Topical Bible: Commencement

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Topical Encyclopedia

Definition and Context
Commencement, in a biblical context, refers to the beginning or initiation of significant events, actions, or phases in the biblical narrative. It is a term that encapsulates the start of God's creative work, the inception of covenants, the launch of ministries, and the birth of the Church. The concept of commencement is pivotal in understanding the unfolding of God's redemptive plan throughout Scripture.

Creation
The most profound commencement in the Bible is the creation of the world. Genesis 1:1 states, "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." This verse marks the commencement of time, space, and matter, setting the stage for the entire biblical narrative. The creation account underscores God's sovereignty and power, as He speaks the universe into existence, establishing order and purpose.

Covenants
Throughout the Bible, God initiates covenants with His people, marking new beginnings in His relationship with humanity. The covenant with Noah, following the flood, signifies a fresh start for creation, as God promises never to destroy the earth with a flood again (Genesis 9:11). The Abrahamic covenant marks the commencement of a chosen people through whom God would bless all nations (Genesis 12:1-3). The Mosaic covenant at Sinai represents the beginning of Israel as a nation under God's law (Exodus 19-24).

Ministries
The commencement of ministries is a recurring theme in the New Testament. The ministry of Jesus Christ begins with His baptism by John the Baptist, as described in Matthew 3:16-17: "As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. Suddenly the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and resting on Him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'" This event marks the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, characterized by teaching, miracles, and ultimately, His sacrificial death and resurrection.

The commencement of the apostolic ministry is seen at Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2. The Holy Spirit descends upon the disciples, empowering them to preach the gospel with boldness. This event marks the birth of the Church and the beginning of the spread of Christianity throughout the world.

Personal Commencements
The Bible also highlights personal commencements, such as the calling of individuals to specific roles or missions. The calling of Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3) marks the beginning of his leadership in delivering Israel from Egypt. Similarly, the conversion of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9) signifies the commencement of his mission as the Apostle Paul, a pivotal figure in the early Church.

Spiritual Commencement
In a spiritual sense, commencement can refer to the beginning of a believer's new life in Christ. This is encapsulated in 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!" This verse highlights the transformative power of salvation, marking the start of a believer's journey in faith and sanctification.

Conclusion
The theme of commencement is woven throughout the biblical narrative, illustrating the dynamic nature of God's interaction with His creation. Each beginning, whether cosmic, covenantal, ministerial, or personal, serves to advance God's eternal purposes and reveal His character to humanity.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (n.) The first existence of anything; act or fact of commencing; rise; origin; beginning; start.

2. (n.) The day when degrees are conferred by colleges and universities upon students and others.

Greek

746. arche -- beginning, origin
... From archomai; (properly abstract) a commencement, or (concretely) chief (in various
applications of order, time, place, or rank) -- beginning, corner, (at the ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/746.htm - 7k

Strong's Hebrew

8462. techillah -- a beginning
... Tachmonite. From chalal in the sense of opening; a commencement; rel. Original
(adverb, -ly) -- begin(-ning), first (time). see HEBREW chalal. 8461, 8462. ...
/hebrew/8462.htm - 6k

Library

Commencement of Worship.
... THE CHURCH. XLIII. COMMENCEMENT OF WORSHIP. 'Rhwn sy'n peri'r mellt i hedeg
8,7,8,7,8,7,8,7. He who darts the wing??d lightning,". ...
/.../morris/favourite welsh hymns/xliii commencement of worship.htm

Introduction. The Writer Explains in the Commencement of this ...
... On the Mysteries. Introduction. The writer explains in the commencement
of this treatise that his object was to set? The writer ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/introduction the writer explains in.htm

On the Commencement of Hostilities in America.
... III. PROVIDENCES Hymn 64 On the commencement of hostilities in America. John
Newton 8,6,8,6. On the commencement of hostilities in America. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 64 on the commencement.htm

From the Commencement of Christ's Public Ministry to the Triumphal ...
... PART I. FROM THE COMMENCEMENT OF CHRIST'S PUBLIC MINISTRY TO THE TRIUMPHAL
ENTRY.CHAPTER I. JESUS AND JOHN THE BAPTIST."THE FIRST DISCIPLES. ...
/.../part i from the commencement.htm

