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PeresAid to Bible Understanding
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Prof. J. Barr (Peake’s Commentary on the Bible, 1962) point out that the handwriting means “a mina, a shekel, and divisions of a shekel [or ‘and half shekels’].” Since “Peres” is the singular number of “Parsin,” it would mean “a half shekel.”
In the prophet’s interpretation of “Peres” he employed two other Aramaic words spelled with the same three consonants but vocalized differently. “PERES [Peresʹ], your kingdom has been divided [peri·sathʹ] and given to the Medes and Persians [Pa·rasʹ].” Thus the inspired explanation included a double play on the word “Peres” and the root meaning “to divide.” The subsequent events of that night proved the accuracy of the interpretation.
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PereshAid to Bible Understanding
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PERESH
(Peʹresh).
A son of Machir and Maacah in the tribe of Manasseh.—1 Chron. 7:14, 16.
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PerezAid to Bible Understanding
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PEREZ
(Peʹrez) [rupture].
One of the twin sons of Judah by his daughter-in-law Tamar. At birth, Perez’ brother Zerah started to emerge first, but withdrew and Perez came out first, producing a perineal rupture of Tamar. (Gen. 38:24-30) Perez retained priority over his brother and is always listed ahead of him, and his house became the more famous of the two. (Ruth 4:12) Perez and his own two sons, Hezron and Hamul, are listed among those of Jacob’s lineage coming into Egypt, where all three became heads of individual families in Judah. (Gen. 46:8, 12) Aside from this no personal information about him is recorded.
The references to Perez are primarily genealogical, the bulk of Judah’s genealogies being traced through Perez. (1 Chron. 2:4, 5, 9-55; 4:1-20) The families of Perez and his two sons comprised a generous portion of the tribe of Judah at the time of the second wilderness registration. (Num. 26:20-22) Some of Perez’ descendants were in the first division of David’s monthly militia. (1 Chron. 27:3) Many sons of Perez returned from the Babylonian exile, and 468 of them resided in Jerusalem. (1 Chron. 9:3, 4; Neh. 11:4, 6) A direct genealogical line from Perez went through Boaz to David and finally to Jesus the Messiah.—Ruth 4:18-22; 1 Chron. 2:4-15; Matt. 1:3; Luke 3:33.
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Perez-uzzahAid to Bible Understanding
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PEREZ-UZZAH
(Peʹrez-uzʹzah) [rupture against Uzzah].
The name given to the threshing floor of Nacon (or, Chidon) after Jehovah struck down Uzzah for handling the Ark irreverently when an attempt was made to move it from Kiriath-jearim to the city of David. (2 Sam. 6:4-10; 1 Chron. 13:6-11) The exact location of Perez-uzzah is unknown.
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PerfectionAid to Bible Understanding
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PERFECTION
The thought of perfection is expressed through Hebrew terms drawn from such words as ka·lalʹ (to complete or perfect [compare Exodus 28:31]), sha·lamʹ (to be complete, sound, finished [compare 1 Kings 8:61; 2 Chronicles 8:16]), and ta·mamʹ (to be complete, fully developed, intact, faultless (compare Isaiah 18:5; Ezekiel 15:5; 2 Samuel 22:26]). In the Christian Greek Scriptures the words teʹlei·os (adjective), te·lei·oʹtes (noun), and te·lei·oʹo (verb) are used similarly, conveying such ideas as bringing to completeness or full measure (Luke 8:14; 2 Cor. 12:9; Jas. 1:4), being full-grown, adult or mature (1 Cor. 14:20; Heb. 5:14), having attained the appropriate or appointed end, purpose or goal.—John 19:28; Phil. 3:12.
The basic sense of these words therefore corresponds with that of the English word “perfect,” which comes from the Latin prefix per (meaning “throughout,” “thoroughly,” or “completely”) and the verb facere (meaning “to do or make”). So “perfect” basically refers to that which is “made, or done, thoroughly,” something “finished” or “completed.” Beyond this, it usually carries one or more of the following concepts: freedom from fault or defect, meeting supreme standards of excellence, satisfying all requirements, lacking no essential detail.
IMPORTANCE OF CORRECT VIEWPOINT
For correct Bible understanding one must not make the common error of thinking that everything called “perfect” is so in an absolute sense, that is, to an infinite degree, without limitation. Perfection in this absolute sense distinguishes only the Creator, Jehovah God. Because of this Jesus could say of his Father: “Nobody is good, except one, God.” (Mark 10:18) Jehovah is incomparable in his excellence, worthy of all praise, supreme in his superb qualities and powers, so that “his name alone is unreachably high.” (Ps. 148:1-13; Job 36:3, 4, 26; 37:16, 23, 24; Ps. 145:2-10, 21) Moses extolled God’s perfection, saying: “For I shall declare the name of Jehovah. Do you attribute greatness to our God! The Rock, perfect is his activity, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness, with whom there is no injustice; righteous and upright is he.” (Deut. 32:3, 4) All God’s ways, words and law are perfect, refined, free from flaw or defect. (Ps. 18:30; 19:7; Jas. 1:17, 25) There is never any just cause for objection, criticism or faultfinding regarding Him or his activity; rather, praise is always due Him.—Job 36:22-24.
