SUBJECT · Complete Bible Study

Fulness

“The fulness of time” is the time when the Messiah appeared, which was appointed by God, promised to the fathers, foretold by the prophets, expected by the Jews themselves, and earnestly longed for by all the faithful: “When the fulness of the time was come, God sent his Son,” Gal. iv, 4. This unified study connects 4 installed resource categories without replacing their source records.

View overview sources
  • Historical Reference: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)
  • Historical Reference: A Biblical and Theological Dictionary
  • Historical Reference: Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible lexical data / BDB-Strong mapping
  • Historical Reference: Installed reference work

MAJOR STUDY · Resource Coverage 79/100

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Study overview

Study at a glance

Subject type
Subject
Strong’s
H4393, H4395, H4390, H7653, G0539, G4138, G5479
Hebrew
מְלֹא · mᵉlôʼ
Greek
ἀπάτη · apátē

Strong’s and original-language information

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible lexical data / BDB-Strong mapping

מְלֹא

H4393
Transliteration
mᵉlôʼ
Pronunciation
mel-o'
Language
Hebrew
Indexed occurrences
38

Glosses

fulness, that which fills, [idiom] all along, [idiom] all that is (there-) in, fill, ([idiom] that whereof...was) full, fulness, (hand-) full, multitude.

Lexicon definition

fulness (literally or figuratively)

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible lexical data / BDB-Strong mapping

מְלֵאָה

H4395
Transliteration
mᵉlêʼâh
Pronunciation
mel-ay-aw'
Language
Hebrew
Indexed occurrences
3

Glosses

fulness, full produce, (first of ripe) fruit, fulness.

Lexicon definition

something fulfilled, i.e. abundance (of produce)

Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Lexicon

מָלֵא

H4390
Transliteration
mâlêʼ
Pronunciation
maw-lay'
Language
Hebrew
Indexed occurrences
250

Glosses

accomplish, confirm, [phrase] consecrate, be at an end, be expired, be fenced, fill, fulfil, (be, become, [idiom] draw, give in, go) full(-ly, -ly set, tale), (over-) flow, fulness, furnish, gather (selves, together), presume, replenish, satisfy, set, space, take a (hand-) full, [phrase] have wholly.

Lexicon definition

to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively)

Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Lexicon

ἀπάτη

G0539
Transliteration
apátē
Language
Greek
Indexed occurrences
7

Glosses

deceit(-ful, -fulness), deceivableness(-ving)

Lexicon definition

delusion

Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Lexicon

πλήρωμα

G4138
Transliteration
plḗrōma
Language
Greek
Indexed occurrences
17

Glosses

which is put in to fill up, piece that filled up, fulfilling, full, fulness

Lexicon definition

repletion or completion, i.e. (subjectively) what fills (as contents, supplement, copiousness, multitude), or (objectively) what is filled (as container, performance, period)

Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Lexicon

χαρά

G5479
Transliteration
chará
Language
Greek
Indexed occurrences
58

Glosses

gladness, X greatly, (X be exceeding) joy(-ful, -fully, -fulness, -ous)

Lexicon definition

cheerfulness, i.e. calm delight

Complete dictionary entries

Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897)

Fulness

(1.) Of time (Gal. 4:4), the time appointed by God, and foretold by the prophets, when Messiah should appear. (2.) Of Christ (John 1:16), the superabundance of grace with which he was filled. (3.) Of the Godhead bodily dwelling in Christ (Col. 2:9), i.e., the whole nature and attributes of God are in Christ. (4.) Eph. 1:23, the church as the fulness of Christ, i.e., the church makes Christ a complete and perfect head.

