The meaning of Appear in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
a-per': Of eight Hebrew originals the chief is ra'ah, "to be seen." Used mainly of God's self-revelations in person and in dreams and visions: "Yahweh appeared unto Abram" (Genesis 12:7); to Moses (Exodus 3:2); to Solomon (I Kings 3:5). All originals used of Nature's processes, of the appearing, i.e. coming of the morning (Exodus 14:27); stars (Nehemiah 4:21); flowers, flocks of goats, tender grapes (Song of Solomon 2:12; Song of Solomon 4:1 margin; Song of Solomon 7:12 margin). So New Testament ophthen, passive of horao, "I see," "to be seen" used especially of angelic revelations and visions: as on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17:3); an angel (Luke 1:11); the risen Lord (Luke 24:34); cloven tongues at Pentecost (Acts 2:3); vision to Paul (Acts 16:9); a great wonder in heaven (Revelation 12:1, the King James Version).
opiano, in Acts 1:3, of Christ appearing after his suffering; phainomai, "to shine," like the above with the added thought of a resplendent, luminous revelation, as of the Bethlehem star (Matthew 2:7); the bringing to light of sin (Romans 7:13, the King James Version). Also phaneroo, "to make manifest," used exclusively of the post-resurrection appearances and second coming of Christ and of the disclosures of the great judgment day. See Colossians 3:4; II Corinthians 5:10; Revelation 3:18 and seven other passages the King James Version.
Dwight M. Pratt
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