glossary

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names of people

names of places

terms etc

JAMES. There are several James in the scriptures. They are difficult to sort out. We have decided on variants to make it easier.

James, brother of Jesus James

James, son of Zebedee Jim (in Mark , together with his brother John ‘Thunder and Lightning’- the nickname Jesus gave them)

James, son of Alphaeus Jamie Alson

James, bother of Joseph (From Ram?) (Mother Maria?) Jimmy (see ‘From a Jewish Fried chap. 27, Mark chap. 15)

JAMES AND JOHN (Mark’s Gospel only) ‘Thunder and Lightning’ (From Aramaic nickname of Jesus for them)

JAIRUS Jay

JOANNA Joan

JOHN THE BAPTIST John the Dipper (Greek baptizo=dip).

JUDAS ISCARIOT Judas from Kerioth

ELIZABETH Lisa

LUCIUS Lucien

LYSANIAS Linus

MARYS. The number of Marys in the gospels is bewildering and were confused by the first Christians. We attempt to distinguish them by using variants.

THE MOTHER OF JESUS Mary

MARY OF BETHANY Mary (or Mary Dategrove)

MARY OF MAGDALA Maggie

MARY, wife of Zebedee Marion

MARY, mother of Joseph(of Arimathea?) Maria

MARY, aunt of Jesus, Miriam

MARY, mother of John Mark, Marie

MANAEN Sturdy (lit. Greek)

MATTHIAS Matt

MELCHIZEDEK ‘Righteous Ruler’ (Close to meaning of the name)

NAAMAN Norman

NARCISSUS Cecil

NATHANIEL Nathan

NEREUS Neville

NICANOR Nicky

NICODEMUS Nick

NICOLAUS Colin

NIGER Blackie

NYMPHA Bridget ( Greek = a bride)

ONESIMUS Handy (literal meaning of the Greek)

PARMENAS Craig (Parmenas=enduring, rock-like=Craig-Celtic)

PATROBUS Paddy

PERSIS Percy

PETER Rocky (from literal meaning of the Greek)

PHILOLOGOS Phil

PHLEGON Sparky (close to meaning of the Greek)

PRISCILLA Cilla, Cill (Cill & Will, wife and husband team)

PROCHORUS Russ

QUARTUS Kurt

RAHAB Barbara

Sadducees The smart set.

SATAN Evil, the power of evil

SERGIUS PAULUS George Paul

SIMON THE ZEALOT Simon the Hothead

SOSIPATER Pat

STACHYS Stan

TERTIUS Terry

THADDAEUS Ted

THEOPHILUS Theo (Gk = ‘lover of God’. The two parts of Luke’s ‘gospel’ appear to have been
addressed to a government official. His name may therefore be a meaningful
pseudonym.)

THOMAS Twin (literal meaning of the Aramaic and Greek equivalent)

TROPHIMUS Tommy

TRYPHAENA and TRYPHOSA ..those two ladies whose names mean ‘delicate’ and ‘dainty’

TYCHICUS Lucky (literal meaning of the Greek)

TYRANNUS Tyrone

ZACCHAEUS Keith

ZECHARIAH, (father of John the Dipper) Kerry (son of Barachiah) Gary.


Names of Places

AENON NEAR SALIM Peace Springs (Combining ‘aenon’=springs and ‘salim’=peace)

ARIMATHEA Ram (modern name for probable site)

BETHPHAGE Figland (literal meaning, ‘house of figs’)

BETHANY (Home of Martha) Dategrove (literal meaning, ‘house of dates’)

BETHANY (John the Dipper) Dateford

BETHSAIDA Fishtown (literal meaning)

CAPERNAUM Nahum-Town (literal translation, after the Prophet Nahum)

CENCHREAE Dockland district of Corinth

CHORAZIN Dancetown (literal meaning)

COLOSSAE Quaketown (Colossae was in an earthquake area and suffered many disasters. Greek ‘colasis’

=punishment. Earthquakes were regarded as punishments from the gods.)

GERGAZA Kursa (Modern name)

HIERAPOLIS Templetown (Greek=holy town, priest town)

LAODICEA Banktown (Situated on the banks of the Lycus, and a banking town)

LYDDA Ludd (Modern name)

LYSTRA Lester

NEAPOLIS Newtown (literal meaning)

PARADISE God’s Garden (from Hebrew ‘pardes’=garden)

THESSALONIKA Tessatown (Modern Saloniki)


Terms etc.


ANGELS God’s agents, messengers, companions.

APOSTLES Special helpers, close friends of Jesus, Jesus’s team.

BAPTIZE Dip

BELIEVE/BELIEF Trust

CHRIST(Messiah) God’s Chosen, The Chosen One.

CHIEF PRIEST/HIGH PRIEST Chief of the Clergy

CHIEF PRIESTS, SCRIBES etc(As a group) The Clergy

DISCIPLES Friends, followers, team, gang.

ETERNAL LIFE Life to the full, real life.

GALATIANS Celtic Christians, Celts (Living in Galatia, now central Turkey )

GLORY (of Jesus) Special nature, beauty, splendour, brightness

HEAVEN World beyond time and space, God’s world.

HOLY SPIRIT/SPIRIT God’s Spirit.

JEWS God’s People

JEWS ( hostile elements among the Jews) Temple clergy, Jewish authorities, religious leaders etc.

KING Ruler, Leader, head of state, ‘the greatest’.

KINGDOM OF GOD God’s New World

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN The Bright New World

THE LAW The Rule Book, ‘rules and regulations’.

LORD (of Jesus) Leader.

MESSIAH(Christ) God’s Chosen, The Chosen One.

PHARISEES The strict set.

PARABLES Stories, pictures, riddles.

PRIESTS God’s representatives, links (between people and God); clergy (as a group with
Scribes and Pharisees etc.) High Priest (as of Jesus) ‘the go-between’;‘the vital link’. High Priest (as of Caiaphas etc) Chief of the Clergy.

PROPHET God’s Speaker

RABBI Teacher, Sir.

SABBATH The Rest Day

SALVATION Healing, completeness, full life and health.

SCRIBES Experts in the old books

THE SCRIPTURE The old books

TEMPLE Worship centre, the central place of worship.

SADDUCEES The easy-going set, the group who do not believe in the after-life.

SIN Wrongdoing, faults.

SINNERS Outcasts, those you call ‘bad’.

SON OF GOD God’s True Likeness

SON OF MAN The Complete Person, ‘I’ (for Jesus) ‘we’ (for Jesus and his community or humanity)

SYNAGOGUE Place of worship, Jewish place of worship.
 

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