Other perfection relative
Perfection of any other person or thing, then, is relative, not absolute. (Compare Psalm 119:96.) That is, a thing is “perfect” according to, or in relation to, the purpose or end for which it is appointed by its designer or producer, or the use to which it is to be put by its receiver or user. The very meaning of perfection, both in the original languages as well as in English, requires that there be someone who decides when “completion” has been reached, what the standards of excellence are, what requirements are to be satisfied, and what details are essential. Ultimately, God the Creator is the final Arbiter of perfection, the Standard-setter, in accord with his own righteous purposes and interests.—Rom. 12:2; see JEHOVAH (A God of moral standards).
As an illustration, the planet Earth was one of God’s creations, and, at the end of six creative ‘days’ of work toward it, God pronounced the results “very good.” (Gen. 1:31) It met his supreme standards of excellence, hence was perfect. Yet he thereafter assigned man to “subdue it,” evidently in the sense of cultivating the earth and making the whole planet, and not just Eden, a garden of God.—Gen. 1:28; 2:8.
The tent or tabernacle built in the wilderness at God’s command and according to his specifications served as a type or small-scale prophetic model of a “greater and more perfect tent,” Jehovah’s heavenly residence into which Christ Jesus entered as High Priest. (Heb. 9:11-14, 23, 24) The earthly tent was perfect in that it satisfied God’s requirements, served its appointed end. Yet when God’s purpose concerning it was accomplished it ceased to be used and passed out of existence. The perfection of that which it represented was of a far higher type, being heavenly, eternal.
The city of Jerusalem with its hill of Zion was called the “perfection of prettiness.” (Lam. 2:15; Ps. 50:2) This does not mean that every minute aspect of the city’s physical appearance was supremely attractive but, rather, relates to its use by God, the city’s beauty resulting from the splendor that he conferred upon it, making it the capital of his anointed kings and the site of his temple. (Ezek. 16:14) The wealthy commercial city of Tyre is portrayed as a ship whose builders, those working in behalf of the city’s material interests, had ‘perfected its prettiness,’ filling it with luxury products of many lands.—Ezek. 27:3-25.
Thus, in each case the context must be considered to determine in what sense or relation perfection is meant.
PERFECTION OF THE MOSAIC LAW
The Law given to Israel through Moses included among its provisions the establishment of a priesthood and the offering of various animal sacrifices. Though from God, and hence perfect, neither the Law, its priesthood, nor the sacrifices brought perfection to those under the Law, as the inspired apostle shows. (Heb. 7:11, 19; 10:1) Rather than bring freedom from sin and death, it actually made sin more evident. (Rom. 3:20; 7:7-13) All these divine provisions, nevertheless, served the purpose assigned them by God; the Law acted as a “tutor” to lead men to Christ, forming a perfect “shadow of the good things to come.” (Gal. 3:19-25; Heb. 10:1) Hence, when Paul speaks of “an incapability on the part of the Law, while it was weak through the flesh” (Rom. 8:3), he is evidently referring to the inability of the fleshly Jewish high priest (who was appointed by the Law to be in charge of the sacrificial arrangements and who entered the Most Holy on the atonement day with sacrificial blood) to “save completely” those whom he served, as Hebrews 7:11, 18-28 explains. Although the offering of sacrifices through the Aaronic priesthood maintained a right standing for the people before God, it did not completely or perfectly relieve them of consciousness of sin. The apostle refers to this in saying that the atonement sacrifices could not “make those who approach perfect,” that is, as regards their conscience. (Heb. 10:1-4; compare Hebrews 9:9.) The high priest was unable to provide the ransom price needed for a true redemption from sin. Only Christ’s enduring priestly service and effective sacrifice do accomplish this.—Heb. 9:14; 10:12-22.
The Law was “holy” “good,” “fine” (Rom. 7:12, 16), and anyone who could fully live up to this perfect Law would prove himself a perfect man, worthy of life. (Lev. 18:5; Rom. 10:5; Gal. 3:12) For this very reason the Law brought condemnation, rather than life, not because the Law was not good but because of the imperfect, sinful nature of those under it. (Rom. 7:13-16; Gal. 3:10-12, 19-22) The perfect Law made their imperfection and sinfulness especially evident. (Rom. 3:19, 20; Gal. 3:19, 22) The Law in this respect also served to identify Jesus as the Messiah, for he alone was able to keep the Law in every respect, proving himself a perfect man.—John 8:46; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 7:26.
