Foreskin – Form

Foreskin

for'-skin (`orlah; akrobustia, often euphemistically translated "uncircumcision"):

(1) In the literal sense the word is frequently mentioned owing to the rite of circumcision in vogue in Israel since the days of Abraham (Genesis 17:9–14) and among several other peoples of antiquity and modern times. The act of circumcision is represented in the temple of Khonsu, a medical deity, at Karnak. Among the Jews of antiquity circumcision had to be performed by means of a flint or stone knife (Exodus 4:25; Joshua 5:2,Joshua 5:3) on the eighth day after birth (Genesis 17:12; Genesis 21:4; Leviticus 12:3; Luke 2:21; Philippians 3:5), even if this day was the Sabbath (John 7:23).

Very early we find the practice one of which the descendants of Abraham became proud (Genesis 34:14), so that we see the uncircumcised despised and scorned (1 Samuel 17:26), and in the time of oppression under King Antiochus Epiphanes many Israelites suffered martyrdom rather than give up the distinctive sign of their people (Genesis 3:4,Genesis 3:5; 2Macc 6:10). Among the Arabs and all Mohammedans the custom of circumcision prevails from pre-Islamic times, for it is nowhere ordered in the Koran, and the appellation "uncircumcised" ghalaf)is considered the greatest possible insult.

A peculiar martial custom is mentioned in 1 Samuel 18:25,1 Samuel 18:27 (compare 2 Samuel 3:14), where Saul is represented as asking "a hundred foreskins of the Philistines" as a dowry from David for the hand of Michal. This does not seem to have been an exceptional booty in war, especially if it meant that no very careful operation was expected to be performed, but the act became practically equivalent to extermination. We find in Egyptian history at the time of Ramses III, that an invasion into Egypt had been made by several Libyan tribes (see Diimichen, Histor. Inschr., I, plates I-VI, and II, plates 47 ff). The Egyptian army sent against the invaders defeated them and returned with a large number of karnatha which is a transcription into hieroglyphics of the Semitic word, qarenoth, the word being used euphemistically as is proven by the accompanying determinative sign of a phallus. See Chabas, Etudes sur l'antiquite historique d'apres lee sources egyptienne,, etc., 234; Bondi, Hebr.-Phoen. Lehnworte im Egyptischen, Leipzig, 1886, 72-74. (2) Metaphorically the word is used in a variety of ways: (a) In the sense of "unlawful," "forbidden as food," "taboo." The fruit of newly planted trees was not to be eaten (Leviticus 19:23–25). (b) In the sense of "obstinacy," "opposition to God's law." The rite of circumcision meant submission under the law. While an outward form could not be identical with an inward attitude toward God, the use of the word "circumcision" was soon extended to that of purity and obedience of the heart (Deuteronomy 10:16; Deuteronomy 30:6; Colossians 2:11, where this circumcision is called a "circumcision not made with hands, .... the circumcision of Christ"). The uselessness of outward circumcision, which does not include obedience and purity, is shown by Paul (Romans 2:25; 1 Corinthians 7:18; compare Acts 7:51). (c) In the sense of "Gentiles," "non-Israelites" (Galatians 2:7; Ephesians 2:11; Colossians 3:11).

See CIRCUMCISION; CONCISION.

H. L. E. Luering

Forest

for'-est:

(1) choresh (compare proper name Harosheth), 2 Chronicles 27:4. In 1 Samuel 23:15 ff translated "wood"; in Isaiah 17:9, "wood"; in Ezekiel 31:3, "forest-like shade." Applied to any thick growth of vegetation but not necessarily so extensive as (3).

(2) pardec: Nehemiah 2:8, margin "park"; Ecclesiastes 2:5, the King James Version "orchards," the Revised Version (British and American) "parks"; Song of Songs 4:13, English Versions of the Bible "orchard," the Revised Version, margin "paradise." A word of Persian origin signifying probably an enclosure.

See PARADISE.