In the Commencement of the Psalm are Christ's Dying Words.
... Chapter XCIX."In the commencement of the Psalm are Christ's dying words.
And when I had said these words, I:continued: "Now I ...
/.../chapter xcix in the commencement of.htm

Removal to Stamford-Hill, and Commencement of the Fifth ...
... CHAPTER XVI. REMOVAL TO STAMFORD-HILL, AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE FIFTH
CONTINENTAL JOURNEY. 1843-48. The tour which John and Martha ...
/.../chapter xvi removal to stamford-hill.htm

Commencement of the Legends Concerning Jesus --His Own Idea of his ...
... CHAPTER XV. COMMENCEMENT OF THE LEGENDS CONCERNING JESUS"HIS OWN IDEA
OF HIS SUPERNATURAL CHARACTER. Jesus returned to Galilee ...
/.../renan/the life of jesus/chapter xv commencement of the.htm

From the Commencement of the Revolution in 1776, to Its ...
... FROM THE FIRST CONFERENCE IN 1773, TO THE ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH IN 1784 CHAPTER
2 From the commencement of the Revolution in 1776, to its termination in ...
/.../chapter 2 from the commencement.htm

Not Every Sin is Pride. How Pride is the Commencement of Every Sin ...
... A Treatise on nature and grace, against pelagius; Chapter 33 [XXIX.]"Not Every
Sin is Pride. How Pride is the Commencement of Every Sin. ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/chapter 33 xxix not every sin.htm

From the Close of the General Conference of 1836 to the ...
... FROM THE YEAR 1829 TO THE YEAR 1840. CHAPTER 14 From the close of the General
Conference of 1836 to the commencement of the General Conference of 1840. ...
/.../chapter 14 from the close.htm

Thesaurus

Commencement (22 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) The day when degrees are conferred by colleges and universities upon students
and others. Multi-Version Concordance Commencement (22 Occurrences). ...
/c/commencement.htm - 14k

Trumpets (52 Occurrences)
... It received its name from the circumstances that the trumpets usually blown at the
commencement of each month were on that occasion blown with unusual ...
/t/trumpets.htm - 32k

Gezer (14 Occurrences)
... According to Josephus (Ant., VIII, vi, 1), at the commencement of Solomon's reign
Gezer was in the hands of the Philistines, which may explain 1 Kings 9:16 ...
/g/gezer.htm - 27k

Mary (50 Occurrences)
... mentioned. After the commencement of our Lord's public ministry little notice
is taken of Mary. She was present at the marriage in Cana. ...
/m/mary.htm - 72k

Cosmological
... the first there has been abundant speculation in religion and philosophy as to how
the world came to be-whether it was eternal, or had a commencement, and, if ...
/c/cosmological.htm - 33k

Kedesh (12 Occurrences)
... Joshua 12:22), and was the residence of Barak (Judges 4:6); and here he and Deborah
assembled the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali before the commencement of the ...
/k/kedesh.htm - 14k

New (1850 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary New Moon, Feast of. Special services were appointed for
the commencement of a month (Numbers 28:11-15; 10:10). (see FESTIVALS.). ...
/n/new.htm - 101k

Noble (61 Occurrences)
... Luke 1:3 it has seemed right to me also, after careful investigation of the facts
from their commencement, to write for you, most noble Theophilus, a connected ...
/n/noble.htm - 27k

Negligent (7 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 2:3 how shall we escape if we have been negligent of so great salvation,
which, having had its commencement in being spoken of by the Lord, has been ...
/n/negligent.htm - 8k

Original (6 Occurrences)
... original genius. 4. (a.) Before unused or unknown; new; as, a book full of
original matter. 5. (n.) Origin; commencement; source. 6. (n ...
/o/original.htm - 9k

Resources

What does the Bible mean when it refers to the end of the age? | GotQuestions.org

What is the day of Pentecost? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean that God will pour out His Spirit on all people (Joel 2:28)? | GotQuestions.org

Commencement: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Commencement (22 Occurrences)

Luke 1:3
it has seemed right to me also, after careful investigation of the facts from their commencement, to write for you, most noble Theophilus, a connected account,
(WEY)

Acts 26:4
My manner of life then from my youth, which from its commencement was passed among my nation in Jerusalem, know all the Jews,
(DBY)

