Berean Bible

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John

21

:

8

Now the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net with the fish, for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits away.

Lexicon

Verse part Definition: Part of speech: Strong's: Greek: Transliteration:
other Other, another (of more than two), different. Adj-NMP H243 ἄλλοι alloi
disciples A learner, disciple, pupil. N-NMP H3101 μαθηταὶ mathētai
came To come, go. V-AIA-3P H2064 ἦλθον ēlthon
boat, (a little boat, hence) a boat. N-DNS H4142 πλοιαρίῳ ploiariō
far At a distance, far away, remote, alien. Adj-AFS H3112 μακρὰν makran
land, The earth, soil, land, region, country, inhabitants of a region. N-GFS H1093 γῆς gēs
about As, like as, about, as it were, according as, how, when, while, as soon as, so that. Adv H5613 ὡς ōs
two hundred Two hundred. Adj-GMP H1250 διακοσίων diakosiōn
Analysis:

Two: Two divergent opinions

The classic example for the number "two" is found in Matthew chapter 26. There, Yeshua says to His disciples,

"You know that after two days comes the Passover, and the Son of Man will be given over for crucifixion."  Matthew 26:2

The phrase "after two days" is somewhat meaningless because after two days can mean three or more days. The period is unspecified. The reason for such ambiguous language is because the purpose of the number two in this passage is not solely numerical. This means that the text is not intending to provide the reader with some definite information concerning a time period. Rather, the purpose of the number two in this context is one of the numerological meanings of the number two.  Often the number two relates to two divergent opinions. In the aforementioned verse, the author wants to inform the reader that there are two very different understandings for this coming Passover. Yeshua wants to emphasize that He is going up to Jerusalem in order to die as the true Passover sacrifice. Even though Yeshua states this emphatically, the disciples did not receive this. In fact, the disciples did not perceive at all what was going to take place during Passover in regard to Yeshua. In other words, Yeshua and the disciples have two divergent opinions concerning the Passover.

This same principle is also found in the Hebrew Bible (Old Covenant). In the book of Amos one reads,

"Can two walk together without them having agreed" Amos 3:3

The word which was translated into English with the phrase "them having agreed" is נועדו. The root of this word is יעד, which relates to a specific destination. The word which precedes this word is בלתי and in this context the word implies a change to the condition. In other words, had there not been a change in the condition, then the two could not walk together, i.e. they could not have arrived at the common destination.

The concept of divergent or different is also seen in the book of Genesis. In speaking about the sun and moon one reads, "And God made two great lights…" (Genesis 1:16). Obviously the sun and moon are very different, as one is a source of light, while the latter just reflects light. Also in the book of Genesis, one encounters the account of the flood. Here Noah is commanded to bring onto the ark two sorts of each type of animal. In this passage, the two relates to two different (or divergent) kinds of the same sort, i.e. male and female. 

Likewise, two angels came to Sodom, demonstrating that the people of Sodom had a very different way of living from that of the Law of God. Once again, the reader should not assume that every occurrence of the number two in the Bible demands this interpretation. However, one will find in a great majority of Biblical passages, the reader will be assisted in arriving at the proper interpretation, when he considers this divergent quality for the number two. 

Loveisrael.org - Baruch Korman, Ph.D. - All Rights Reserved - Used with Permission 2016 

cubits A cubit, about a foot and a half. N-GMP H4083 πηχῶν pēchōn
from From, away from. Prep H575 ἀπὸ apo
dragging To draw, drag, force away. V-PPA-NMP H4951 σύροντες surontes
net A fishing net. N-ANS H1350 δίκτυον diktuon
fish, A fish. N-GMP H2486 ἰχθυπων ichthuōn

Parallel Verses

Removed text
Added text
Berean Bible Now the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net with the fish, for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits away.
King James Bible Now And the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net with the fish, for a little ship; (for they were not far from the land, but about as it were two hundred cubits away.cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.
Hebrew Greek English Now But the other disciples came in the little boat, dragging the net with the fish, for they were not far from the land, but about two one hundred cubits away.yards away, dragging the net full of fish.
New American Standard Bible 1995 Now But the other disciples came in the little boat, dragging the net with the fish, for they were not far from the land, but about two one hundred cubits away.yards away, dragging the net full of fish.