| Actors | - God (singular, genitive, masculine)
| - The Bible is God's word, not man's, and his word is the only one that holds the qualities described
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| Comparisons | - word of God/two-edged sword
| Questions one may consider:- Why is God's word compared to a sword?
- Why was the sword described as "two-edged?"
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| Conjunctions | - for - because God's word is living and active, it searches and finds
- and - used multiple times in describing the actions and completeness of those actions of God's word
- than - elevating the sharpness of God's word over a two-edged sword
| - as God's word searches, it finds because no creature is hidden from God's sight (v. 13)
- God's word cuts deeply and completely into the spiritual, physical, and mental capacities of its listener/reader
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| Nouns | - word (of God) (singular, nominative, masculine)
- two-edged sword (singular, accusative, feminine)
- division (singular, genitive, masculine)
- soul (singular, genitive, feminine)
- spirit (singular, genitive, neuter)
- joints (plural, genitive, masculine)
- marrow (plural, genitive, masculine)
- thoughts (plural, genitive, feminine)
- intentions (plural, genitive, feminine)
- heart (singular, genitive, feminine)
| Questions one may consider:- Why were these particular words used?
- Why were certain words grouped together using "and" versus separated by a comma?
- What are the groups of words conveying?
Notice that the words involving the human psyche are feminine in gender. In Greek, words that relate to psyche and emotion (soul, thoughts, intentions, heart, wisdom) are feminine, whereas the Greek word for "word" (logos) is masculine. In John 1:1, Jesus is identified as the "Word" of God (versus the wisdom of God). |
| Figures of speech | - the word of God is living and active
- the word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword
| Questions one may consider:- What do "living and active" words look like compared to words simply printed on a page?
- Why do they need to be living? What's the benefit or significance?
- Why is God's word portrayed as sharp (as compared to gentle or soft)? Could God not have accomplished the same result with softer words?
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| Lists | - soul and spirit
- joints and marrow
- thoughts and intentions
| Identifies three elements of one's being:- spiritual
- physical
- mental/emotional
These elements were believed by the Greco-Roman world to make up one's complete being. When all were in perfect harmony, this was considered by Aristotle and Socrates as reaching a state of eudaimonia. The writer of Hebrews plays on this concept. |
| Verbs | - living (singular, present, active, participle, nominative)
- piercing (singular, middle/passive, participle, nominative)
| - The writer lists the actions of God's word—what God's word does...it lives (not just exists or is present), and it pierces
- Other words could have been used, but the writer chose the word "piercing." Why did they choose such a rather harsh, violent word?
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| Adjectives | - active (singular, nominative, masculine)
- sharper (singular, nominative, masculine)
- discerning (singular, nominative, masculine)
| Notice that none of these are actions of the word of God. Instead, they describe the word's acts of living and piercing.- For example, God's word isn't simply living (as in alive, but in a passive state). God's word is actively living.
- Additionally, there are sharp swords, and there dull swords. God's word is the former, and it is so sharp that it cuts deep into the spiritual, physical, and mental capacities of an individual (as compared to a typical sword that only pierces the physical body).
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