(3) ya`ar from root meaning "rugged"; compare Arabic wa`ar, "a rugged, stony region." It is sometimes rendered "forest" and sometimes (but less often in the Revised Version (British and American)) "wood." It is used of certain definite wooded tracts: "the forest in Arabia" (Isaiah 21:13, margin "thickets"); "the forest of Carmel" (2 Kings 19:23 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "of his fruitful field"); "the forest of Hereth" (1 Samuel 22:5); "the forest of Lebanon" (1 Kings 7:2 1 Kings 10:17–21; 2 Chronicles 9:16–20); "the forest of Ephraim," East of the Jordan (2 Samuel 18:6,2 Samuel 18:8,2 Samuel 18:17). The word ya`ar appears also in well- known Kiriath-jearim, "the city of forests," and Mr. Jearim (Joshua 15:10). Among numerous other references the following may be cited: Deuteronomy 19:5; Joshua 17:15,Joshua 17:18; 1 Chronicles 16:33; 2 Kings 2:24; Psalms 80:13; Psalms 83:14; Psalms 96:12; Psalms 132:6; Ecclesiastes 2:6; Song of Songs 2:3; 1 Samuel 7:2; 1 Samuel 14:25,1 Samuel 14:26; Jeremiah 4:29; Jeremiah 46:23; Ezekiel 34:29; Micah 3:12; Micah 7:14.

(4) cebhakh, from root meaning "to interweave." A "thicket" (Genesis 22:13; Jeremiah 4:7); "thicket of trees" (Psalms 74:5); "thickets of the forest" (Isaiah 9:18; Isaiah 10:34).

(5) 'adbhim, "thicket" (Jeremiah 4:29).

From many references it is evident that Palestine had in Old Testament times much more extensive forests and woodlands than today. For a discussion of the subject see BOTANY.

E. W. G. Masterman

Forest Of Ephraim

See EPHRAIM.

Foretell; Foretold

for-tel', for-told': The King James Version occurrences of these words in the New Testament represent as many Greek terms, and are in each case rendered differently in Revised Version:

(1) Mark 13:23 (proeipon), the Revised Version (British and American) "told beforehand";

(2) Acts 3:24 (prokataggello), the Revised Version (British and American) simply "told";

(3) 2 Corinthians 13:2 (prolego), the Revised Version (British and American) "said beforehand," margin "plainly"; compare 1 Thessalonians 3:4.

The foretelling of future events is claimed in the Old Testament as a prerogative of Yahweh (Isaiah 41:22,Isaiah 41:23; Isaiah 42:9, etc.; compare Deuteronomy 18:22).

See PROPHECY.

Forfeit

for'-fit (charam):

"Forfeit" (from forisfacere, "to act beyond") implies loss through transgression or non-observance of some law or rule. The word occurs only once as the translation of charam, "to shut in," frequently to devote or consecrate a person or thing to God beyond redemption (compare Leviticus 27:28,Leviticus 27:29; Micah 4:13; Ezra 10:8, "That whosoever came not within three days, .... all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the assembly of the captivity," King James Version margin, the American Revised Version, margin and the Revised Version (British and American) "devoted"; compare /APC 1Esdras 9:4, "Their cattle should be seized to the use of the temple" (anieroo, "to consecrate," "devote"); 6:32, "all his goods seized for the king" (ta huparchonia autou einai (eis) basilika)).

The Revised Version (British and American) has "forfeited" (qadhesh, "consecrated,'; "devoted") for "defiled" (Deuteronomy 22:9), margin "Hebrew consecrated"; "forfeit his life" for "lose his own soul" (psuche) (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36); "lose or forfeit his own self" for "lose himself or be cast away" (Luke 9:25, heauton de apolesas e zemiotheis; zemioo is the Septuagint for `anash, "to be mulcted," or "fined," Exodus 21:22; Deuteronomy 22:19; Proverbs 17:26; Proverbs 19:19; Proverbs 21:11; Proverbs 22:3); Weymouth renders Luke 9:25, "to have lost or forfeited his own self" (or "had to pay his own self--his own existence--as a fine"); in the other instances of zemioo (1 Corinthians 3:15; Philippians 3:8), the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) render "suffer loss," "suffered .... loss"; 2 Corinthians 7:9 the King James Version, "receive damage."

W. L. Walker

Forge; Forger

forj, for'-jer (Taphal):

"Forgers of lies" occurs in Job's reply to his comforters (13:4; compare 14:17); the word is the translation of Taphal, "to patch," "lay on," "besmear," hence, to impute, overcharge, etc.; in Psalms 119:69, "forged" occurs with a similar meaning: "The proud have forged a lie against me" (compare Sirach 51:2). "Forger," in the sense of "one who forges, makes, anything," is the Revised Version (British and American) rendering of laTas "to smite," or "hammer," in Genesis 4:22 King James Version: "Tubal-cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron," the Revised Version (British and American) "the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron," margin "an instructor of every artificer of copper and iron."

