Page 250 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

EXCEEDING - EXPRESS IMAGE

demand; a levying or drawing from by force; extortion EXPRESS IMAGE. Exact image (He. 1:3). Jesus
(2 Ki. 15:20; Ne. 10:31; Is. 60:17; Eze. 45:9) (Webster). Christ is the “express image” of Almighty God! The
EXCEEDING, EXCEEDINGLY. Surpassing; very following excellent commentary on Hebrews 1:3 is from
much; extremely; excelling (Ge. 15:1; 1 Ki. 4:29; Mt. Barnes Notes on the New Testament:
4:8; 2 Co. 9:14). “This verse (He. 1:1) is designed to state the dignity
EXCELLENT. (1) Honorable; exalted; surpassing; and exalted rank of the Son of God, and is exceedingly
great (Job 37:23; Ps. 8:1, 9; 76:4; 148:13; 150:2; Pr. important with reference to a correct view of the
17:7, 27; Da. 2:31; 4:36; 5:12). (2) A title of nobility Redeemer. ... The drift of the argument is, to show his
dignity as he has spoken to us (ver. 1), and not in the
(Lk. 1:3; Ac. 23:26). (3) Things that are preeminent; period antecedent to his incarnation. It is to show his
the very best (Ro. 2:18; Ph. 1:10). claims to our reverence as sent from God ... it is a
EX COMMUNIC ATION ( t o c u t o f f f r o m description of him as he actually is—the incarnate Son
communication). Exclusion from church fellowship for of God; the equal of the Father in human flesh; and
disciplinary reasons. The term “excommunication” is not this leads the writer to dwell on his divine character,
used in the Bible, but the practice of church discipline is and to argue from that. I have no doubt, therefore, that
(Mt. 18:15-18; 1 Co. 5:11; 2 Th. 3:6-14; 1 Ti. 1:20; Tit. this description refers to his divine nature, but it is the
3:10). Christians are to be zealous in trying to get the divine nature as it appears in human flesh.
offending person to repent of his sin or false teaching (2 “The brightness of his glory ... refers to all in God that
Th. 3:14-15). When the person does repent, he is to be is bright, splendid, glorious; and the idea is, that the
Son of God is the brightness of it all. The word
forgiven and received back into fellowship (2 Co. rendered ‘brightness’ ... means properly reflected
2:6-11). Excommunication is a term most commonly splendour, or the light which emanates from a
used of Roman Catholic doctrine which says that the luminous body. The rays or beams of the sun are its
person excommunicated is cut off from God and heaven. ‘brightness,’ or that by which the sun is seen and
The churches, though, do not have this power. Churches known. The sun itself we do not see; the beams which
have the power of discipline, but not the power to take flow from it we do see. The meaning here is, that if
away someone’s salvation. [See Church Discipline.] God be represented under the image of a luminous
EXECRATION. Oath; curse (Je. 42:18; 44:12). [See body, as he is in the Scriptures (see Ps. 84:11; Mal.
4:2), then Christ is the radiance of that light, the
Blaspheme, Evil Speaking, Imprecatory, Slander.] brightness of that luminary (Stuart). He is that by
EXERCISE. To train; to exert; to labor (Eze. 22:29; 2 which we perceive God ... It is by him only that the
Pe. 2:14). true character and glory of God is known to men. ...
EXHORT (to call near). To encourage; to challenge; The human soul is dark respecting the divine character
to cheer. It is from the Greek “parakaleo,” which means until it is enlightened by Christ. ...
to “to call near, i.e. invite, invoke (by imploration, “The express image ... is that from which our word
exhortation or consolation” (Strong). This Greek word is character is derived. It properly means a graving-tool;
also translated “intreat” (Lk. 15:25), “desire” (Ac. 8:31), and then something engraved, or stamped—a
character—as a letter, mark, sign. The image stamped
“beseech” (Ac. 13:42), “comfort” (Ac. 16:40), “call on coins, seals, wax, expresses the idea: and the sense
for” (Ac. 28:20), and “pray” (Ac. 16:9). See also Ac. here is, that if God be represented under the idea of a
2:40; 11:23; 14:22; 15:32; 18:27; 27:22; Ro. 12:8; 2 substance, or being, then Christ is the exact
Co. 9:5; 1 Th. 2:11; 4:1; 5:14; 2 Th. 3:12; 1 Ti. 2:1; 6:2; resemblance of that—as an image is of the stamp or
2 Ti. 4:2; Tit. 1:9; 2:6,15; He. 3:13; 10:25; 1 Pe. 5:1,12; die. ... see Col. 1:15, ‘Who is the image of the invisible
Jude 3. [See Admonish, Chasten, Convince, Correction, God.’
Counsel, Guidance, Instruct, Rebuke, Reproof.] “Of his person ... Tyndale renders it ‘of his substance.’
EXILE. Captivity in a foreign land. The word in the original (hupostasis) whence our word
EXODUS. A departure. In the Bible this usually refers hypostasis, means, literally, a foundation, or
substructure. ... then reality, substance, essential
to Israel’s departure from Egypt and is the title of the nature. In the New Testament it is rendered ‘confident’
book which records this event. or ‘confidence’ (2 Co. 9:4; 11:17; He. 3:14) and
EXORCISM. Expelling demons from people ‘substance’ (He. 11:1). Here it properly refers to the
possessed by them (Ac. 19:13-16). essential nature of God—that which distinguishes him
EXPEDIENT. That which serves to promote or from all other beings, and which, if I may so say,
constitutes him God; and the idea is, that the
advance; any means which may be employed to Redeemer is the exact resemblance of that. ...
accomplish an end; hastening; suitable (Webster) (Jn. “I do not see any evidence in the Scriptures of the
11:50; 16:7; 18:14; 1 Co. 6:12; 10:23; 2 Co. 8:10; doctrine of ‘eternal generation,’ and it is certain that
12:1). that doctrine militates against the proper eternity of
the Son of God. The natural and fair meaning of that

250 Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity