BLASPHEMY

and ct. Wycllf's tr. of Job 2' 'He smot lob with the werste stinkende bleyne fro the sole ot the fot unto the nol.' The word is still retained in the compound chilblain.

BLASPHEMY.— The modern use ot this word is more restricted in its range than that of either the OT or the NT. 1. In the former it is narrower in its scope than in the latter, being almost universally confined tolanguage or deeds (1 Mac 2«) derogating from the honour of God and His claims to the over-lordship of men (Lv 24"'-'5, cf. 1 K 21i»- '3, 2 K 196 etc.). The contemptuous scorning of sacred places was regarded as blasphemy (see 1 Mac 2' 7^8, cf. Ac e'^), as was also the light and irresponsible utterance of the sacred Name (Is 62', Ezk 362°, Dt 5"), the degradation of Jehovah-worship by conformity to pagan rites (Ezk 20^'), and the con-tinued wilful transgression of Divine commands and despising ot 'the word of the Lord' (Nu 15'°'). The incident of the man gathering sticks on the Sabbath seems to be a concrete example of blasphemy (Nu IS''').

2. Wlien we come to the NT, the word is found more frequently, and is employed in a manner more nearly allied to the usage of classical writings. The EV has accordingly tr. it often as 'railing' or slanderous talk generally (Mt 16'9=Mk 722, Eph 48>, Col 3', 1 Ti 6\ Jude'), looked at, however, on its ethical and religious side. The cognate verb, too, is treated in the same way (Mk 152' = Mt 27=°, Lk 22ii5 238°, Ro 3S 14i°, 1 Co 4" 103°, Tit 32, 1 P 4i- ", 2 P 22- >»• 12, jude »■ '«), as is also the derived adjective (2 Ti 32, 2 P 2").

One of the most frequent of the charges brought by the Jews against Jesus was that of blasphemy, and when we inquire into the meaning of the accusation, we find that it was the application to Himself of Divine attributes and prerogatives (Mk 2' = Mt 9', Mk 14*' = Mt 26«, Jn 10«- »). On the other hand, the NT writers regarded the unreasoning attitude of the Jews to the claims and teaching of Jesus as blasphemous (Mk 15M = Mt 273°, Lk 22°5 23«, Ac 13« 18°). It is interesting also to notice that this is the word put by the author of the Acts into the mouth ot the town-clerk of Ephesus when he was appeasing the riotous mob who were persuaded that St. Paul and his companions had insulted the local deity (Ac 19'').

3. The legal punishment for blasphemy was death (Lv 24'°), and so the Jews claimed the life of Jesus, as the just and lawful outcome of His words and teaching (Jn 19', cf. 1033 858f). The proto-martyr Stephen lost his life, too, on a charge of blasphemy (Ac 6" 7°3), when Us enemies, in a violent and sudden fit of rage, forgot the limitation Imposed on them as vassals of the Roman Empire (cf. Jn IS'i; see Westcott, Gospel of St. John, Additional Note in loc). On the ' blasphemy against the Holy Ghost,' see art. Sin, hi. 1.

J. E. Willis.

BLASTING.— See Mildew.

BLASTtJS.— A chamberlain of Agrippa i., through whose intervention the people of Tyre and Sidon secured a hearing at Caesarea (Ac 12™).

BLEMISH.— See MEDiaNB.

BLESSEDNESS. — The substantive does not occur either in AV or RV of the OT, and has rightly been expunged from the RV of Ro 4°- s, Gal 4'°, where alone it had place in the AV of the NT. ' Blessed ' and ' happy ' are found in both Testaments as a varying translation of the same Heb. or Gr. word; 'blessed' greatly pre-ponderating. The Biblical blessedness represents a conception of happiness in which the religious relation is taken into account, with its emotions and its issues. In the OT these issues sometimes lie rather in material prosperity — life, long life, wealth, children, outward peace — but it is recognized that the conditions of these are spiritual (Ps 1), and in not a few instances the inward and spiritual is itself represented as the content

BOCCAS

of true happiness (e.ff. Ps 32 [but see v.'»], Pr 4' [but see 33- i°l).

In the NT the stress is decisively shifted to the spiritual content of blessedness, which may consist with the most adverse earthly conditions (Mt S'°- ", Lk 6«, Ja I"). The thought of compensation in future reward is not absent, even from the 'Beatitudes' (esp. in their Lukan form, Lk 62°-2°); but the reward is clearly only the consummation of a blessedness already attained by the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, etc. In the teaching ot Jesus the summum ionum appears now as place in the Kingdom of God, now as eternal life (e.g. Mt 25*1, Mk 10"- ^, Jn 33-° 4"), and both are described as a present possession (Lk 172»- 21, Jn 33°).

Finally, in the Johannine writings the religious relation, already in the OT an essential condition of blessedness (e.g. Ps 2'^ 33'^), is made supreme and in itself aU-sufBcing. Eternal life is personal union with Christ, revealer of the Father, by trust and fellowship (e.g. Jn S^ 6" 173, i jn 511-2°). For so man becomes partaker of the life of Him who is Himself the ' blessed God' (1 Tl 1" 61'). S. W. Geeen.

BLESSING.— See Beatitudes.

BLINDNESS.— See Medicine.

BLOOD. — Among all primitive races the blood, especially of human beings, has been and is regarded with superstitious, or rather, to be just, religious awe. By the Hebrews also blood was Invested with peculiar sanctity as the seat of the soul (nephesh), that is of the principle of life (Lv 17" ' the life [Heb. nephesh] of the flesh is in the blood'). From this fundamental con-ception of blood as the vehicle of life may be derived all the manifold social and religious beliefs and practices with regard to it, which play so large a part in Scripture. See Atonement, Clean and Unclean, Covenant, Food, Propitiation, Sacrifice.

A. R. S. Kennedy.

BLOOD, AVENGER OF.— See Avenger of Blood,

and Kin [Next of].

BLOOD, FIELD OF.— See Akeldama.

BLOOD, ISSUE OF.— See Medicine.

BLOODY FLUX, BLOODY SWEAT.— See Medicine.

BLUE. — See Colours, 5.

BOANERGES (Mk 3"), 'Sons of Thunder.'— The Master's appellation of James and John. Jerome takes it as a reference to their fiery eloquence. Others derive it rather from their fiery disposition in early days (cf . Lk 952-68). It would thus be a playful yet serious sobriquet, constantly reminding them of their besetting sin and warning them to overcome it. David Smith.

BOAR. — The wild boar (Arab, khanzir) is quite common in the Jordan Valley, specially in the reed thickets near the Dead Sea. It is also found on Mount Tabor. It is still noted for its destructiveness (Ps 80'°). Though a forbidden food to the Moslem as well as the Jew (Lv 11', Dt 148), the flesh is eaten by the nominally Moslem Bedouin of Palestine. See Swine.

E. W. G. Mastekman.

BOAT. — See Ships and Boats.

BOAZ. — A Bethlehemite of wealth, the son of Sal-mon; grandfather of Jesse, and thus ancestor of David (Ru 421- M, 1 Ch 2", Mt 1°- °, Lk 332). He became the second husband of the widowed Ruth, whom he married (according to ancient Hebrew custom) as next-of-kin, when her 'near kinsman' refused to undertake this duty (Ru 41-'°). See Ruth.

W. O. E. Oesterley.

BOAZ, the name of one of the two bronze pillars which stood in front ot Solomon's Temple. The other was named Jachin (1 K 721, 2 Ch 3"). See Jachin and Boaz, Temple.

BOCCAS.— See Borith.

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