W. L. Walker

Forget; Forgetful

for-get', for-get'-ful (shakhach; epilanthanomai):

"Forget" is to fail to hold in mind, and the forgetfulness may be either innocent or blameworthy. In the Old Testament the word is most frequently used as translation of shakhach in a blameworthy sense: to forget the covenant, the law, Yahweh their God (Deuteronomy 4:9,Deuteronomy 4:23,Deuteronomy 4:11; Deuteronomy 6:12; Judges 3:7; 1 Samuel 12:9; Psalms 44:20, etc.). In an innocent or neutral, sometimes good, sense it is used in Genesis 27:45; Deuteronomy 24:19; Job 9:27; Job 11:16; Job 24:20; Psalms 102:4, etc. It is also used of God forgetting or not seeming to care (Psalms 9:12; Psalms 10:11,Psalms 10:12; Psalms 13:1; Psalms 42:9; Psalms 77:9; Isaiah 49:15, etc.). To "forget" sometimes means to forsake (Psalms 45:10; Psalms 74:19, etc.).

In the New Testament epilanthanomai is used of simple forgetting (Matthew 16:5; Mark 8:14, etc.; in Luke 12:6 the sense of care is implied); Philippians 3:13, "forgetting the things which are behind," has the force of leaving behind. "Forgetful" in James 1:25 is epilesmone, the Revised Version (British and American) "a hearer that forgetteth." "Forgetfulness" Psalms 88:12, "the land of forgetfulness," is a synonym for Sheol, where all forget and are forgotten. the Revised Version (British and American) has "forget not" for "be ignorant of" (2 Peter 3:8; similarly 2 Peter 3:5).

W. L. Walker

Forgiveness

for-giv'-nes (kaphar, nasa', calach; apoluein charizesthai, aphesis paresis):

1. Etymology

2. Pagan and Jewish Ideas

3. The Teaching of Christ

4. Conditions of Forgiveness

5. The Offended Party

6. Divine and Human Forgiveness

7. Forgiveness and Justification

8. Old Testament Teaching

9. Limitations of Forgiveness

10. Christ's Power to Forgive Sins

11. The Need of an Atonement

12. The New Testament Doctrine of Atonement

1. Etymology:

Of the seven words, three Hebrew and four Greek, which are used to express the idea of forgiveness, the last two occur in this sense only once each. Apoluein (Luke 6:37) is used because of the analogy of sin to debt, and denotes the release from it. It has the meaning "forgiveness" in 2 Macc 12:45 also, in which passage the word for sin is expressed. In Romans 3:25 Paul uses paresis instead of the usual aphesis. The former means "putting aside," "disregarding," "pretermission"; the latter, "putting away" completely and unreservedly (Trench, Synonyms of the New Testament, section xxxiii). It does not mean forgiveness in the complete sense, and in the King James Version is incorrectly translated "remission." Nor does it mean that God had temporarily suspended punishment which at some later date He might inflict (Sanday on Romans 3:25). It was apparent that God had treated sins as though He had forgiven them, though in fact such an attitude on the part of God was without such a foundation as was later supplied by an adequate atonement, and so the apostle avoids saying that God forgave them. This passing over of sins had the tendency of destroying man's conception of God's righteousness, and in order to avert this Christ was set forth as a propitiation and God's disregard of sin (paresis) became a real forgiveness (aphesis); compare Acts 14:16; Acts 17:30. Charizesthai is not found outside of the writings of Luke and Paul, and in the sense "to forgive sins" is peculiarly Pauline (2 Corinthians 2:7;2 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 3:2; Colossians 2:13; Colossians 3:13). It expresses, as no other of these words does, his conception of the graciousness of God's pardon. Kaphar (Deuteronomy 21:8; Psalms 78:38; Jeremiah 18:23) and calah (Nu 30:5,8,12; 1Ki 30,34,36,39,50, etc.) are used only of Divine forgiveness, while nasa' is used in this sense (Exodus 32:32; Numbers 14:19; Joshua 24:19; Psalms 25:18; Psalms 32:1,Psalms 32:5; Psalms 99:8; Isaiah 2:9), and also of human forgiveness (Genesis 50:17; Exodus 10:17; 1 Samuel 25:28). Remission (Matthew 26:28; Mark 1:4; Luke 1:77;Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:43; Hebrews 9:22; Hebrews 10:18) and blotting out (Psalms 51:1,Psalms 51:9; Isaiah 43:25; Jeremiah 18:23; Acts 3:19) are synonyms of forgiveness, and to understand it fully such words as save, justify, reconcile and atonement should also be considered.

