Bible Dictionaries
Open, Opening

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

is used (1) transitively, (a) literally, of "a door or gate," e.g., Acts 5:19; graves, Matthew 27:52; a sepulchre, Romans 3:13; a book, e.g., Luke 4:17 (some mss. have No. 4); Revelation 5:2-5; 10:8; the seals of a roll, e.g., Revelation 5:9; 6:1; the eyes, Acts 9:40; the mouth of a fish, Matthew 17:27; "the pit of the abyss," Revelation 9:2 , RV; heaven and the heavens, Matthew 3:16; Luke 3:21; Acts 10:11 (for Acts 7:56 , see No. 2); Revelation 19:11; "the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven," Revelation 15:5; by metonymy, for that which contained treasures, Matthew 2:11; (b) metaphorically, e.g., Matthew 7:7,8; 25:11; Revelation 3:7; Hebraistically, "to open the mouth," of beginning to speak, e.g., Matthew 5:2; 13:35; Acts 8:32,35; 10:34; 18:14; Revelation 13:6 (cp., e.g., Numbers 22:28; Job 3:1; Isaiah 50:5 ); and of recovering speech, Luke 1:64; of the earth "opening," Revelation 12:16; of the "opening" of the eyes, Acts 26:18; the ears, Mark 7:35 (in the best mss.; some have No. 2); (2) intransitively (perfect tense, Active, in the Greek), (a) literally, of "the heaven," John 1:51 , RV, "opened;" (b) metaphorically, of "speaking freely," 2 Corinthians 6:11 .

"to open up completely" (dia, "through," intensive, and No. 1), is used (a) literally, Luke 2:23; Acts 7:56 , in the best mss.; (b) metaphorically, of the eyes, Mark 7:34; Luke 24:31; of the Scriptures, Luke 24:32; Acts 17:3; of the mind, Luke 24:45 , RV (AV, "understanding"); of the heart, Acts 16:14 .

"to lead," or "to keep or spend a day," is so used in Acts 19:38 : see KEEP , Note (2).

"to unroll" (ana, "back," ptusso, "to roll"), is found in some mss. in Luke 4:17 (of the roll of Isaiah), and translated "He had opened" (AV); see No. 1.

Notes: (1) For Hebrews 4:13 , "laid open," RV (AV, "opened") see LAY , No. 18. (2) In 2 Corinthians 3:18 , AV, anakalupto, "to unveil," is translated "open" (RV, "unveiled," which consistently continues the metaphor of the veil upon the heart of Israel). (3) In Mark 1:10 , AV, schizo, "to rend" or "split," is translated "opened," of the heavens, RV, "rent asunder," AV marg., "cloven, or, rent." (4) For prodelos, in 1Tim.5:24, AV, "open beforehand," see EVIDENT , A, No. 3. (5) For "be opened" See EPHPHATHA. (6) For "open (your hearts)," 2 Corinthians 7:2 , RV, see RECEIVE , No. 18.

"an opening" (akin to A, No. 1), is used in Ephesians 6:19 , metaphorically of the "opening" of the mouth as in A, No. 1 (2), (b).

"an opening, a hole," is used in James 3:11 , of the orifice of a fountain: see CAVE , HOLE , PLACE.