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Bible Dictionaries
Old, Ancient
Morrish Bible Dictionary
or Both ἀρχαῖος and παλαιός are translated 'old,' but there appears to be a marked distinction between them. ἀρχαῖος is from ἀρχή, 'beginning,' and anything connected with the beginning may often be called 'old.' Now in scripture there are several beginnings referred to, the scope of which can only be arrived at from the context of each passage; but perhaps the word ἀρχαῖος always conveys the idea of 'ancient.'
The Lord in Matthew 5:21,27,33 speaks of 'the ancients' ('them of old time,' A.V.), which may well apply to those who taught the law under Moses. The Apostle James referred to Moses having 'from generations of old' ('of old time,' A.V.) those who preached him, Acts 15:21 . Peter in Acts 15:7 speaks of God having chosen him to preach the gospel to the nations from the earliest (or ancient) days — here doubtless referring to the beginning of the church at Pentecost. Satan is that 'ancient' serpent, dating back to the beginning of the present creation, if not to an earlier period. Revelation 12:9; Revelation 20:2 . One passage may seem to differ: Mnason of Cyprus is called 'an old disciple.' But it may be that his age is not referred to, but his being an ancient disciple — one of long standing. Acts 21:16 .
παλαιός (from πάλαι, 'long ago, formerly') on the other hand, refers to things having grown old, or become old by some great recent change. In the Gospels it is employed for the old garments and the old bottles, which had become unfit because of the new order of things which Christ had introduced. It twice refers to the 'old man' in contrast to the 'new man.' Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:9 . In Romans 6:6 the old man is looked at as crucified with Christ, that Christians might be free to walk in newness of life. The saints at Corinth were to purge out the 'old leaven,' which was opposed to the 'new lump' into which they had been formed. 1 Corinthians 5:7,8 . The Apostle John speaks of an 'old commandment' which they had heard from the beginning of Christianity , but which was now a 'new commandment,' that is, under new conditions. 1 John 2:7,7 . The 'old covenant' ('old testament') is referred to in 2 Corinthians 3:14 . It is in contrast with the new (καινή) covenant in 2 Corinthians 3:6 — the entirely new and different one that had been introduced.
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Morrish, George. Entry for 'Old, Ancient'. Morrish Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/mbd/4/4-old-ancient.html. 1897.
