When we say "God" or "god" what do we actually mean? I think many are just taking for granted it's meaning, or usage without thinking about it.
The Hebrew Elohim probably denotes "strength" and thus Elohim has the inference of a "mighty one". The etymology of Theos is more difficult to determine though. I ask this because often while discussing with others I find that we are using the term in a different way. Some use God as a "TITLE" and others as a "NATURE". Especially those who believe in the Trinity I have noticed use it in the sense of "nature". They say for example that Jesus is to his "nature" God. To me that is like saying that he is by nature a "migty one" which I believe, but they seem to mean something more than that. When I read the NT the only discussion of Jehovah's nature is in John's gospel when it says that God is "spirit" or a spirit being eg immaterial.
When I read the Old testament I therefore tend to see el and elohim as a generic "title" for everything from false gods,angels, kings, judges to Jehovah. Meaning that there is one that is "the mightiest/God"(Jehovah) and other beings like angels that derive their "mighty one/god" title from Jehovah and false "gods/mighty ones" that are either man made or taken this title onto themselves. In the NT I generally see the same pattern but then there are those terms in greek that tend to speak of a "nature" (theotes) divine. How are we to understand these?
So what is it? Is "God" denoting a nature? Or a title? Or something else? What have I missed? Are there clear examples when its used to denote a nature?
Thanks for reading
The Hebrew Elohim probably denotes "strength" and thus Elohim has the inference of a "mighty one". The etymology of Theos is more difficult to determine though. I ask this because often while discussing with others I find that we are using the term in a different way. Some use God as a "TITLE" and others as a "NATURE". Especially those who believe in the Trinity I have noticed use it in the sense of "nature". They say for example that Jesus is to his "nature" God. To me that is like saying that he is by nature a "migty one" which I believe, but they seem to mean something more than that. When I read the NT the only discussion of Jehovah's nature is in John's gospel when it says that God is "spirit" or a spirit being eg immaterial.
When I read the Old testament I therefore tend to see el and elohim as a generic "title" for everything from false gods,angels, kings, judges to Jehovah. Meaning that there is one that is "the mightiest/God"(Jehovah) and other beings like angels that derive their "mighty one/god" title from Jehovah and false "gods/mighty ones" that are either man made or taken this title onto themselves. In the NT I generally see the same pattern but then there are those terms in greek that tend to speak of a "nature" (theotes) divine. How are we to understand these?
So what is it? Is "God" denoting a nature? Or a title? Or something else? What have I missed? Are there clear examples when its used to denote a nature?
Thanks for reading
