of "Messiah" is the word "christos", from which we get the title "Christ".
monogenes: A Greek word, most frequently translated as "only-begotten".
soul: A living being. For more information, see the article "What is the Soul?" , or listen to the audio message about "Living Souls or Beings".
spirit: A variety of meanings, all with the underlying idea of "an intangible (or non-physical) force". See article "Definition of the word spirit" for a more detailed explanation.
theos: The Greek word most commonly translated "God" in the New Testament.
word / (Greek: logos): In addition to the common usages of word meaning "speech", "sayings" or individual words, the Hellenized society of the first century A.D. used the term variously to mean reason, order, thought, the mind, as well as expression or discourse about these things.
Yahweh: See "Jehovah", listed above.
begotten: Means "born", though often carries the sense of "that which came from" something.
Christ: Means “Messiah”, or “Anointed One”.
Christology: The study of the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly the attempt to explain and reconcile His deity with His humanity.
This term is often used when discussing Christ’s deity, divinity and humanity. It is a word frequently linked with the historical debates prevalent
in the church during the first 1000 years after Christ walked the earth. See the article titled A Brief History of Christology for more details. "Christology" is not a term I favour to describe Christ's deity and humanity. To my mind, “Christology” should actually refer more to those aspects of the Lord Jesus that relate to His Messiahship, Him being the anointed one of promise, the fulfilment of prophecies about Him, and the like – for this is more accurately what the word “Christ” means. Nevertheless, “Christology” is an expression commonly used by many commentators when writing on issues of Christ’s deity, divinity and humanity, and the reader should be aware of this usage.
dabar: A Hebrew word, most commonly translated into English as "word" or "saying".
deity: As a noun, "deity" refers to the one true God, or an entity that is worshipped as a god. As an adjective, it refers to an aspect of “Godness”. When speaking of the deity of Christ, one is referring to His "God-ness".
The word “deity” is not a term we find often in the Bible, but is a term that may come up in discussion in one of two ways. Firstly, the term may be used as a noun meaning “a god”, a being that is worshipped. In reference to Baal, where Judges 6:31 reads, “If he is a god, let him plead for himself”, we might say, “if he is a deity …”. We don’t generally use the word as a noun in reference to the one true God, though the NIV does use it once in this sense (Colossians 2:9). Secondly, the term may also be used as an adjective, as in “the deity of Christ”, referring to His “Godness”, i.e. the fact that He is God in some way. This is really the sense in which the word “deity” is referred to on this site.
divine / divinity: Things that are of God, or from God, or are God-like.
The term “deity” needs to be distinguished from the term “divinity”, which carries a much less specific meaning. Divinity usually describes more of an association with God (or a god), but not necessarily equality with God. So, some will speak of the “divinity” of Christ, whilst not agreeing to the “deity” of Christ; some will speak of the Lord Jesus being “divine”, but not assent to Him being equal with God. By this it is meant that He is a special being, beyond a mere human, being from God or having some association with God, but not having a legitimate claim to applying the title of “God” to Himself. However, on this website, it is suggested that that the Lord Jesus Christ was indeed God in the flesh, and that the term “deity” is one entirely applicable to Him – as difficult as that concept is for man to fully comprehend.
elohim: The Hebrew word most commonly translated "God" in the Old Testament. Peculiarities about this word and its meanings are discussed elsewhere on this site.
God / god: In a general sense, a god is a being that is reckoned to be superior to man, and is worshipped by man. From a Christian perspective, the one true God is the only being actually worthy of man’s worship.
Hellenistic / Hellenization: The influence of ancient Greek culture, customs, language, philosophies, religious beliefs, etc. upon other societies.
holy: Means "separate" or "apart". In the Scriptures a person or object that is referred to as "holy" has become separated FROM common things or from things of the world, and become separated UNTO God. See article "The Definition of the word Holy" for a more detailed explanation.
homoousia: A Greek word meaning "of the same substance (or being)". This term is often used to say that the Son was the same substance as the Father. Differing in spelling to homoiousia, listed below, this word was part of the intense debate about Christ's deity in the 300's AD.
homoiousia: A Greek word meaning "of similar substance (or being)". This term is often used to say that the Son was of a similar, but not exactly the same, substance as the Father. Differing in spelling to homoousia, listed above, this word was part of the intense debate about Christ's deity in the 300's AD.
