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seeds (
, “a seed,”
, “to collect”). Then it seems to have been used of a man
accustomed to hang about the streets and markets, picking up scraps which fall from
loads; hence a parasite, who lives at the expense of others, a hanger on.
Metaphorically it became used of a man who picks up scraps of information and
retails them secondhand, a plagiarist, or of those who make a show, in unscientific style,
of knowledge obtained from misunderstanding lectures. Prof. Ramsay points out that
there does not seem to be any instance of the classical use of the word as a “babbler” or a
mere talker. He finds in the word a piece of Athenian slang, applied to one who was
outside any literary circle, an ignorant plagiarist. Other suggestions have been made, but
without satisfactory evidence.¶
2.
(
&
, 2757), “babbling” (from
, “empty,” and
, “a
sound”), signifies empty discussion, discussion on useless subjects, 1 Tim. 6:20 and 2
Tim. 2:16.¶
BABE
1.
(
$!
, 1025) denotes (a) “an unborn child,” as in Luke 1:41, 44; (b) “a
newborn child, or an infant still older,” Luke 2:12, 16; 18:15; Acts 7:19; 2 Tim. 3:15; 1
Pet. 2:2. See
CHILD
,
INFANT
.¶
2.
(
)
, 3516), lit., “without the power of speech,” denotes “a little child,”
the literal meaning having been lost in the general use of the word. It is used (a) of
“infants,” Matt. 21:16; (b) metaphorically, of the unsophisticated in mind and trustful in
disposition, Matt. 11:25 and Luke 10:21, where it stands in contrast to the wise; of those
who are possessed merely of natural knowledge, Rom. 2:20; of those who are carnal, and
have not grown, as they should have done, in spiritual understanding and power, the
spiritually immature, 1 Cor. 3:1, those who are so to speak partakers of milk, and
“without experience of the word of righteousness,” Heb. 5:13; of the Jews, who, while
the Law was in force, were in a state corresponding to that of childhood, or minority, just
as the word “infant” is used of a minor, in English law, Gal. 4:3, “children”; of believers
in an immature condition, impressionable and liable to be imposed upon instead of being
in a state of spiritual maturity, Eph. 4:14, “children.” “Immaturity” is always associated
with this word. See
CHILD
, No. 7.¶
Note:
The corresponding verb,
, is found in 1 Cor. 14:20, where believers are
exhorted to be as “babes” (
RV
) in malice, unable to think or speak maliciously.¶
BACK (Noun)
(
, 3577), “the back,” is derived from a root
, signifying “to bend,
curve.” It is used in Rom. 11:10.¶
BACK (Adverb), BACKSIDE, BACKWARD
1.
(
A &
, 3694), connected with
, “to follow,” is used adverbially, of
place, with the meaning “back,” “backward,” in the phrase
, lit., “unto the
things behind,” in Mark 13:16; Luke 9:62; 17:31; John 6:66; 18:6; 20:14. Cf. Phil. 3:13,
“the things which are behind. See
BEHIND
.
¶ Indicates that all the NT occurrences of the Greek word under consideration are
mentioned under the heading or sub-heading.