The term "excepted" is used in the Bible to denote exclusion or exemption from a general statement or rule. It is often employed to highlight specific conditions or circumstances that are not subject to the general principle being discussed. In the context of Scripture, "excepted" serves to clarify divine commands, moral laws, or narrative details by specifying exceptions to the rule.

Biblical Usage and Context

1. Moral and Ceremonial Laws: In the Old Testament, the laws given to the Israelites often included exceptions to general commands. For example, certain ceremonial laws had exceptions for specific situations, such as the observance of the Sabbath, where acts of necessity and mercy were excepted (cf. Matthew 12:5: "Or haven’t you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and yet are innocent?").

2. Divine Commands: God's commands sometimes included exceptions to demonstrate His mercy or to accommodate human weakness. In the New Testament, Jesus addresses the issue of divorce, stating an exception to the general prohibition against it. In Matthew 19:9 , Jesus says, "Now I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman, commits adultery."

3. Narrative Details: The term "excepted" is also used in narrative contexts to highlight unique circumstances. For instance, in the account of Noah, all living creatures were destroyed by the flood, except those that were with Noah in the ark (Genesis 7:23: "Every living thing on the face of the earth was destroyed—man and livestock, crawling creatures and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the earth, and only Noah and those with him in the ark remained.").

4. Apostolic Teachings: The apostles, in their teachings, sometimes used exceptions to clarify doctrinal points. In 1 Corinthians 15:27 , Paul writes about the subjection of all things under Christ, with an exception: "For 'God has put everything under His feet.' But when it says that everything has been put under Him, it is clear that this does not include the One who put everything under Him."

Theological Implications

The use of "excepted" in Scripture underscores the importance of understanding the full context of biblical commands and teachings. It highlights God's sovereignty and wisdom in providing specific guidelines that accommodate human circumstances while maintaining divine principles. The exceptions serve as a reminder of God's grace and the need for discernment in applying biblical truths to life.

Practical Application

For believers, recognizing the exceptions in biblical commands encourages a deeper study of Scripture to understand the heart of God's laws. It calls for a balanced approach to obedience, one that considers both the letter and the spirit of the law. By acknowledging the exceptions, Christians are better equipped to apply biblical principles in a way that honors God and reflects His character.(imp. & p. p.) of Except.1622. ektos -- the exterior, fig. (as a preposition) aside from ...
... Word Origin from ek Definition the exterior, fig. (as a preposition) aside from,
besides NASB Word Usage except* (1), excepted (1), outside (2). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1622.htm - 6k

The Method which Origen Used in his Theological and Metaphysical ...
... Instructions. He Commends the Study of All Writers, the Atheistic Alone
Excepted. The Marvellous Power of Persuasion in Speech. ...
/.../argument xiii the method which origen.htm

How the People that were in the Fortress were Prevailed on by the ...
... CHAPTER 9. How The People That Were In The Fortress Were Prevailed On By The Words
Of Eleazar, Two Women And Five Children Only Excepted And All Submitted To ...
/.../chapter 9 how the people.htm

Marcion's Own Antitheses, if Only the Title and Object of the Work ...
... Chapter XXIX."Marcion's Own Antitheses, If Only the Title and Object of the Work
Be Excepted, Afford Proofs of the Consistent Attributes of the True God. ...
/.../the five books against marcion/chapter xxix marcions own antitheses if.htm

We Shall Follow the Example of Abdemelech, if we Believe that the ...
... may observe that He knows all things, when the Son said: "But of that day and hour
knoweth no one, not even the Angels of heaven," [1177] He excepted the Holy ...
/.../ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/chapter xi we shall follow.htm

Of Monastic Vows.
... Nor is it the commandment only, but also the creation and ordinance of God, which
forces those to marry who are not excepted by a singular work of God ...
/.../various/the augsburg confession of faith/article xxvii of monastic vows.htm

The Incarnation of Jesus Christ...
... who took upon Him the form of a servant and became like unto man, really assuming
the true human nature with all its infirmities, sin excepted; being conceived ...
/.../various/the belgic confession /article xviii the incarnation of.htm

Tiberias.
... But Tiberias is excepted, which hath the sea for a wall" So also R. Simeon Ben Jochai,
in the Jerusalem Gemara just now alleged: 'Among the cities fortified ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 72 tiberias.htm

What is Said Relatively in the Trinity.
... For that which is written, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord," [583]
ought certainly not to be understood as if the Son were excepted, or the Holy ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 11 what is said relatively.htm

Book I.
... us? Who would think that he ought to be excepted from the lot of dying,
who has not been excepted from the lot of being born? It ...
//christianbookshelf.org/ambrose/works and letters of st ambrose/book i.htm

Passages from the Psalms of David which Predict the End of the ...
... from the destiny of destruction; for he says, "The heavens are the works of Thy
hands: they shall perish;" so that, as none of them are excepted from the ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 24 passages from the psalms.htm

Excepted (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Except. Multi-Version Concordance
Excepted (2 Occurrences). 1 Corinthians 15:27 For, "He ...
/e/excepted.htm - 7k

Exception (6 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) That which is excepted or taken out from others; a person, thing, or case,
specified as distinct, or not included; as, almost every general rule has ...
/e/exception.htm - 9k

Commentaries
... Origen himself wrote commentaries on all the books of the Old Testament, Ruth, Esther
and Ecclesiastes alone excepted, and on most of the books of the New ...
/c/commentaries.htm - 57k

Judaeus
... Philo records his distaste for political activity, and, so far as we know, the Roman
incident excepted, he devoted himself principally to letters. ...
/j/judaeus.htm - 29k

Include (7 Occurrences)
... 27 For, "He put all things in subjection under his feet." But when he says, "All
things are put in subjection," it is evident that he is excepted who subjected ...
/i/include.htm - 8k

Reserve (15 Occurrences)
... back; reservation. 5. (n.) That which is reserved, or kept back, as for future
use. 6. (n.) That which is excepted; exception. 7. (n ...
/r/reserve.htm - 11k

Ether (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) A medium of great elasticity and extreme tenuity, supposed to pervade all
space, the interior of solid bodies not excepted, and to be the medium of ...
/e/ether.htm - 8k

Exempt (4 Occurrences)
... 1. (a.) Free, or released, from some obligation to which others are subject; excepted
from the operation or burden of some law; released; free; clear ...
/e/exempt.htm - 8k

Extraordinary (11 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) That which is extraordinary; -- used especially in the plural; as,
extraordinaries excepted, there is nothing to prevent success. ...
/e/extraordinary.htm - 10k

Male (303 Occurrences)
... The above words (the phrase mashtin beqir excepted) are used promiscuously of animals
and men, eg "Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee seven and seven ...
/m/male.htm - 43k

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