2. Pagan and Jewish Ideas:

Forgiveness was not a pagan virtue. The large-souled man might disregard offenses in cases where he considered them beneath his notice, but to forgive was weak-spirited (F. W. Robertson on 1 Corinthians 4:12). Even in the Old Testament, man's forgiveness of his fellow-man is infrequently mentioned. In every case the one asking forgiveness is in a position of subserviency, and is petitioning for that to which he has no just right (Genesis 50:17; Exodus 10:17; 1 Samuel 15:25; 1 Samuel 25:28). The Imprecatory Psalms attest the fact that forgiveness of enemies was not esteemed as a virtue by Israel. They could appeal to the law which enjoined upon them to seek neither the peace nor the prosperity of their avowed enemies (Deuteronomy 23:6; compare Ezra 9:12). Jesus gave the popular summing-up of the law and not its exact words when he said, "Ye have heard that it was said .... hate thine enemy" (Matthew 5:43), and this certainly does represent their attitude and their understanding of the teaching of the Scriptures.

3. The Teaching of Christ:

Christ taught that forgiveness is a duty. No limit can be set to the extent of forgiveness (Luke 17:4) and it must be granted without reserve. Jesus will not admit that there is any wrong so gross nor so often repeated that it is beyond forgiveness. To Him an unforgiving spirit is one of the most heinous of sins (Bruce, Parabolic Teaching, 376 ff). This is the offense which God will not forgive (Matthew 18:34,Matthew 18:35). It is the very essence of the unpardonable sin (Mark 3:22–30).

It was the one blemish of the elder son which marred an otherwise irreproachable life (Luke 15:28–30). This natural, pagan spirit of implacability Jesus sought to displace by a generous, forgiving spirit. It is so far the essence of His teaching that in popular language "a Christian spirit" is not inappropriately understood to be synonymous with a forgiving disposition. His answer to Peter that one should forgive not merely seven times in a day, but seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21,Matthew 18:22), not only shows that He thought of no limit to one's forgiveness, but that the principle could not be reduced to a definite formula.

4. Conditions of Forgiveness:

Jesus recognized that there are conditions to be fulfilled before forgiveness can be granted. Forgiveness is part of a mutual relationship; the other part is the repentance of the offender. God does not forgive without repentance, nor is it required of man. The effect of forgiveness is to restore to its former state the relationship which was broken by sin. Such a restoration requires the cooperation of both parties. There must be both a granting and an acceptance of the forgiveness. Sincere, deep-felt sorrow for the wrong which works repentance (2 Corinthians 7:10) is the condition of mind which insures the acceptance of the forgiveness. Hence, Jesus commands forgiveness when the offender turns again, saying, "I repent" (Luke 17:3,Luke 17:1). It was this state of mind which led the father joyfully to welcome the Prodigal before he even gave utterance to his newly formed purpose (Luke 15:21).

5. The Offended Party:

It is not to be supposed, however, that failure to repent upon the part of the offender releases the offended from all obligation to extend forgiveness. Without the repentance of the one who has wronged him he can have a forgiving state of mind. This Jesus requires, as is implied by, "if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts" (Matthew 18:35). It is also implied by the past tense in the Lord's Prayer: "as we also have forgiven our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). It is this forgiving spirit which conditions God's forgiveness of our sins (Mark 11:25; Matthew 6:14,Matthew 6:15). In such a case the unforgiving spirit is essentially unrepentance (Matthew 18:23–35). "Of all acts, is not, for a man, repentance the most Divine?"

The offended is to go even farther and is to seek to bring the wrongdoer to repentance. This is the purpose of the rebuking commanded in Luke 17:3. More explicitly Jesus says, "If thy brother sin against thee, go, show him his fault between thee and him alone" (Matthew 18:15–17). He is to carry his pursuit to the point of making every reasonable effort to win the wrongdoer, and only when he has exhausted every effort may he abandon it. The object is the gaining of his brother. Only when this is evidently unattainable is all effort to cease.

The power of binding and loosing, which means forbidding and allowing, was granted to Peter (Matthew 16:19) and to the Christian community (Matthew 18:18; John 20:23). It clearly implies the possession of the power to forgive sins. In the case of Peter's power it was exercised when he used the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19). This consisted in the proclamation of the gospel and especially of the conditions upon which men might enter into relationship with God (Acts 2:38; Acts 10:34). It was not limited to Peter only, but was shared by the other apostles (Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:18). Christ left no fixed rules the observance or non-observance of which would determine whether one is or is not in the kingdom of God. He gave to His disciples principles, and in the application of these principles to the problems of life there had to be the exercise of discriminating judgment. The exercise of this judgment was left to the Christian community (2 Corinthians 2:10).

