The concept of Meaning in Christianity
Synonyms: Significance, Definition, Interpretation, Sense, Implication, Essence, Value, Purpose, Message, Importance, Context, Substance, Gist, Understanding, Explanation.
In Dutch: Betekenis; In Finnish: Merkitys; In Spanish: Significado; In German: Bedeutung; In French: Signification; In Swedish: Menande; In Malay: Maknanya
The below excerpts are indicatory and do represent direct quotations or translations. It is your responsibility to fact check each reference.
Christian concept of 'Meaning'
From: Expositions of Holy Scripture
(1) This is deep and indefinite, and it should deepen our confidence in the triumphs of Christ's Cross, and it may be used to heighten our own confidence.[1] (2) The meaning of the Temple, like all temples, was that the indwelling Deity should reveal Himself, and Christians should stand in the world to manifest God.[2] (3) They who have conquered the animal, the godless self, see into this and the mercifulness of God’s dealings with the world.[3] (4) This is the significance or interpretation of events, and the text describes that it is taught by experiences, particularly those involving a divine entity, and by getting closer to a divine entity.[4] (5) The meaning of the dreams is a key aspect of the narrative, and it is related to Joseph's future and the conflict with his brothers, as well as the interpretations.[5]
From: A Dictionary of the Bible (Hastings)
(1) This refers to the interpretation of the word 'gift' or Corban in Mark 7:11, and is discussed in relation to the concept of sacrifice and offering.[6] (2) What, then, is meant by the ‘knowledge of good and evil,� which was acquired by eating of the tree? Does it mean simply an enlargement of experience such as the transition from childhood to maturity naturally brings with it, and of which the feeling of shame (Genesis 3:7 ) is the significant index?[7]
From: Bible cyclopedia, critical and expository
(1) This is the divine declaration of the rite, referring to Hebrews 9:13, where the ashes of the heifer sanctify the unclean for the purifying of the flesh.[8]
From: Ante-nicene Fathers
(1) This phrase asks for an explanation or understanding of the significance or purpose behind a particular situation or event.[9] (2) This refers to the purpose, and the woman asked about the meaning, and this was a moment of inquiry.[10] (3) The phrase describes the significance, or the interpretation, of the similitudes, and the individual asks for the explanation of these, in the narrative.[11] (4) This refers to the intended sense or significance of the text, which can be corrupted through adulteration, just like the text itself can be corrupted.[12] (5) The text explores the meaning behind the words, and seeks to understand the context and the deeper significance of what He said.[13]
From: Gospel of Thomas Commentary
(1) This refers to the significance or interpretation of a saying or concept, emphasizing the deeper understanding of a text or idea, as the text implies.[14] (2) This refers to the central message or lesson of the parable, and it is the core of the analysis, seeking to understand the story's deeper implications and its teachings, which is the goal.[15] (3) This is the intended message or significance of the parable, which is subject to various interpretations by different people.[16]
From: Summa Theologica (English translation)
(1) When children inquire about the significance of a service, they are instructed to be told that it represents the victim of the passage of the Lord, according to the text.[17]
Gnostic concept of 'Meaning'
From: The Gnostics and Their Remains
(1) The meaning refers to the significance of the Gnostic siglae, as understood through their use by the Brahmins, who write the Great Name AUM.[18]