Bible Encyclopedias
Determinate

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

dē̇ -tûr´mi -nā̇t ( ὡρισμένος , hōrisménos , "determined," "fixed"): Only in Acts 2:23 , "by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of. God," Greek hōrismenos , from horı́zō , "to set boundaries," "determine," "settle" (compare English word "horizon" - literally, "that which bounds"). It is remarkable that Peter in one and the same sentence speaks of the death of Christ from two quite distinct points of view. (1) From the historical standpoint, it was a crime perpetrated by men who were morally responsible for their deed ("him ... ye by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay"). (2) From the standpoint of Divine teleology, it was part of an eternal plan ("by the determinate," etc.). No effort is made to demonstrate the logical consistency of the two ideas. They represent two aspects of the one fact. The same Greek word is used in Luke 22:22 , where Christ speaks of His betrayal as taking place "as it was (the Revised Version (British and American) "hath been") determined" (katá tó hōrisménon ). Compare Luke 24:26 .