It is limited by the principles which are the basis of the kingdom, but within these principles the voice of the community is supreme. The forgiveness here implied is not the pronouncing of absolution for the sins of individuals, but the determination of courses of conduct and worship which will be acceptable. In doing this its decisions will be ratified in heaven (Westcott on John 20:23).

That there is a close analogy between human and Divine forgiveness is clearly implied (Matthew 5:23,Matthew 5:14; Matthew 6:12; Mark 11:25; Luke 6:37; Colossians 1:14; Colossians 3:13). God"s forgiveness is conditional upon man's forgiveness of the wrongs done him, not because God forgives grudgingly but because forgiveness alone indicates that disposition of mind which will humbly accept the Divine pardon.

6. Divine and Human Forgiveness:

Repentance is a necessary ingredient of the fully developed forgiveness. There is no essential difference between the human and the Divine pardon, though the latter is necessarily more complete. It results in the complete removal of all estrangement and alienation between God and man. It restores completely the relationship which existed prior to the sin. The total removal of the sin as a result of the Divine forgiveness is variously expressed in the Scriptures: "Thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back" (Isaiah 38:17); "Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" (Micah 7:19); "I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more" (Jeremiah 31:34); "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions" (Isaiah 43:25); "As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us" (Psalms 103:12). Ideally this same result is attained in human forgiveness, but actually the memory of the sin remains with both parties as a barrier between them, and even when there is a complete restoration of amity the former state of alienation cannot entirely be removed from memory. When God forgives, however, He restores man to the condition of former favor. Release from punishment is involved, though Divine forgiveness is more than this. In most cases the consequences, which in some instances are spoken of as punishment, are not removed, but they lose all penal character and become disciplinary. Nor does the forgiveness remove from human mind the consciousness of sin and the guilt which that involved, but it does remove the mistrust which was the ground of the alienation. Mistrust is changed into trust, and this produces peace of mind (Psalms 32:5–7; Romans 5:1); consciousness of the Divine love and mercy (Psalms 103:2); removes fear of punishment (2 Samuel 12:13); and awakens love to God.

7. Forgiveness and Justification:

Paul rarely uses the term "forgiveness," but in its place prefers justification. They are to his understanding practically synonymous (Stevens, Theology of the New Testament, 418). He preferred the latter, however, because it was better fitted to express the idea of secure, present and permanent acceptance in the sight of God. It connoted both a complete and a permanent state of grace. In popular thought forgiveness is not so comprehensive, but in the Biblical sense it means no less than this. It removes all of the guilt and cause of alienation from the past; it assures a state of grace for the present; and promises Divine mercy and aid for the future. Its fullness cannot adequately be conveyed by any one term or formula. Divine, like human, forgiveness is always contingent upon the fulfillment of conditions. It must be preceded by repentance and a firmly fixed intention not to repeat the offense. In addition to this, one was required to conform to certain legal or formal acts before the assurance of pardon was his. These acts were expressive of the sinner's state of mind. They consisted of certain acts of sacrifice in the pre-Christian times and of baptism during the ministry of John the Baptist (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3) and under Christ (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16). These acts are never regarded as in any sense a quid pro quo in return for which the benefit of forgiveness is granted. It is an act of pure grace on God's part, and these acts are required as expressions of the man's attitude toward God. The state of mind required in order to obtain the gift of forgiveness is that to which the Prodigal Son came (Luke 15:17–19), and that of the sinner who went to his house justified rather than the Pharisee (18:9-14), because he realized that forgiveness was to him an act of pure favor. There was real and actual forgiveness of sins in the Old Testament times as well as since Christ. Certain passages have been construed to teach that the Law provided only for a passing over or rolling back of sins, and that there was not then an actual forgiveness.

8. Old Testament Teaching:

The sacrifices prescribed by the Law were not adequate atonements, so that there was constant necessity of yearly remembrance of sin (Hebrews 10:3; compare Leviticus 16:21). The atonement of Christ is, however, of permanent adequacy, and became retroactive in the sense that it unified in Christ the Divine arrangement for saving mankind in all ages (Hebrews 11:40). "The passing over of the sins done aforetime" (Romans 3:25) does not imply a partial or apparent forgiveness, but means that they were forgiven, though seemingly without adequate recognition on the part of God of their heinous character. In view of God's righteous character men might naturally have expected punishment, but instead the offenders were spared (compare Acts 14:16; Acts 17:30). No expression in the Old Testament suggests any inadequacy of the forgiveness extended to Israel, but on the other hand many passages may be quoted to show how rich and full it was deemed to be (Psalms 103:1–22; Micah 7:19; Isaiah 38:17, Jeremiah 31:34).