Source: Easton’s Bible Dictionary (1897) · View data sources

A Biblical and Theological Dictionary

FULNESS

“The fulness of time” is the time when the Messiah appeared, which was appointed by God, promised to the fathers, foretold by the prophets, expected by the Jews themselves, and earnestly longed for by all the faithful: “When the fulness of the time was come, God sent his Son,” Gal. iv, 4. The fulness of Christ is the superabundance of grace with which he was filled: “Of his fulness have all we received,” John i, 16. And whereas men are said to be filled with the Holy Ghost, as John the Baptist, Luke i, 15; and Stephen, Acts vi, 5; this differs from the fulness of Christ in these three respects: (1.) Grace in others is by participation, as the moon hath her light from the sun, rivers their waters from the fountain: but in Christ all that perfection and influence which we include in that term is originally, naturally, and of himself. (2.) The Spirit is in Christ infinitely and above measure, John iii, 34; but in the saints by measure according to the gift of God, Eph. iv, 16. The saints cannot communicate their graces to others, whereas the gifts of the Spirit are in Christ as a head and fountain, to impart them to his members. “We have received of his fulness,” John i, 16. It is said, that “the fulness of the Godhead dwells in Christ bodily,” Col. ii, 2; that is, the whole nature and attributes of God are in Christ, and that really, essentially, or substantially; and also personally, by nearest union; as the soul dwells in the body, so that the same person who is man is God also. The church is called the fulness of Christ, Eph. i, 23. It is the church which makes him a complete and perfect head; for though he has a natural and personal fulness as God, yet, as Mediator, he is not full and complete, without his mystical body, (as a king is not complete without his subjects,) but receives an outward, relative, and mystical fulness from his members.

Source: A Biblical and Theological Dictionary · View data sources

Sources

Related UNLEARN Content3 items

Dictionary

Assurance

The resurrection of Jesus (Acts 17:31) is the "assurance" (Gr. pistis, generally rendered "faith") or pledge God has given that his revelation is true and worthy of acceptance. The "full assurance [Gr. plerophoria, full bearing'] of faith" (Heb. 10:22) is a fulness of faith in God which leaves no room for doubt. The "full assurance of understanding" (Col. 2:2) is an entire unwavering conviction of the truth of the declarations of Scripture, a joyful steadfastness on the part of any one of conviction that he has grasped the very truth. The "full assurance of hope" (Heb. 6:11) is a sure and well-grounded expectation of eternal glory (2 Tim. 4:7, 8). This assurance of hope is the assurance of a man's own particular salvation. This infallible assurance, which believers may attain unto as to their own personal salvation, is founded on the truth of the promises (Heb. 6:18), on the inward evidence of Christian graces, and on the testimony of the Spirit of adoption (Rom. 8:16). That such a certainty may be attained appears from the testimony of Scripture (Rom. 8:16; 1 John 2:3; 3:14), from the command to seek after it (Heb. 6:11; 2 Pet. 1:10), and from the fact that it has been attained (2 Tim. 1:12; 4:7, 8; 1 John 2:3; 4:16). This full assurance is not of the essence of saving faith. It is the result of faith, and posterior to it in the order of nature, and so frequently also in the order of time. True believers may be destitute of it. Trust itself is something different from the evidence that we do trust. Believers, moreover, are exhorted to go on to something beyond what they at present have when they are exhorted to seek the grace of full assurance (Heb. 10:22; 2 Pet. 1:5-10). The attainment of this grace is a duty, and is to be diligently sought. "Genuine assurance naturally leads to a legitimate and abiding peace and joy, and to love and thankfulness to God; and these from the very laws of our being to greater buoyancy, strength, and cheerfulness in the practice of obedience in every department of duty." This assurance may in various ways be shaken, diminished, and intermitted, but the principle out of which it springs can never be lost. (See [38]FAITH.)

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Dictionary

Coming of Christ

(1) with reference to his first advent "in the fulness of the time" (1 John 5:20; 2 John 1:7), or (2) with reference to his coming again the second time at the last day (Acts 1:11; 3:20, 21; 1 Thess. 4:15; 2 Tim. 4:1; Heb. 9:28). The expression is used metaphorically of the introduction of the gospel into any place (John 15:22; Eph. 2:17), the visible establishment of his kingdom in the world (Matt. 16:28), the conferring on his people of the peculiar tokens of his love (John 14:18, 23, 28), and his executing judgment on the wicked (2 Thess. 2:8).

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Dictionary

Fulness

(1.) Of time (Gal. 4:4), the time appointed by God, and foretold by the prophets, when Messiah should appear. (2.) Of Christ (John 1:16), the superabundance of grace with which he was filled. (3.) Of the Godhead bodily dwelling in Christ (Col. 2:9), i.e., the whole nature and attributes of God are in Christ. (4.) Eph. 1:23, the church as the fulness of Christ, i.e., the church makes Christ a complete and perfect head.

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