the Week of Proper 3 / Ordinary 8
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Bible Dictionaries
Better (2)
Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words
or used (a) transitively, means "to carry through" or "about" (dia, "through," phero, "to carry"), Mark 11:16 ("carry ... through"); Acts 13:49; 27:27 ("driven to and fro"); (b) intransitively, (1) "to differ," Romans 2:18; Galatians 2:6; Philippians 1:10; (2) "to excel, be better," e.g., Matthew 6:26; 10:31 ("of more value"); Matthew 12:12; Luke 12:7,24; 1 Corinthians 15:41; Galatians 4:1; some would put Romans 2:18 and Philippians 1:10 here (see marg.). See CARRY , DIFFER , DRIVE , EXCELLENT , MATTER (make), PUBLISH.
"to be over or above (a number), to be more than enough, to be pre-eminent, superior," Matthew 5:20 , is translated "are we the better," in 1 Corinthians 8:8 (cp. 15:58; Romans 15:13; 2 Corinthians 3:9; 8:7; Philippians 1:9; Colossians 2:7; 1 Thessalonians 4:1,10 ). See ABOUND.
signifies "to indemnify, pay expenses, pay taxes" (from luo, "to loose," telos, "toll, custom"); hence, "to be useful, advantageous, to be better," Luke 17:2 .
lit. means "to hold or have above" (huper, "above," echo, "to hold"); hence, metaphorically, to be superior to, to be better than, Philippians 2:3; 1 Peter 2:13 , "supreme," in reference to kings; in Romans 13:1 , "higher;" Philippians 3:8 , "excellency," more strictly "the surpassing thing, (namely, the knowledge of Christ);" in Philippians 4:7 "passeth." See EXCELLENCY , HIGHER , PASS , SUPREME.
Notes: (1) In Romans 3:9 the RV rightly translates proecho (which there is used in the Passive Voice, not the Middle) "are we in worse case than ...?," i.e., "are we surpassed?" "are we at a disadvantage?" The question is, are the Jews, so far from being better off than the Gentiles, in such a position that their very privileges bring them into a greater disadvantage or condemnation than the Gentiles? The AV "are we better" does not convey the meaning. (2) Sumphero, in Matthew 18:6 , AV, is translated "it were better for him," RV, "profitable." See Matthew 5:29,30 etc. See BRING , EXPEDIENT , GOOD , D, Note (2), PROFITABLE.These files are public domain.
Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Better (2)'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ved/b/better-2.html. 1940.
