Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Abba – means “father” in Aramaic (243)
Abel – the second son of Adam and Eve (53)
Abomination – something hateful and disgusting
Abraham – the father of God’s people, Israel (25, 34, 56, 73, 85, 237, 341, 268)
Absolution – pronouncement or declaration of forgiveness of sins (301, 305, 310, see ‘Forgiveness‘)
Achan – Israelite who disobeyed God’s command at Jericho (254)
Acquit – to declare someone not guilty (211)
Active Obedience – Christ’s keeping the Law in our behalf (138, 176, First Commandment Conclusion, Chapter 18 Conclusion)
Actual Sin – every evil thought, word and deed
Adam – the first human being (266)
Admonition – a word of warning and counsel
Adultery – 1) forbidden sexual relations, especially unfaithfulness to one’s partner in marriage 2) all unchaste thoughts and conduct in sexual matters (64, 65, 66, 67, 98, Sixth Commandment)
Advocate – a person who pleads another’s cause
Affliction – anything causing pain or distress (270)
Agnus Dei – ‘Lamb of God’ – a three-part prayer addressed to Christ the Lamb of God, traditionally sung before the Distribution in the Sacrament of the Altar
Ahab – wicked king of Israel who had Naboth killed (83, 92)
Alienate – to separate, make unfriendly (214)
Almighty – possessing all power
Amen – “Yes, it shall be so.” (Conclusion of the Lord’s Prayer)
Amend – to improve, correct (326)
Ananias – member of church in Jerusalem who, with wife Sapphira, deceived and defrauded the church (180)
Anoint – to set aside for a special purpose, often signified by applying oil to a person, particularly when installing a person into a priestly or kingly office (173)
Antioch – city in Syria where Paul and Barnabas worked; followers of Jesus first called “Christian” there (205)
Antecedent – occurring before
Antecedent Will of God – God wants all men to be saved and to go to heaven.
Antinomianism – the belief that Christians are free from many, if not all, of the constraints of the moral law as recorded in the Bible
Antiphon – introductory verses
Antitype – the fulfillment of the type (see ‘Type‘)
Apostle – one called by Christ Himself and sent forth to preach and teach (205, 208, 209, Chapter 14 Conclusion)
Aquila – Jewish tentmaker born in Pontus, co-worker of Paul, husband of Priscilla (85)
Ascension – the risen Christ’s removal of His physical presence by passing into the heavens to sit at the right hand of the Father (166, 167)
Atonement – the making of peace between God and man accomplished through the sacrificial life and death of Jesus Christ (139, God the Son – Redemption, Redemption from All Enemies)
Attribute – a quality or characteristic (135, 141, 161, 180)
Authority – the power and right to settle current issues and to determine the future course of action

B

Baal – a false god worshiped especially by the Canaanites (22)
Baptism – a sacred washing with water and Word commanded by Christ (21, 108, 277, 278, 279, The Nature and Blessings of Baptism, The Power and Meaning of Baptism)
Baptize – to apply water (274)
Bar-Jesus – A sorcerer and false prophet on Cyprus who tried to prevent the conversion of Sergius Paulus (32)
Begotten – to have been generated as an offspring
Benedicamus – ‘Bless we the Lord’ – an exhortation to bless the Lord in gratitude for His grace
Benediction – the blessing spoken over the congregation at the conclusion of the divine service
Benedictus – ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel’ – a canticle used in the Order of Matins – also called the Song of Zacharias
Berea – city of Macedonia whose inhabitants (Bereans) studied the Scriptures (8, 37)
Bethel – town about 12 miles north of Jerusalem (52)
Bethlehem – town about 7½ miles south of Jerusalem, Jesus’ birthplace (144)
Bible – God’s Word
Binding – applying restrictions to
Blasphemy – deliberate mockery, scorn and disrespect, especially directed against God (28)
Blameless – without obvious evidence of sinfulness
Bodily Welfare – the prospering of the body
Bribe – to influence someone to do something wrong by offering a gift or favor (72)

