Main Glossary


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M

Magician

Seeks to coerce the false gods to act rather than pray to them to petition their wicked responses.
Entry link: Magician

Manelik

The son of the union between King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba during her visit recorded in 1 King 10 according to the Ethiopian Jewish legend. The legend of Manelik credits him with establishing the Axumite Empire in Ethiopia, which maintained close links with the ancient Israelites. (See Ethiopian Jews)
Entry link: Manelik

Martyria

Shrines to the martyrs were often built upon the site of old pagan temples, the church encouraged people to shift their allegiances from the old gods to the martyrs. The architecture was normally rounded in the style of pagan temples; later on, attempts to combine the long basilica and the round baptistery or martyrion would produce the attributes of Byzantine architecture.
Entry link: Martyria

Marx, Karl

(May 5, 1818 – March 14, 1883) Marx was a German philosopher, political theorist, revolutionary and sociologist, who founded modern communism after writing the book The Communist Manifesto. He believed that class conflict was the key to social change, and argued that people should take active steps to change society. His theory focused upon the conflict between the Bourgeoisie (capitalists) and the Proletariat (workers).
Entry link: Marx, Karl

Melkite Church

Popular Greek-oriented church chiefly of Syria and Egypt, adhering to Chalcedonian orthodoxy in preference to Monophysitism. (See Monophysite Church)
Entry link: Melkite Church

Messiah

The Lord Jesus Christ, who was the promised and expected deliverer of the Jewish people from the line of David, and the fulfillment of Messianic prophesy to Christians.

Entry link: Messiah

Messianic

Inspired by hope and belief in a redeeming Messiah
Entry link: Messianic

Messianism

Religious belief in the Messiah as redeemer
Entry link: Messianism

Midtribulationism

The minority belief that faithful Christians will be raptured at a three and a half year midpoint during seven years of tribulation.
Entry link: Midtribulationism

Millennium

Literally a thousand years; also the name given to the era mentioned in Revelation 20:1-7.
Entry link: Millennium

Miracle

A supernatural interruption of nature.
Entry link: Miracle

Mitzvot

Derives from the root word 'Tzivah' which means "to command'. The Mitzvot (plural form of Mitzvah) are the 613 commandments found in the Torah (Five Books of Moses). There are thought to be 248 positive commandments that command actions are performed and 365 negative commandments that command doers to refrain from actions. Many of the laws are concerned with purity and sacrifice and are only applicable when the Temple stands in Jerusalem. Generally, there are only 270 Mitzvots (48 positive, 222 negative) that are applicable to everyone today. According to Jewish tradition, when the Temple is rebuilt and the Messiah comes, all 613 Mitzvot will be restored.

Entry link: Mitzvot

Modalism

The naive view that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were successive activities and revelations of one God thereby suggesting that the LORD God Father suffered upon the cross and was crucified by man.  This teaching is also known as Monarchianism, or in the derogatory sense, Patripassianism.1

1Ferguson, Everett. Church History Volume One: From Christ to Pre-Reformation. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005, 144.

Entry link: Modalism

Monarchianism

The naive view that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were successive activities and revelations of one God thereby suggesting that the LORD God Father suffered upon the cross and was crucified by man.  This teaching is also known as Modalism, or in the derogatory sense, Patripassianism.1

Monarchian Teachers2:

Dynamic Monarchians

Theodotus the Leatherworker, c. 185, Byzantium/Rome

Theodotus the Banker, c. 199, Rome

Artemon, c. 210, Rome

Paul of Samosata, c. 260-68, Antioch

Modalist Monarchians

Noetus, c. 200, Smyrna

Praxeas, c. 200, Asia/Rome

Epigonus, c. 200, Rome

Sabellius, c. 215, Rome

 

1Ferguson, Everett. Church History Volume One: From Christ to Pre-Reformation. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005, 144.

2Ibid.

Entry link: Monarchianism

Monolatry

Worship of one God.

Entry link: Monolatry

Monophysite Church

A Popular Coptic Church throughout Syria, Egypt, Anatolia, and Lavant for those adhering to Monophysitism in preference of the Chalcedonian orthodoxy. (See Melkite Church)
Entry link: Monophysite Church

Monophysitism

The Christological position that Christ has a single inseparable nature that is at once divine and human rather than having two distinct but unified natures. (See Hypostatic Union)
Entry link: Monophysitism

Monotheism

Belief in the existence of only one God. Judaism and Christianity identify the only true LORD God YAHWEH to be the Creator of all things.
Entry link: Monotheism

Monotheletism

Teaches that Jesus Christ had two natures but only one will. This is contrary to the orthodox interpretation of Christology, which teaches that Jesus Christ has two wills (human and divine) corresponding to his two natures. Sergius, patriarch of Constantinople in the early seventh century, developed this doctrine by first expressing a concern of Monophysites belief that Christ should have a single "will" or faculty of volition, and thus, one nature. He reasoned that Christ had two natures but only one "will" located within his person. Sergius had intended the doctrine to mean that the human and the divine in Christ cooperated perfectly. This idea proved amenable to Emperor Heraclius, and he imposed the doctrine of Monotheletism ("one will") upon the church in his famous decree called Ekthesis. Although many Byzantine theologians agreed, some interpreted this position as teaching that Christ was a divine person masquerading as a human being, and was not properly human. Pope John IV condemned Monotheletism as Monophysitism in disguise, both heretical teachings. (Hill, 139)

Reference:

Hill, Jonathan. "Early Christianity: A World Religion." Handbook to the History of Christianity. Zondervan, 2006.
Entry link: Monotheletism

Montanism (New Prophecy)

An important Christian movement founded in the second half of the second century by a Phygian named Montanus. Montanus believed he was given a new revelation, which led to his appointment as leader of a church in the supposed final days before the return of Jesus Christ. His main disciples were two prophetesses named Prisca and Maximilla. The movement was called New Prophecy by the followers, and Montanism by the opponents. Ecstatic and wild demonstrations accompanied many of their prophetic expressions, but they did not preach any particular doctrines that were objected to by mainline Christians. Most of their prophecies were concerned with morality; they adhered to a strict and harsh way of life, and believed that post-baptismal sin could not be forgiven. The movement spread beyond Anatolia to Africa, where mystical rites were celebrated in secret, imitating the ecstatic trances of the prophetesses and resembling the pagan mystery religions. It remained in existence as a minor, secretive cult until the sixth century. (Hill, 64)

Reference:

Hill, Jonathan. "Early Christianity: A World Religion." Handbook to the History of Christianity. Zondervan, 2006.
Entry link: Montanism (New Prophecy)

Mystical Theology, The

Five-page work in the corpus within the Dionysian writings which presents the God as beyond perception and conception whose Godhead transcends all denials.

Entry link: Mystical Theology, The


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