9. Limitations of Forgiveness:

Two passages seem to limit God's forgiveness. They are Christ's discussion of the unpardonable sin (Matthew 12:31,Matthew 12:32; Mark 3:28–30; Luke 12:10), and the one which mentions the sin unto death (1 John 5:16; compare Hebrews 6:4–6). In the former passage there is mentioned a sin which has no forgiveness, and in the latter, one on behalf of which the apostle cannot enjoin prayer that it be forgiven, though he does not prohibit it. In both cases the sin is excluded from the customary forgiveness which is extended to sins of all other classes.

The act of the Pharisees which led Jesus to speak of the unpardonable sin was the attributing of a good deed wrought by Him through the Spirit of God (Matthew 12:28) to Beelzebub. No one could do such a thing unless his moral nature was completely warped. To such a person the fundamental distinctions between good and evil were obliterated. No ordinary appeal could reach him, for to him good seemed evil and evil seemed good. The possibility of winning him back is practically gone; hence, he is beyond the hope of forgiveness, not because God has set an arbitrary line of sinfulness, beyond which His grace of forgiveness will not reach, but because the man has put himself beyond the possibility of attaining to that state of mind which is the essential condition of Divine forgiveness. It is practically certain that John did not have any particular sinful act in mind when he spoke of the sin which is unto death.

See BLASPHEMY.

There is no possible way of determining what specific sin, if any, he refers to. Probably the same principle applies in this case as in that of the unpardonable sin. God's forgiveness is limited solely by the condition that man must accept it in the proper spirit.

There are some passages which seem to imply that forgiveness was the principal Messianic task. This is suggested by the name given to the Messiah during His earthly career (Matthew 1:21), and by the fact that He was the Saviour. The remission of sins was the preparation for the advent of the Messiah (Luke 1:77), and repentance and remission of sins were the prerequisites to a state of preparation for the kingdom.

10. Christ's Power to Forgive Sins:

It is not surprising, therefore, that we find Jesus laying claim to the power to forgive sins. This provoked a bitter controversy with the Jews, for it was axiomatic with them that no one could forgive sins but God only (Mark 2:7; Luke 5:21; Luke 7:49). This Jesus did not question, but He would have them infer from His power to forgive sins that He was the possessor of Divine power. Jesus asserted His possession of this power on two occasions only, though it has been sfficiently inferred from John 5:14; John 8:11 that He was accustomed to pronounce absolution upon all of those He healed. On one of these occasions He not merely asserted that He possessed the power, but demonstrated it by showing Himself to be the possessor of the Divine gift of healing. The impostor might claim some such intangible power as the authority to forgive sins, but he would never assert the possession of such easily disproved power as the ability to heal the sick. But Jesus claimed both, and based His claim to be the possessor of the former on the demonstration that He possessed the latter. God would not support an impostor, hence, his aid in healing the paralytic proved that Jesus could forgive sins. The multitude accepted this logic and "glorified God, who had given such authority unto men" (Matthew 9:2–9;Mark 2:3–12; Luke 5:18–26).

On the other occasion when His possession of this power was under discussion (Luke 7:36–50), He offered no other proof than the forgiven woman's deep gratitude and love. One expression that He uses, however, has raised some discussion as to the relative order in time of her love and forgiveness (Luke 7:47). Did she love because she was forgiven, or vice versa? Manifestly the forgiveness precedes the love, in spite of the fact that Luke 7:47 seems to assert the opposite, for this is the bearing of the parable of the Two Debtors (7:41-43), and the latter part of 7:47 has the same implication. It is clear that she had previously repented and had been accepted, and the anointing of Jesus was an outpouring of her gratitude.

The phrase of 7:47, "for she loved much," is proof of the greatness of her sin rather than a reason why she was forgiven. In both cases where Jesus forgave sins, He did so because the state of mind of the person forgiven showed worthiness of the blessing. To this as a condition of forgiveness there is no exception. Christ's prayer on the cross (Luke 23:34) would not avail to secure the pardon of His murderers without their repentance.

11. The Need of an Atonement:

Though forgiveness is on God's part an act of pure grace prompted by His love and mercy, and though He forgives freely all those who comply with the condition of repentance and abandonment of sin, yet this does not dispense with the necessity of an atonement. The parable of the Prodigal Son was spoken to teach the freedom of God's forgiveness and acceptance of returning sinners, and the duty of men to assume the same attitude toward them. This much it teaches, but it fails to set forth entirely God's attitude toward sin. With reference to the sinner God is love and mercy, but with reference to sin He is righteous, and this element of God's nature is no less essential to Him than His love, and must be considered in any effort to set forth completely the doctrine of God's forgiveness of sinners. The atonement of Christ and the many atonements of the Law were manifestations of this phase of God's nature.