C

Caiaphas – the High Priest at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion (31)
Cain – the first son of Adam and Eve (53)
Canaan – son of Ham, grandson of Noah (101); name of the land promised to the Israelites, i.e., the Promised Land
Canticle – a type of song, often taken directly from the Bible, employed in the traditional liturgy
Capital Punishment – the punishment of death for a crime that has been committed (58)
Carnal – fleshly, corrupted by sin
Catechism – a book of questions and answers
Catholic Church – short for ‘Roman Catholic Church’, the name of a denomination (see ‘Roman Catholic Church‘)
Catholic – universal, embracing all the world (202)
Centurion – a Roman officer, the commander of 100 men (79)
Ceremonial – concerning the ceremonies that were pictures of the coming Christ
Ceremonial Law – special regulations in Old Testament times governing the religious life of the Jews (16, Chapter 2 Introduction)
Ceremony – a formal religious or sacred observance
Chaste – clean, pure, especially in sexual matters (Sixth Commandment)
Chasten – to discipline in order to correct or improve
Christ – means ‘Anointed One’ in Greek, is the same as ‘Messiah’ in Hebrew, the title of Jesus (173, God the Chapter 21 Introduction)
Church – 1) all those who truly believe in Jesus Christ (see ‘Holy Christian Church‘) 2) a group of people who confess the Christian faith, a congregation or denomination (Office of the Keys) 3) a building used by a congregation for worship
Church Body – a group of congregations that have decided to work together
Civil – concerning the government of the nation
Civil Law – special regulations in Old Testament times governing life in the Jewish nation (16, Chapter 2 Introduction)
Collect – a short prayer having a fixed form or pattern, the full form consisting of five parts: the invocation, the basis for the petition, the petition itself, the purpose for the petition and the Trinitarian ending
Commission – 1) something done as opposed to not done, see ‘Sin of Commission‘ 2) a proper authorization (205)
Communion – 1) a group or society (197, 204, Third Article, see ‘Communion of Saints‘) 2) the joining together of a group (315, 316) 3) the Lord’s Supper (Chapter 35 Introduction, see ‘Sacrament of the Altar‘)
Communion of Saints – all Christians viewed as a group (197, 204, Third Article, see Communion)
Conceive – to become or to make pregnant (142, 143, Second Article, see ‘Conception‘)
Conception – the moment when a human being comes into existence
Conclusion – a judgment or decision reached after deliberation
Conditional Prayer – a prayer for something that God has not promised
Confession – 1) admitting one’s sins (308, 309, “What is Confession?”, see ‘Confession of Sins‘ 2) a statement of faith, a creed (pp. 231-233, see ‘Confession of Faith‘)
Confession of Faith – a statement of faith, a creed (pp. 231-233, see ‘Confession‘)
Confession of Sins – a prayer to God in which we confess or admit our sins (308, 309, “What is Confession?”, see ‘Confession‘)
Conscience – the personal feeling of being right or wrong, a kind of inner voice or judge (17, 282)
Consecration – when the Words of Institution are spoken during the Sacrament of the Altar
Consequent – arising as a result of
Consequent Will of God – God condemns (damns) those who reject His forgiveness.
Contempt – disrespect (Chapter 4 Conclusion)
Contrite – deeply sorry for one’s sins (296, 301, see ‘Contrition‘, 294, see “What does such baptizing with water mean?”)
Contrition – the condition of being contrite, i.e., deeply sorry for one’s sins (see ‘Contrite‘)
Convert – to change or turn, especially from sin and unbelief, to faith in Christ and a holy life (215, 216, Chapter 22 Conclusion)
Corruptible – subject to corruption (97, see ‘Corruption‘)
Corruption – wickedness, rottenness, moral perversion, physical decay (97)
Covenant – a solemn agreement or contract, generally including a promise to do something, especially an agreement that God makes with people (17, 293, 296, see ‘Testament‘)
Covet – wrongly to desire that which does not belong to one, to lust for some thing (82, 92, Ninth Commandment, Tenth Commandment, see ‘Covetousness‘)
Covetousness – the sin of coveting (see ‘Covet‘)
Craftily – in a clever but sly manner (Ninth Commandment)