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Humanists, Secularists, political Progressives, and assorted other anti-God, anti-Christ, and anti-Bible forces are doing their best to remove all Biblical connections to our nation’s history. Try as they might, it will take them quite a while longer to do so, if ever they do, for they have a big job on their hands. The Biblical heritage of the USA is not only prominent in our majestic Declaration of Independence and our unique Constitution, but in our civil and criminal codes as well. Only the ignorant or ideologically biased dare deny it.
In spite of the best efforts of such forces, the Bible remains deeply ingrained in the public consciousness. Common parlance proves this beyond doubt. Ironically, even the Bible’s most avid enemies often employ its idioms (likely completely unaware of their origins), a few of which follow:
- “Shibboleth” (Jud. 12:6): A “test” or password for entrance.
- “Washed my hands of the matter(Mat. 27:24): An attempt to avoid guilt for a culpable deed.
- “Touch the hem of the garment”(Mat. 14:36): Referring to a bare minimum of effort or information.
- “Apple of your eye” (Pro. 7:2, et al.): That which is greatly prized.
- “No room in the Inn” (Luke 2:7): The unavailability of accommodation or space (hotel, restaurant, parking, et al.).
- “Physician, heal thyself” (Luke 4:23): One should take his own advice or tend to his own affairs.
- “Eye for an eye” (Exo. 21:24, et al.): The penalty for injury of a neighbor under the law of Moses; retribution in kind.
- “Armageddon” (Rev. 16:15): Any catastrophic, climactic event.
- “Skin of my teeth” (Job 19:20): The finest or smallest of margins, especially in avoiding or escaping some peril.
- “A little bird told me” (Ecc. 10:20): Ascribed source of rumor/information when one does not want to disclose the actual source.
- “David and Goliath” (1 Sam. 17:50, et al.): One who succeeds in the face of overwhelming odds or forces.
- “Weighed in the balances and found wanting” (Dan. 5:27): When one is put to the test and comes up short.
- “Fly in the ointment” (Ecc. 10:1): That which spoils, corrupts, pollutes, or renders an otherwise good thing useless.
- “Casting your pearls before swine” (Mat. 7:6): Spending one’s time, effort, or money in a vain attempt to influence another person
- “Drop in the bucket” (Isa. 40:15): Amounting to very little or nothing.
- “The right hand knows not what the left hand is doing” (Mat. 6:3): Indicating great confidentiality or lack of communication.
- “As old as Methuselah” (Gen. 5:27): He lived 969 years, so this expression is a hyperbole of advanced age.
- “Good Samaritan” (Luke 10:33): One who aids someone in distress.
- “Going the second mile” (Mat. 5:41): Doing more than is expected/required.
- “If the blind lead the blind…”(Mat. 15:14): False teachers/leaders who have naïve followers.
- “A kingdom divided against itself…” (Mat. 12:25): Description of any entity that experiences inner conflict.
- “Judas kiss” (Luke 22:48): Any act of betrayal.
- “Handwriting on the wall” (Dan. 5:5): That which is strongly implied or expected, often with a dire consequence.
The foregoing are but samples of likely many others. Such expressions, drawn directly from the Bible, will not easily or quickly be erased from speech and literature. After all, the Bible is “the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Pet. 1:23), and Jesus said: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Mat. 24:35).
[Note:I wrote this article for and it was published in The Lighthouse, weekly bulletin of Northpoint Church of Christ, Denton, TX, August 7, 2016, of which I was editor.]
Attribution: From TheScripturecache.com, owned and administered by Dub McClish.