12. The New Testament Doctrine of Atonement:

The idea of an atonement is fundamental in the teachings of the New Testament (Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18–21; Colossians 1:21). It is very clearly implied in such terms as reconciliation and propitiation, and is no less present in pardon, remission and forgiveness. The doctrine of the atonement is not developed by Jesus, but it is strongly hinted at and is unmistakably implied in the language of Matthew 20:28; Matthew 26:28; Mark 10:45; Luke 24:46,Luke 24:47. John the Baptist's salute, "Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29), also implies it. In the writings of the apostles it is repeatedly and clearly affirmed that our forgiveness and reconciliation to God is based upon the death of Christ. "In none other is there salvation" (Acts 4:12); through Him is the redemption (Romans 3:24); God set Him forth to be a propitiation (Romans 3:25); through Him "we have now received the reconciliation" (Romans 5:11); "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19); "Him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf" (2 Corinthians 5:21); and "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us" (Galatians 3:13). Such citations might be greatly multiplied. That which was so perfectly accomplished by the offering of Christ was in an analagous though imperfect way accomplished by the sacrifices required by the Law. It had "a shadow of the good things to come" (Hebrews 10:1).

The unvarying effect of sin is to produce an estrangement between the injurer and the wronged. The nature of God is such and the relationship between Him and man is of such a character that sin brings about an alienation between them. It is this presupposition of an estrangement between them which renders the atonement necessary before forgiveness can be extended to man. This estrangement must be removed, and the alienation be transformed into a reconciliation. In what then does the alienation consist?

The sin of man produces a changed attitude toward each other on the part of both God and man. God holds no personal pique against man because of his sin. The New Testament language is very carefully chosen to avoid any statement which would seem to convey such a conception. Yet God's holy righteousness is such that He cannot be indifferent to sin. His wrath must rest upon the disobedient (John 3:36; Romans 1:18). It is not merely impersonal. It is not enough to say He hates the sin. Man's unrighteousness has not merely alienated him from God, but God also from him. The word "enemies" (echthroi) of Romans 5:10 is passive, and means the object of God's enmity (Sunday, at the place). It was because of this fact that God set forth Christ to be a propitiation to show His righteousness because of the passing over of sins done aforetime (Romans 3:25,Romans 3:26).

God's passing over, without inflicting punishment, the sins of pre-Christian times had placed in jeopardy His righteousness; had exposed Him to the implication that He could tolerate sin. God could not be true to Himself while He tolerated such an imputation, and so instead of visiting punishment upon all who sinned--which would have been one way of showing His righteousness--He set forth Christ to death ("in his blood"), and in this way placed Himself beyond the imputation of unrighteousness while it enabled Him to show mercy to sinners. The effect of sin upon man was to estrange him from God, to lead him farther and farther away from his Maker. Each successive sin produced a greater barrier between the two. Now the atonement was designed to remove the cause of this estrangement and restore the former relationship between God and man.

This too, it has been observed, is the purpose of forgiveness, so that the atonement finds its completion in forgiveness. It should be noted that the reconciliation originates with God and not with man (Romans 3:25; 2 Corinthians 5:19). God woos man before the latter seeks God. The effect of the atonement on man is to reconcile him, attract him, to God. It shows him God's love for man, and the forgiveness, in that it removes sin completely, takes away the estranging factor between them and so wins man back to God. "We love, because he first loved us." At the same time the atonement is such a complete expression of both the love and the righteousness of God that, while on the one hand it exhibits his yearning for man, on the other it shows that He is not tolerant toward sin. In the atonement of Christ, therefore, is the meeting-place and the reconcilement of God's holy horror of sin and the free bestowal of forgiveness upon penitent believers.

William Charles Morro

Forgo

for-go' (from for, negative, and go):

Occurs in Ecclesiasticus 7:19, as translation of astocheo, which means "to miss the mark," "turn or swerve from." "Forgo not a wise and good wife (the King James Version "woman"); for her grace is above gold," meaning "Turn not away from her"; in Ecclesiasticus 8:9, the word is rendered "miss not"; compare 1 Timothy 1:6; 1 Timothy 6:21; 2 Timothy 2:18.