2 Timothy 1:9
For He saved us and called us with a holy call, not in accordance with our desserts, but in accordance with His own purpose and the free grace which He bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before the commencement of the Ages,
(WEY)

Titus 1:2
in hope of the Life of the Ages which God, who is never false to His word, promised before the commencement of the Ages.
(WEY)

Hebrews 2:3
how shall we escape if we have been negligent of so great salvation, which, having had its commencement in being spoken of by the Lord, has been confirmed to us by those who have heard;
(DBY)

Genesis 13:3
And he goeth on his journeyings from the south, even unto Bethel, unto the place where his tent had been at the commencement, between Bethel and Hai --
(YLT)

Genesis 41:21
and they come in unto their midst, and it hath not been known that they have come in unto their midst, and their appearance 'is' bad as at the commencement; and I awake.
(YLT)

Genesis 43:18
and the men are afraid because they have been brought into the house of Joseph, and they say, 'For the matter of the money which was put back in our bags at the commencement are we brought in -- to roll himself upon us, and to throw himself on us, and to take us for servants -- our asses also.'
(YLT)

Genesis 43:20
and say, 'O, my lord, we really come down at the commencement to buy food;
(YLT)

Judges 1:1
And it cometh to pass, after the death of Joshua, that the sons of Israel ask at Jehovah, saying, 'Who doth go up for us unto the Canaanite, at the commencement, to fight against it?'
(YLT)

Judges 20:18
And they rise and go up to Beth-El, and ask of God, and the sons of Israel say, 'Who doth go up for us at the commencement to battle with the sons of Benjamin?' and Jehovah saith, 'Judah -- at the commencement.'
(YLT)

Ruth 1:22
And Naomi turneth back, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who hath turned back from the fields of Moab, and they have come in to Beth-Lehem at the commencement of barley-harvest.
(YLT)

2 Samuel 17:9
lo, now, he is hidden in one of the pits, or in one of the places, and it hath been, at the falling among them at the commencement, that the hearer hath heard, and said, There hath been a slaughter among the people who 'are' after Absalom;
(YLT)

2 Samuel 21:9
and giveth them into the hand of the Gibeonites, and they hang them in the hill before Jehovah; and the seven fall together, and they have been put to death in the days of harvest, in the first 'days', the commencement of barley-harvest.
(YLT)

2 Samuel 21:10
And Rizpah daughter of Aiah taketh the sackcloth, and stretcheth it out for herself on the rock, from the commencement of harvest till water hath been poured out upon them from the heavens, and hath not suffered a fowl of the heavens to rest upon them by day, or the beast of the field by night.
(YLT)

2 Kings 17:25
and it cometh to pass, at the commencement of their dwelling there, they have not feared Jehovah, and Jehovah doth send among them the lions, and they are destroying among them.
(YLT)

Ezra 4:6
And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the commencement of his reign, they have written an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem;
(YLT)

Nehemiah 11:17
and Mattaniah son of Micha, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, 'is' head -- at the commencement he giveth thanks in prayer; and Bakbukiah 'is' second among his brethren, and Abda son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun.
(YLT)

Proverbs 9:10
The commencement of wisdom 'is' the fear of Jehovah, And a knowledge of the Holy Ones 'is' understanding.
(YLT)

Daniel 9:21
yea, while I am speaking in prayer, then that one Gabriel, whom I had seen in vision at the commencement, being caused to fly swiftly, is coming unto me at the time of the evening present.
(YLT)

Daniel 9:23
at the commencement of thy supplications hath the word come forth, and I have come to declare 'it', for thou 'art' greatly desired, and understand thou concerning the matter, and consider concerning the appearance.
(YLT)

Hosea 1:2
The commencement of Jehovah's speaking by Hosea. And Jehovah saith unto Hosea, 'Go, take to thee a woman of whoredoms, and children of whoredoms, for utterly go a-whoring doth the land from after Jehovah.'
(YLT)

Subtopics

Commencement

Related Terms

Commencement (22 Occurrences)

Commend (22 Occurrences)

Vale (20 Occurrences)

New (1850 Occurrences)

Natural (49 Occurrences)

Weeks (17 Occurrences)

Feast (209 Occurrences)

Elam (24 Occurrences)

Elamites (2 Occurrences)