Definition of Day:
The word day has more than one meaning. We must first examine the context of the preceding verses in order to give the word its proper meaning.
A. It could mean an indefinite period of time.
Isaiah 34:8, “For it is the day of the LORD’S vengeance.”
B. It is a symbol for the light of a true and higher knowledge and moral light.
Romans 13:12, “The night is far spent = (evil is coming to an end) the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.”
1 Thessalonians 5:5, “Ye are the children = (sons) of light, and the children of the day = (knowledge and the understanding concerning the Lord Jesus Christ).”
C. A very specific period of time.
1 Corinthians 1:7-8, “Waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day = (a very specified time) of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Example,
Day: Strong’s, 5610. Greek is, hora. Whence Latin “hora.” English, hour, past particle a time, season, a definite space or division of time recurring at fixed intervals, as marked by natural or conventional limits; As in a season of the year. Trope; of a season of life, the fresh full bloom and beauty of youth, the ripeness and vigor of manhood, as bloom, beauty, vigor. In N.T. of shorter intervals, a time, season, hour, etc.
a. Of the day generally, day-time, day; Matthew 14:15, “And the time is now past.” Mark 6:35. And when the day was now far spent.” Mark 11:11, “Now the eventide was come.”
b. Of a definite part or division of the day; in earlier writers used only of the greater divisions, as morning, noon, evening, night. Or also morning noon, and evening. In N.T. An hour, one of the twelve equal parts into which the natural day and also the night were divided, and which of course were of different lengths at different seasons of the year; probably introduced by astronomers, and first so used by Hipparchus about 140 B.C.
b-1. Past participle and generally: Matthew 24:36, “Of that day and hour knows no man.” Mark 13:32. Luke 22:59. John 4:52, “At the seventh hour.” John 11:9, “Are there not twelve hours in the day?” Acts 5:7, “Space of three hours.” Acts 10:30, “At the ninth hour.” Revelation 9:15. Dative, common form, “in,” of time when: Matthew 8:13, “In the selfsame hour.” Matthew 24:50. Luke 12:46. John 4:53. Accusative of time how long; Matthew 20:12, “But one hour.” Matthew 26:40, “Could ye not watch with me one hour?” Mark 14:37. Acts 19:34, “The space of two hours.” With a numeral marking the hour of the day, as counted from sunrise; Matthew 20:3, “About the third hour.” with verses 2-6-9, 27:45, “Now from the sixth hour — unto the ninth hour,” with verse 46. Mark 15:25-33-34. Luke 23:44. John 1:40, 4:6-52, 19:14, “The sixth hour.” Acts 2:15, “The third hour.” Acts 3:1, “At the hour of prayer.” Acts 10:3-9-30. So of the hours of the night, as counted from sunset; Acts 16:33, “The same hour of the night.” Acts 23:23, “At the third hour of the night.”
b-2. Trope, as a short time, a brief interval, as accusative, Revelation 17:12, “One hour.” dative, Revelation 18:10-17-19. John 5:35. 2 Corinthians 7:8. Galatians 2:5. Philemon 15, “For a season.” 1 Thessalonians 2:17, “For a short time.
c. Metonymically and generally, Hour, as in time, period, spoken of any definite point of space of time.
c-1. With adjuncts; as an adjective or pronoun, Matthew 9:22, “For that hour.” Matthew 15:28, 17:18. John 19:27. Dative of time when Luke 2:38, “In that instant.” Luke 24:33. Acts 16:18, 22:13. Matthew 24:42-44, “Such an hour.” Luke 12:39-40. Septuagint, Daniel 3:6-15, “The same hour.” Luke 7:21, 10:21, 12:12, 20:19. Matthew 10:19, “The same hour. Matthew 18:1, 26:55. Mark 13:11. Revelation 11:13. So, Revelation 3:3. 1 Corinthians 4:11, “The present hour.” 1 Corinthians 15:30, “Every hour?” all the time. Septuagint for Hebrew, Exodus 18:22-26, “All season.” With an adverb or relative etc. John 4:21, “The hour cometh.” with verse 23. John 5:25-28, 16:25, “The time cometh.” So common form “that,” John 13:1, 16:2-32. Sequel to follow genitive of thing to be done or to happen; Luke 1:10, collectively, Septuagint, Daniel 9:21, “About the time of the evening oblation.” Luke 14:17, “At supper time,” the time of the supper or feast. Revelation 3:10, 14:7-15. Implied, Luke 22:14. common form inferred, Romans 13:11, “Knowing the time.” common. generally, Septuagint for Hebrew 2 Samuel 24:15, “Even to the time.” Daniel 9:21. common form inferred, Septuagint, Genesis 29:7, “Neither is it time.” Sequel, generally of person, one’s time, as appointed to him, in which he is to do or suffer, Luke 22:53. John 16:21; elsewhere of Christ, John 2:4, 7:30, 8:20, 13:1.
c-2. Simply, the time, as spoken of, or otherwise understood; Matthew 26:45, “The hour is at hand.” Mark 14:41. John 16:4. 1 John 2:18. Emphatic: John 17:1; and so by implied time or hour of trial, sorrow, suffering, Mark 14:35. John 12:27.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com