Berean

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English

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Etymology

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From Berea +‎ -an. Protestants adopted the name in reference to the Bible, Acts 17: "These [Berea] were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so."

Noun

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Berean (plural Bereans)

  1. (historical) An inhabitant of the ancient city of Berea in what is now northern Greece.
  2. (historical) A member of an 18th-century Scottish Protestant sect who derived all knowledge of God from the Bible.
    Synonyms: Barclayan, Barclayite
  3. (Christianity) Someone who is meticulous in the study of the Scriptures.
    • 1663, Samuel Bradley, The Afflicted and Retired Mans Meditations, Concerning the Excellency of the Spirit, London:
      Even ſo, although many things herein contained, may be counted rediculous or erroneous; Yet courteous Reader, let me deſire thee to prove thy ſelf a Berean in this matter, Search the Scripture, and ſee whether it be ſo or not.
    • 2018, Daniel Plunkett, Learn to Discern: Recognizing False Teachings In the Christian Church Today, Cambridge, Ohio: Christian Publishing House, →ISBN, page 30:
      Once again, this[sic – meaning this is] a case where being a Berean would clear up a lot of confusion. I once heard another WOF teacher, Andrew Wommack, teaching the same thing, and then going on to say that Isaac was conceived because Abraham's faith-filled words spoke him into existence. You will have an impossible task supporting this with scripture, yet most WOF teachers repeat this falsehood as if it were common knowledge.

Adjective

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Berean (comparative more Berean, superlative most Berean)

  1. (Christianity) Meticulous in the study of the Scriptures.
    • 1880, W. H. Maynard, “The American Church and Our Heterogeneous Population”, in The Baptist Review, volume 2, number 5, page 148:
      The evangelical Church of America is not rationalistic. It is becoming more Berean, not accepting the dicta of theologians, but searching the Scriptures.
    • 1909 July 16, William H. Ridgway, “Iron Rose Bible Class”, in The Hamilton Spectator, page 13:
      Crowds of men all over the land are flocking into adult Bible classes. This is a sign of nobility. This is the Berean way.
    • 1998 February 6, Dale Ogilvie, “May women teach in the church?”, in soc.religion.christian.bible-study[1] (Usenet):
      Lately however, this disturbance in my spirit has been enough of a concern to awaken a more Berean attitude.
    • 2006, Roy E. Ciampa, “Toward the Effective Preaching of New Testament Texts That Cite the Old Testament”, in Scott M. Gibson, editor, Preaching the Old Testament, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, →ISBN:
      By helping a congregation grow in their understanding of the ways in which the arguments and theology of the New Testament are dependent upon an understanding of the Old Testament, a pastor or preacher may both demonstrate a personal love and passion for the Old Testament as the Bible of the authors of the New Testament and develop such a love and passion in the church that it becomes more “Berean” and less likely to fall into Marcionite ways of thinking.

Anagrams

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