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Feeling

Culture & Society

What is the meaning of Feeling in the Bible?

In biblical usage, the concept of feeling encompasses physical sensations such as touching and handling, cognitive processes like knowing and understanding, emotional states including compassion, grief, and pain, and spiritual sensitivity to harm or divine presence.

SIGNIFICANCE

Recognizing the diverse applications of this term allows readers to distinguish between physical, intellectual, and emotional dimensions of human experience in scripture, leading to more precise interpretations of passages concerning empathy, suffering, and spiritual discernment.

Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide

Ancient Cultural Lens: Avoid applying 21st-century Western assumptions to Feeling. Examine how first-century or Near Eastern listeners understood this practice within their daily social dynamics.
Bible Study Reflection Prompts:
  • Why did the biblical author mention Feeling in this passage?
  • What cultural or historical assumption does Feeling clarify?

Source Attribution

Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.

How to Cite This Entry

"Feeling." Ancient Context Dictionary. Accessed 2026. https://ancientcontext.com/context/feeling/
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