Episode 33 continues our series on Bible study at the word level. Last time we talked about word usage as it pertains to usage by a single biblical author within the scope of that author's writings. Our launching point then was the lemma behind "unmarried" in 1 Cor 7. The lemma was used only four times in the New Testament, all within that chapter of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. This episode focuses on thinking about word usage in relation to other words -- specifically, synonyms and grammatical relationships. Our starting point is the Hebrew word bara', the lemma behind the word "created" in Gen 1:1.
In Episode 33 of the Naked Bible Podcast, Dr. Michael Heiser continues his series on Bible study at the word level, delving deeper into how proper word studies are performed. Building on the prior episode’s exploration of a word used exclusively by a single biblical author, this installment focuses on the importance of examining a word’s relationship to its synonyms and grammatical context.
Using the Hebrew word bara (בָּרָא)—translated “created” in Genesis 1:1—as the case study, Heiser walks listeners through a careful analysis of how bara is used in comparison to similar verbs like asah (“to make”) and yatsar (“to form”). Contrary to popular belief, bara does not inherently mean “to create out of nothing.” By comparing its usage in Genesis 1 and 2 with other Scripture (like Exodus 20 and 31), and identifying its consistent use with God as the sole grammatical subject, Heiser demonstrates that bara uniquely signifies divine creative authority, but not necessarily ex nihilo creation.
This episode reinforces a foundational principle in biblical studies: word meaning comes from usage, not isolated definitions. Dr. Heiser provides a clear and compelling methodology for anyone seeking to handle Scripture with greater precision—making this an essential episode for pastors, Bible students, and anyone serious about original-language study.
Dr. Heiser
In your view, or the biblical view. What is the difference from preaching and bible studies?
preaching is about exhortation, study is about research and the explanation of the results. Ideally (biblically, I’d say), exhortation (preaching) should be based on content drawn from the text.