Anyone who has done a fair amount of reading in the Bible has almost certainly become impressed with the perfection of that Book and with the fact of its being inspired of God.
There are, however, many other perfections of God’s Word which are obscured in English versions of the Bible, such as the King James Version, but which shine out beautifully when one turns to the original Greek and Hebrew texts.
In this article, an attempt will be made to illustrate this through a study of the Greek words allos and heteros, both of which are almost always translated "another" or "other" in the King James Version. The literal meanings of these two Greek words are as follows:Heteros denotes a difference in quality, that is, another (object, person, etc.) of a different sort or nature; allos denotes a difference in quantity, that is, Another of the same sort.
The difference in the meanings of the two Greek words is illustrated quite well in Galatians 1:6, 7 where both are found:"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another (heteros) gospel:Which is not another (allos); but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ." The Galatian saints had been drawn into living under a system which was a mixture of law and grace rather than the pure "grace of Christ." Th» system the Apostle terms "another [different] gospel," for it was of a completely different, even opposite, character from the one he had originally brought. But then he immediately qualifies this by adding that this was not another, additional gospel. That is, this new system was not worthy to be called a gospel at all. God owns but one gospel and He permits no compromise about it.
Two good examples of the inspired use of heteros as opposed to allos are found in the Book of Acts. Stephen, in rehearsing the history of Israel, says that after Joseph’s death "another (heteros) king arose [in Egypt], which knew not Joseph" (Acts 7:18). It is obvious from reading the first few chapters of the Book of Exodus that this new king was of quite a different spirit from him who had invited the children of Israel into Egypt, and so hospitably entertained them there. Secondly, in Acts 27:1 it is said that "Paul and certain other (heteros) prisoners" were delivered to a centurion. The Apostle, no doubt, was of a completely different character from the other prisoners, for he was imprisoned for righteousness’ sake; indeed, he was the prisoner of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:1, Philemon 1).
In Luke 23 are found two more beautiful examples of the use of the word heteros. In verse 32 we read, "And there were also two other (heteros), malefactors, led with Him to be put to death." Three men were crucified that memorable afternoon at Calvary. How different was the life and nature of Him who hung in the middle from that of the criminals hanging on either side. Further on in this chapter we read that one of the criminals railed on Christ. "But the other (heteros) answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss" (Luke 23:40-41). An evident change had come over one of the malefactors as a result of his faith in Christ. Therefore, he was no longer allos, just another criminal, but heteros, a man whose nature had been changed and become different from that of the other malefactor.
Now, it is easy in this kind of article to present verses which support a thesis and to ignore those verses which don’t seem to fit in very well. A good example of a verse which one might tend to shy away from when discussing allos and heteros is John 19:18:"They crucified Him, and two other (allos!) with Him." How do we reconcile this verse with the corresponding verse in Luke 23 in which heteros seemed to be so appropriately employed? Perhaps the difference lies in this:Luke makes much of the fact that two criminals were crucified along with Christ, and brings out vividly their contrast to Christ and to each other. John, on the other hand, makes no mention as to the character of the other two, but seems merely to state as a historical fact that two other men were crucified when Christ was.
Surely most of our readers are familiar with the words in John 14:16 & 17:"And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth." Let us pause for a moment so that our readers may consider which of the Greek words, allos or heteros, would be more appropriate in the expression "another Comforter." Does this other Comforter differ in character or kind from Christ? Surely not. For while the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, are distinct persons of the Godhead, yet are they one in nature, purpose, counsel, mind, thought. How appropriate it is, then, that the word allos, meaning "another of the same sort or character," should have been used in this passage.
Next we will look at Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians for some instances in which allos and heteros are found in the same passage. The first of these is found in chapter twelve, verses eight through ten:"For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another (allos) the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another (heteros) faith by the same Spirit; to another (allos) the gift of healing by the same Spirit; to another (allos) the working of miracles; to another (allos) prophecy; to another (allos) discerning of spirits; to another (heteros) divers kinds of tongues; to another (allos) the interpretation of tongues." It would seem that these gifts were meant to be divided into groups with the word heteros defining the beginning of a new group. The significance of such divisions is not fully clear to the writer. Perhaps some of our readers, through prayerful study of this passage, might be able to help us to understand it more clearly.
In 1 Corinthians 14:17 and 19 we read:"For thou [one who prays in a tongue] givest thanks well, but the other (heteros) is not edified. … In the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others (allos) also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." Heteros in verse 17 refers to those not familiar with the tongue being spoken, while allos in verse 19 refers to those who understood the voice of the apostle.
For a final passage we refer to 1 Corinthians 15:39-41:"All flesh is not the same flesh:but there is one (allos) kind of flesh of men, another (allos) flesh of beasts, another (allos) of fishes, and another (allos) of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial:but the glory of the celestial is one (heteros), and the glory of the terrestrial is another (heteros). There is one (allos) glory of the sun, and another (allos) glory of the moon, and another (allos) glory of the stars. … So also is the resurrection of the dead. … It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body." The apostle is attempting to show that we should not expect to find these earthly bodies of ours in resurrection. If we but look around us and see the different kinds of flesh which God has created in the animal kingdom, the different kinds of heavenly bodies, and most strikingly, the difference in glory of earthly bodies from that of heavenly bodies, how unreasonable to think that the resurrected body must be at all like our present earthly bodies. The use of the words allos and heteros in this passage should be evident as there are two levels of differences discussed. While there are surely differences among different kinds of animals and among different kinds of heavenly bodies, there are also many noteworthy basic similarities in each case. Thus the word allos is used in this connection, reserving heteros to denote the marked differences which we observe between earthly and heavenly things.
Allos and heteros are found in many other verses of the New Testament. With the aid of a Greek concordance one may find many other examples of the wisdom of God in the employment of these two words in the Scriptures.
FRAGMENT "Father of mercies, in Thy Word
What endless glory shines!
Forever by Thy Name adored
For these celestial lines."