Fork

fork (shelosh qilleshon):

This compound word, meaning strictly "three points" or "three prongs," is found only once (1 Samuel 13:21), and doubtless there refers to the agricultural tool now known as the pitchfork. It might, however, also be a weapon.

Form

form (yatsar, to'ar; morphe):

(1) To form is "to fashion," "create," "produce." In the Old Testament it is for the most part the translation of yatsar, "to form," "to fashion" (Genesis 2:7, etc., "Yahweh God formed man of the dust of the ground," etc.); also of chul and chil, "to be twisted" "turned round" "to bring forth (in pain)" (compare Isaiah 13:8; Micah 4:10; Deuteronomy 32:18 the King James Version, "God that formed thee"; Job 26:13 the King James Version; Psalms 90:2, "or ever thou hadst formed the earth" etc.; Proverbs 26:10 the King James Version). In the New Testament we have morphoo, "to form" (Galatians 4:19, "until Christ be formed in you"); plasso, "to form," "to mold" (Romans 9:20, "him that formed it"; 1 Timothy 2:13, "Adam was first formed"; /APC 2Macc 7:23, "the Creator .... who formed the generation of man," the Revised Version (British and American) "fashioned"; 7:22, "that formed the members (diarrhuthmizo)," the Revised Version (British and American) "brought into order").

(2) Form (noun) is used for

(a) appearance, mar'eh, "sight," "appearance" (Job 4:16, "I could not discern the form thereof" the Revised Version (British and American) "appearance" with "form" for "image" (temunah) in next sentence); tselem, Aramaic "image" (Daniel 3:19, "The form of his visage was changed"); rew, "form," "likeness" (Daniel 2:31; Daniel 3:25, the Revised Version (British and American) "aspect"); to'ar, "visage," "form" (1 Samuel 28:14, "What form is he of?");

(b) the fixed or characteristic form of anything, tabhnith, "model," "form" (Ezekiel 8:3; Ezekiel 10:8, "the form of a hand"; Ezekiel 8:10, "every form of creeping things"); morphe, characteristic form as distinguished from schema, changing fashion (Philippians 2:6, "in the form of God"; Philippians 2:7, "the form of a servant"; less distinctly Mark 16:12, "in another form");

(c) shape, model, pattern, mold, tsurah, "shape," from tsur, "to cut or carve" (Ezekiel 43:11, ter, "the form of the house," etc.); mishpat, "rule" (2 Chronicles 4:7 the King James Version); tupos, "type," "impress" (Romans 6:17, the Revised Version, margin "pattern"); hupotuposis, "outline," pattern (2 Timothy 1:13, the Revised Version (British and American) "pattern"); morphosis, "form," "appearance" (Romans 2:20, "the form of knowledge");

(d) orderly arrangement, giving shape or form (Genesis 1:2; Jeremiah 4:23, the earth was "without form," tohu, the Revised Version (British and American) "waste"; The Wisdom of Solomon /APC Wis 11:17, amorphos); "form of speech" (2 Samuel 14:20, aspect, panim, "face," the Revised Version (British and American) "to change the face of the matter"); as giving comeliness or beauty, to'ar (Isaiah 52:14; Isaiah 53:2, "He hath no form nor comeliness"; compare Genesis 29:17; Genesis 39:6, etc.; The Wisdom of Solomon /APC Wis 15:5, "desiring the form (eidos) of a dead image," the Revised Version (British and American) "the breathless form");

(e) Show, without substance, morphosis, "form" (2 Timothy 3:5, "holding a form of godliness").

ARV has "didst form" for "hast possessed" (Psalms 139:13, so the English Revised Version, margin; both have "formed" for "made" (Psalms 104:26), the American Standard Revised Version for "framed" twice (Isaiah 29:16); both for "formed thee," "gave birth" (Deuteronomy 32:18); "pierced" (Job 26:13); "woundeth" (Proverbs 26:10); "fastened" (Isaiah 44:10); for "are formed from" (Job 26:5), "tremble"; for "their form" (2 Chronicles 4:7), "the ordinance concerning them"; "form" for "similitude" (Numbers 12:8; Deuteronomy 4:12,Deuteronomy 4:15); for "size" (1 Kings 6:25; 1 Kings 7:37); for "shape" (Luke 3:22; John 5:37); "in the form" for "similitude" (Deuteronomy 4:16); for "or the like" (Deuteronomy 4:23,Deuteronomy 4:15); the American Standard Revised Version "(beholding) thy form" for "thy likeness" (Psalms 17:15, the English Revised Version, margin); "every form" for "all appearance" (1 Thessalonians 5:22; so the English Revised Version, margin "appearance").

W. L. Walker