Topic
Earnest
10 passages cited, from 4 classic reference works.
These works date from 1884–1915 and are in the public domain. They reflect the Protestant scholarship of their time: their history, archaeology and dates can be out of date, and where they interpret, other traditions read the text differently. The verses are shown in the King James Version, the wording these works were written against.
The verses
The passages the works cite, those cited by more of them first.
- 2 Corinthians 1:22Easton · Smith · ISBE · Nave A pledge or token
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
- 2 Corinthians 5:5Easton · Smith · ISBE · Nave A pledge or token
Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.
- Ephesians 1:14Easton · Smith · ISBE · Nave A pledge or token
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
- Genesis 38:17Smith · ISBE
And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?
- Genesis 38:17–20Easton
And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock. And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it? And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it…
- Genesis 38:18ISBE
And he said, What pledge shall I give thee? And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand. And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.
- Genesis 38:20ISBE
And Judah sent the kid by the hand of his friend the Adullamite, to receive his pledge from the woman’s hand: but he found her not.
- 2 Kings 14:14Smith
And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.
- Psalms 86:17Nave A pledge or token
Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and comforted me.
- Proverbs 17:18Smith
A man void of understanding striketh hands, and becometh surety in the presence of his friend.
In the reference works
Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897) · 4 references
The Spirit is the earnest of the believer’s destined inheritance (2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5; Eph. 1:14). The word thus rendered is the same as that rendered “pledge” in Gen. 38:17-20; “indeed, the Hebrew word has simply passed into the Greek and Latin languages, probably through commercial dealings with the Phoenicians, the great trading people of ancient days. Originally it meant no more than a pledge; but in common usage it came to denote that particular kind of pledge which is a part of the full price of an article paid in advance; and as it is joined with the figure of a seal when applied to the Spirit, it seems to be used by Paul in this specific sense.” The Spirit’s gracious presence and working in believers is a foretaste to them of the blessedness of heaven. God is graciously pleased to give not only pledges but foretastes of future blessedness.
Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884) · 6 references
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915) · 6 references
ur'-nest (arrhabon):
Found three times in the New Testament: The "earnest of our inheritance" (Eph 1:14); "the earnest of the Spirit" (2Co 1:22; 5:5).
It has an equivalent in Hebrew `erabhon (found in Ge 38:17,18,20), in Latin arrabo, French arrhes and the Old English arles. The term is mercantile and comes originally from the Phoenicians. Its general meaning is that of a pledge or token given as the assurance of the fulfillment of a bargain or promise. It also carries with it the idea of forfeit, such as is now common in land deals, only from the obverse side. In other words, the one promising to convey property, wages or blessing binds the promise with an advance gift or pledge partaking of the quality of the benefit to be bestowed. If the agreement be about wages, then a part of the wages is advanced; if it be about land, then a clod given to the purchaser or beneficiary may stand as the pledge of final and complete conveyance of the property.
Figurative: In the spiritual sense, as used in the passages above named, the reference is to the work of the Spirit of God in our hearts being a token and pledge of a perfect redemption and a heavenly inheritance. There is more than the idea of security in the word as used, for it clearly implies the continuity and identity of the blessing.
C. E. Schenk
In the topical indexes
Texts: Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897); Smith's Bible Dictionary (1884); International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (1915); Nave's Topical Bible (1896), from the CrossWire SWORD modules (public domain). Verse references were parsed from the works' own markup and checked against the KJV verse list.