THE BIBLE’S PERFECTION
The Sacred Scriptures constitute a perfect message from God, refined, pure and true. (Ps. 12:6; 119:140, 160; Prov. 30:5; John 17:17) Though thousands of years of copying has evidently brought some variations from the original writings, these variations are admittedly very minor, so that, even if our present copies and translations are not absolutely flawless, the divine message conveyed is.
Individuals may find the Bible a more difficult book to read than many, one requiring greater effort and concentration; they may find much they do not understand. Some critical persons may insist that, to be perfect, the Bible should be free of even superficial differences or what appear, according to their standards, to be inconsistencies. None of these things, however, detract from the perfection of the Sacred Scriptures. For the real gauge of its perfection is its measuring up to the standards of excellence set by Jehovah God, its accomplishing the end or purpose that he, as its true Author, appointed for it, as well as its being free from falsehood, as the published Word of the God of truth. The apostle Paul points up the perfection of the “holy writings” in saying: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:15-17) What the Hebrew Scriptures did for the nation of Israel when they observed them, what the completed Scriptures did for the Christian congregation in the first century, and what the Bible can do for persons in the present, is convincing proof of its qualities as an ideal instrument of God to accomplish his purpose.—Compare 1 Corinthians 1:18.
The whole tenor of the Scriptures, including the teachings of God’s Son, is to the effect that the gaining of understanding of God’s purposes, the doing of his will, and the attaining of salvation to life, are dependent primarily upon the individual’s heart. (1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Chron. 28:9; Prov. 4:23; 21:2; Matt. 15:8; Luke 8:5-15; Rom. 10:10) The Bible is unique in its ability to “discern thoughts and intentions of the heart,” revealing what the person really is. (Heb. 4:12, 13) It is clear from the Scriptures that God has not made knowledge of himself something to be acquired without effort. (Compare Proverbs 2:1-14; 8:32-36; Isaiah 55:6-11; Matthew 7:7, 8.) It is also evident that God has caused his purposes to be revealed to humble ones and hid from haughty ones, because ‘to do thus came to be the way approved by him.’ (Matt. 11:25-27; 13:10-15; 1 Cor. 2:6-16; Jas. 4:6) So, the fact that individuals whose hearts do not respond to the Bible’s message can find things in the Scriptures that, in their opinion, justify their rejection of its message, reproof and discipline, does not show any imperfection on the part of the Bible. Rather, it illustrates the Scriptural points just made and hence demonstrates the perfection of the Bible in the view of its Author, whose view alone is decisive. (Isa. 29:13, 14; John 9:39; Acts 28:23-27; Rom. 1:28) The things relating to God’s Word and way that the worldly-wise deem “foolish” or “weak” are proved by time and test to be of superior wisdom and strength than the theories, philosophies and reasonings of human detractors.—1 Cor. 1:22-25; 1 Pet. 1:24, 25.
Faith remains an essential requirement for the understanding and appreciation of God’s perfect Word. The individual may feel that certain details and explanations should be in the Bible, revealing why, in specific cases, God gave approval or disapproval or why he took a particular course of action; the individual also may feel that other details found in the Bible are superfluous. Yet he should realize that if the Bible conformed to human standards or criteria, such as his own, this would not prove it divinely perfect. Exposing the falsity of such attitude, Jehovah declares the superiority of his thoughts and ways to those of humans, and assures that his word will “have certain success” in the fulfillment of his purpose. (Isa. 55:8-11; Ps. 119:89) That is what perfection means, as the definitions in the initial portion of this article show.
PERFECTION AND IMPERFECTION AMONG GOD’S CREATURES
The foregoing information aids in understanding how perfect creatures of God could become disobedient. To view this as incompatible with perfection is to ignore the meaning of the term, substituting a personal concept that goes contrary to fact. God’s intelligent creatures are granted free moral agency, the privilege and responsibility of making a personal decision as to the course they will take. (Deut. 30:19, 20; Josh. 24:15) It is evident that this was the case with the first human pair, so that their devotion to God could be subject to test. (Gen. 2:15-17; 3:2, 3) As their Maker, Jehovah knew what he wanted of them, and from the Scriptures it is clear that he wanted, not an automatic, virtually mechanical obedience, but worship and service that sprang from hearts and minds motivated by genuine love. (Compare Deuteronomy 30:15, 16; 1 Chronicles 28:9; 29:17; John 4:23, 24.) If Adam and his wife had lacked the ability to choose in this matter, they would not have met God’s requirements; they would not have been complete, perfect, according to his standards.
It must be remembered that perfection as relates to humans is a relative perfection, limited to the human sphere. Though created perfect, Adam could not go beyond the limits assigned him by his Creator; he
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