What does Generation of Vipers mean?
Generation of Vipers is a 1943 book by Philip Wylie. In it Wylie criticizes various aspects and beliefs of contemporary American society, including Christianity; prominent figures such as politicians, teachers, and doctors; and “momism” or the adoration of mothers.
What did Jesus say about snakes?
Jesus exhorted them, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves” (Matthew 10:16). Wilhelm Gesenius notes that even amongst the ancient Hebrews, the serpent was a symbol of wisdom.
What does the Bible say about snake venom?
“They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them.”
What did John mean by brood of vipers?
John the Baptist accuses religious leaders of being a “brood of vipers” because they feel that they have the power of life and death in their hands. They saw themselves as divinely ordained gatekeepers for God, judging who was worthy to go on living and who deserved only of death.
Is brood of vipers a swear word?
Although the Bible does not have modern swear words, there are some words that are equivalent to modern day swear words. In Matthew 12:34a Jesus say, “You brood of vipers!” (ESV). Jesus is saying this to the Pharisees and is calling them children of snakes. … We have a modern equivalent of this word.
Did the viper bite Paul?
St Paul was bitten by a viper right in front of a group of awestruck natives on the island of Melita, who knew very well how venomous the particular snake was and so expected the victim to “swell up or fall down dead”. Since he remained unharmed they concluded that he was a god (Acts 28:5).
What do snakes mean spiritually?
Historically, serpents and snakes represent fertility or a creative life force. As snakes shed their skin through sloughing, they are symbols of rebirth, transformation, immortality, and healing. The ouroboros is a symbol of eternity and continual renewal of life.
What did God say about snakes?
So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.
Who got bitten by a snake in the Bible?
Paul in Acts 28, like the famous hero Philoctetes, is bitten by a poisonous snake on a secluded island. The responses of these two figures to the bite, however, are fundamentally different. Philoctetes suffers extreme agony after his snakebite; Paul does not register any pain at all.
Who drank poison in the Bible?
According to a second-century Greek text known as The Acts of John, the apostle John drank from a poison cup in the presence of the emperor Domitian and lived.