Bible Dictionaries
Death, Death-Stroke

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

"death," is used in Scripture of: (a) the separation of the soul (the spiritual part of man) from the body (the material part), the latter ceasing to function and turning to dust, e.g., John 11:13; Hebrews 2:15; 5:7; 7:23 . In Hebrews 9:15 , the AV, "by means of death" is inadequate; the RV, "a death having taken place" is in keeping with the subject. In Revelation 13:3,12 , the RV, "death-stroke" (AV, "deadly wound") is, lit., "the stroke of death:"

(b) the separation of man from God; Adam died on the day he disobeyed God, Genesis 2:17 , and hence all mankind are born in the same spiritual condition, Romans 5:12,14,17,21 , from which, however, those who believe in Christ are delivered, John 5:24; 1 John 3:14 . "Death" is the opposite of life; it never denotes nonexistence. As spiritual life is "conscious existence in communion with God," so spiritual "death" is "conscious existence in separation from God."

"Death, in whichever of the above-mentioned senses it is used, is always, in Scripture, viewed as the penal consequence of sin, and since sinners alone are subject to death, Romans 5:12 , it was as the Bearer of sin that the Lord Jesus submitted thereto on the Cross, 1 Peter 2:24 . And while the physical death of the Lord Jesus was of the essence of His sacrifice, it was not the whole. The darkness symbolized, and His cry expressed, the fact that He was left alone in the Universe, He was 'forsaken;' cp. Matthew 27:45,46 ." * [* From Notes on Thessalonians, by Hogg and Vine, p. 134.]

another word for "death," lit. signifies "a taking up or off" (ana, "up," airo, "to take"), as of the taking of a life, or "putting to death;" it is found in Acts 8:1 , of the murder of Stephen. Some mss. have it in Acts 22:20 . See anaireo, under KILL. In the Sept., Numbers 11:15; Judges 15:17 , "the lifting of the jawbone."

"an end, limit" (cp. telos, see END), hence, "the end of life, death," is used of the "death" of Herod, Matthew 2:15 .

"doomed to death" (epi, "upon," thanatos, A, No. 1), is said of the apostles, in 1 Corinthians 4:9 .

"to put to death" (akin to A, No. 1), in Matthew 10:21; Mark 13:12; Luke 21:16 , is translated "shall ... cause (them) to be put to death," lit., "shall put (them) to death" (RV marg.). It is used of the Death of Christ in Matthew 26:59; 27:1; Mark 14:55; 1 Peter 3:18 . In Romans 7:4 (Passive Voice) it is translated "ye ... were made dead," RV (for AV, "are become"), with reference to the change from bondage to the Law to union with Christ; in Romans 8:13 , "mortify" (marg., "make to die"), of the act of the believer in regard to the deeds of the body; in Romans 8:36 , "are killed;" so in 2 Corinthians 6:9 . See KILL , MORTIFY.

lit., "to take or lift up or away" (see A, No. 2), hence, "to put to death," is usually translated "to kill or slay;" in two places "put to death," Luke 23:32; Acts 26:10 . It is used 17 times, with this meaning, in Acts. See KILL , SLAY , TAKE.

lit., "to lead away" (apo, "away," ago, "to lead"), is used especially in a judicial sense, "to put to death," e.g., Acts 12:19 . See BRING , CARRY , LEAD , TAKE.

"to kill," is so translated in the RV, for the AV, "put to death," in Mark 14:1; Luke 18:33; in John 11:53; 12:10; 18:31 , RV, "put to death." See KILL , SLAY.

Note: The phrase eschatos echo, lit., "to have extremely," i.e., "to be in extremity," in extremis, "at the last (gasp), to be at the point of death," is used in Mark 5:23 .