humanity: Aspects related to mankind. When we talk about the humanity of Christ, we are referring to those facets of the Lord Jesus that pertain to Him having a truly human body, as opposed to those which pertain to Him being God. So when we read that Christ thirsted (John 4:7), was hungry, (Luke 4:2) was asleep (Luke 8:23) and so on, these are not attributes of the invisible God, but attributes directly linked with Christ’s
humanity.
hypostasis: A term that has come into English directly from the Greek language. During the early Christian centuries, it came to refer to the "coming together" of deity and humanity, God and man, in the one person of Jesus Christ. It is generally used in this sense when discussing the deity and humanity of Christ. However, the way the word is used to describe the union of God and man in Christ is not really how the word is used in the Greek of the New Testament.There it has a meaning more along the lines of a basis, a foundation, or that which we can have confidence in. This latter definition is closer to the original meaning of the word, whilst the "coming together of deity and humanity" definition arose much later. Simply put, one should not take the more modern usage of this term as being an accurate definition of the same Greek word in the text of the NT Scriptures.
incarnation: The phenomenon of God taking on human flesh, in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Closely related to the word “humanity”, “incarnation” is derived from the word Latin word carnis meaning “of the flesh”, from where we get the English words “carnal”, “carnivore” (a flesh-eating animal) and “carnation” (a flesh-coloured flower). Though carnal things are often referred to with rather negative connotations as being ungodly or unspiritual (e.g. 1 Corinthians 3:1-4; Romans 8:6), carnality fundamentally refers to “flesh”, a feature of every human being, regardless of their spiritual state. Hence when we speak of the “incarnation” of our Lord, we are speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ taking on a body of flesh. So, for all His spiritual and indefinable qualities, He was also carnal in a very literal sense. Interestingly, Philippians 2:5-7 actually speaks of the Lord’s “carnality” quite favourably in highlighting His humility: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in
the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant …
coming in the likeness of men."
Jehovah / Yahweh: The name of God used most frequently in the Old Testament, though often translated and printed in English Bibles as “LORD”. Some New Testament passages use the more plainly printed “Lord” in this sense. The pronunciation "Yahweh" is probably closer to the original sounding of the name; whilst "Jehovah" is an anglicised version of the same name.
Jesus: The name given to the manifestation of God with a human body. The name means “Jehovah saves”.
Jesus Christ: The promised Messiah, God in the flesh, having the name, Jesus.
logos: A Greek word, most often translated in the New Testament as "word". See "word / logos" listed below.
Lord: (note that this is printed differently to "LORD" listed below). Has the general meaning of “Master”, and is sometimes used as a term of
respect, in the same way that “Sir” is often used in our society these days.
LORD: (note that this printed differently to "Lord" listed above). Jehovah or Yahweh, God’s name in the Old Testament. When the words “the LORD” appears printed in this way with semi-capitalised letters in the Old Testament, this phrase may usually be replaced by the name “Jehovah” or "Yahweh". Check your Bible's Preface to see how the translators have dealt with this word, especially in the New Testament, as it will differ from one Bible version to another.
manifestation: Often used in reference to a visible appearance of God in some form. On several occasions during Old Testament times, God appeared to men via different forms (chapter 6 is devoted particularly to this subject). For example, Abram “built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him” (Genesis 12:7). Such appearances may be referred to as “manifestations” of God, because God manifested Himself, or became visible (i.e. manifest) in some form. This may also be said of New Testament times, during which God manifested Himself through
the person of the Lord Jesus Christ – “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).
Messiah: Derived from a Hebrew word meaning "anointed", implying that one was chosen for a particular duty. The Greek equivalent of "Messiah" is the word "christos", from which we get the title "Christ".
monogenes: A Greek word, most frequently translated as "only-begotten".
soul: A living being. For more information, see the article "What is the Soul?" , or listen to the audio message about "Living Souls or Beings".
spirit: A variety of meanings, all with the underlying idea of "an intangible (or non-physical) force". See article "Definition of the word spirit" for a more detailed explanation.
theos: The Greek word most commonly translated "God" in the New Testament.
word / (Greek: logos): In addition to the common usages of word meaning "speech", "sayings" or individual words, the Hellenized society of the first century A.D. used the term variously to mean reason, order, thought, the mind, as well as expression or discourse about these things.
Yahweh: See "Jehovah", listed above.
