• Bless
    • Our English word
      • Middle English
        • Derived from pagan worship
        • Marked by blood from sacrifice
      • Gradually transitioned to the Catholic tradition.
    • Old Testament
      • בָּרַךְ (b__ār__ǎḵ)
        • To kneel
          • By implication, to bless God as an act of worship
          • To bless man or object as a statement of favor
        • Genesis 24:48; 1:21-23; 1:27-28; 2:1-3
      • אַשְׁרֵי (ʾ__ǎ__šrê)
        • Happiness
        • Used as an interjection: How happy!
        • Blessed, happy
        • I Kings 10:6-9 (II Chronicles 9:5-8)
      • Two other words used twice
      • Only בָּרַךְ (b__ār__ǎḵ) is used toward God
    • New Testament
      • εὐλογέω (euloge__ō) (verb)
        • To speak well of
        • To praise
        • To celebrate with praises
        • To acknowledge God’s goodness
        • To express desire for God’s Word - Luke 2:25-32
      • εὐλογητός (eulog__ētos) (noun)
        • The praised
        • Used only toward God – Mark 14:61
      • μακαρίζω (makariz__ō) (verb)
        • Luke 1:46-48; James 5:11
        • Root: mak – large, lengthy
      • μακαρισμός (makarismos)
        • Galatians 4:15
      • Eneulogeomai (passive verb) – Acts 3;25
    • Patriarchs blessed their descendants
      • Hebrews 11:17-22
      • Why? Genesis 12:3
    • Were they prophets?
      • Genesis 27:39-40 (II Chronicles 21:8-10)
      • Genesis 49:8-10 (Matthew 1:3; Revelation 5:5)
      • Genesis 49:27
        • Judges 5:14; 20:14-16
        • I Chronicles 8:40
        • II Chronicles 14:8; 17:17
      • Blessing God as worship
        • Psalms 145:1
        • Ephesians 1:3
      • Pronouncing God’s favor upon someone
        • Deuteronomy 2:7
        • Matthew 5:3ff
        • Happiness in a religious sense (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
      • Temporal happiness
        • I Kings 10:6-9
        • Matthew 24:45-47