Page 45 - Bible Doctrine Survey I- Student Textbook

Origin: Psalms 72:9 “They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies
shall lick the dust.” (KJV)

• The blind leading the blind refers to a situation where people lacking in skill or knowledge are
being led or guided by others who are equally inept:
“James is trying to give me dating advice but it’s like the blind leading the blind.”
Origin: Matthew 15:13-14 “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind
lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” (KJV)

• Having a broken heart doesn’t mean that your heart is physically broken; it means that you are
in great sorrow and despair:
“The death of Meg’s dog has left her with a broken heart.”
Origin: Psalms 34:18 “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as
be of a contrite spirit” (KJV)

• If you do something by the skin of your teeth, you only just succeed:
“I got through to the next round of auditions by the skin of my teeth.”
Origin: Job 19:20 “My bone cleaveth to my skin and to my flesh, and I am escaped with the skin
of my teeth.” (KJV)

• The person to cast the first stone is the first to make a criticism or the first to attack:
“Although everybody has a strong opinion on this matter, nobody wants to cast the first stone.”
Origin: John 8:7 “And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who
is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”” (ESV)

• A drop in the bucket is a small, inadequate quantity, or an insignificant contribution towards a
larger problem. You may also hear a drop in the ocean:
“Although we are grateful for all the donations received, the total raised so far is still just a drop
in the bucket.”
Origin: Isaiah 40:15 “Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small
dust of the balance: behold, he takes up the isles as fine dust” (ESV)

• A fly in the ointment is a drawback or a detrimental factor:
“Before we go ahead with the proposal, we need to check carefully for any flies in the
ointment.”
Origin: Ecclesiastes 10:1 “Dead flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a stench; so a little
folly outweighs wisdom and honor.” (ESV)

• To go the extra mile is to do more or make a greater effort than is expected of you:
“Dewi always goes the extra mile when serving customers.”
Origin: Matthew 5:41 “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.” (NIV)

• If you are nothing but skin and bones, you are painfully thin and emaciated:
“After surviving a year at university on instant noodles and baked beans, she came home
nothing but skin and bones.”
Origin: Job 19:19-20 “All my intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against me. I
am nothing but skin and bones;” (NIV)

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