In biblical terms, the concept of "grasp" can be understood both literally and metaphorically, often relating to the act of holding onto something physically or comprehending something mentally or spiritually. The term appears in various contexts throughout Scripture, illustrating both human and divine actions and attributes.

Physical Grasp

The literal sense of grasping is seen in various narratives and teachings within the Bible. For instance, in Genesis 25:26, the birth of Jacob is described: "After this, his brother came out, grasping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob." This physical act of grasping Esau's heel is symbolic of Jacob's later actions and character, as he becomes known for his cunning and desire to seize blessings and birthrights.

Metaphorical Grasp

Metaphorically, grasping often refers to understanding or comprehending spiritual truths. In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul uses the concept of grasping to describe the pursuit of spiritual knowledge and maturity. In Ephesians 3:18-19, Paul prays that believers "may have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of His love, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Here, grasping is associated with a deep, experiential understanding of God's love, which is beyond mere intellectual knowledge.

Divine Grasp

The Bible also speaks of God's grasp, which signifies His sovereign control and care over creation. In Isaiah 41:13, God reassures His people, saying, "For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and tells you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you.’" This divine grasp is a source of comfort and strength, emphasizing God's intimate involvement in the lives of His people and His ability to uphold and support them.

Human Limitations

The Scriptures also acknowledge human limitations in grasping divine truths. In Ecclesiastes 8:17, Solomon reflects on the mysteries of God's work: "I saw every work of God, and I realized that no one can comprehend what happens under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims to know, he cannot comprehend it." This highlights the finite nature of human understanding in contrast to the infinite wisdom of God.

Moral and Ethical Implications

The concept of grasping can also have moral and ethical implications. In Philippians 2:6, Paul speaks of Christ's humility: "Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped." Here, grasping is associated with the pursuit of power or status, which Christ willingly relinquished for the sake of humanity. This serves as a model for Christian humility and selflessness.

In summary, the biblical concept of grasp encompasses a range of meanings, from physical holding to spiritual understanding, divine sovereignty, human limitations, and ethical behavior. Each context provides insight into the nature of God, the human condition, and the call to live in accordance with divine principles.1. (v. t.) To seize and hold by clasping or embracing with the fingers or arms; to catch to take possession of.

2. (v. t.) To lay hold of with the mind; to become thoroughly acquainted or conversant with; to comprehend.

3. (v. i.) To effect a grasp; to make the motion of grasping; to clutch; to struggle; to strive.

4. (n.) A gripe or seizure of the hand; a seizure by embrace, or enfolding in the arms.

5. (n.) Reach of the arms; hence, the power of seizing and holding; as, it was beyond his grasp.

6. (n.) Forcible possession; hold.

7. (n.) Wide-reaching power of intellect to comprehend subjects and hold them under survey.

8. (n.) The handle of a sword or of an oar.

GRASP

grasp: The word harpagmos (Philippians 2:6), is rendered by the King James Version "robbery," by the Revised Version (British and American) "a prize," and by the American Standard Revised Version "a thing to be grasped." By derivation the term may denote either an act of seizing or the aim or result of the action. In the context Paul is discussing, not Christ's opinion of His equality with God, but His amazing self-sacrifice in laying aside His equally for our sakes. He but laid it aside for us. It is better to render with the Revised Version (British and American) "a prize."

1405. drassomai -- to grasp, fig. entrap
... 1404, 1405. drassomai. 1406 . to grasp, fig. ... Word Origin a prim. verb Definition
to grasp, fig. entrap NASB Word Usage catches (1). to catch, seize. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1405.htm - 6k

2902. krateo -- to be strong, rule
... fast. Cognate: 2902 -- to place under one's grasp (seize hold of, put under
control). See 2904 (). Word ... 1). grasp, keep, lay hold. From ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2902.htm - 9k

5495. cheir -- the hand
... Word Origin a prim. word Definition the hand NASB Word Usage agency (1), charge*
(1), grasp (1), hand (82), hands (88), help (1). hand. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5495.htm - 7k

138. haireo -- to take, choose
... 138 (a primitive verb, always in the Greek middle voice) -- properly, lay hold of
by a . [The Greek voice emphasizes the of the one () to grasp or take.]. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/138.htm - 7k

333. anatheoreo -- to observe carefully
... 303 , ", as in completing a process," which intensifies 2334 , "gaze on") -- properly,
consider (literally " and down"); pay attention () to grasp the fuller ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/333.htm - 7k

3415. mnaomai -- be mindful, remember
... Middle voice of a derivative of meno or perhaps of the base of massaomai (through
the idea of fixture in the mind or of mental grasp); to bear in mind, ie ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3415.htm - 7k

878. aphron -- without reason, foolish
... 878 ("") describes someone because they fail to grasp -- ie in understanding
what (consequences). Word Origin from alpha (as a neg. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/878.htm - 7k

4822. sumbibazo -- to join together, hence to consider, by ext. to ...
... 4822 (from 4862 , "identified " and 1688 , "to board a ship") -- properly, (combine),
"causing to stride together" (); (figuratively) to grasp a truth by ideas ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4822.htm - 8k

1522. eisakouo -- to listen, to obey
... 1522 (from 1519 , "into, unto" and 191 , "hear") -- properly, hear (unto), ie heard;
to listen ("intentionally, deeply") to grasp a statement to its or (note ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1522.htm - 7k

2300. theaomai -- to behold, look upon
... 2300 (from , "to gaze at a spectacle") -- properly, gaze on (contemplate) as a ;
to observe , especially to something (grasp its ); to see ( on) so as to ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2300.htm - 8k

7061. qamats -- enclose with the hand, grasp
... 7060, 7061. qamats. 7062 . enclose with the hand, grasp. Transliteration: qamats
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-mats') Short Definition: take. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/7061.htm - 6k

8551. tamak -- to grasp, support, attain
... 8550, 8551. tamak. 8552 . to grasp, support, attain. Transliteration: tamak
Phonetic Spelling: (taw-mak') Short Definition: uphold. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/8551.htm - 6k

5844b. atah -- to grasp
... atah. 5845 . to grasp. Transliteration: atah Short Definition: firmly. Word Origin
a prim. root Definition to grasp NASB Word Usage grasp you firmly (1). ...
/hebrew/5844b.htm - 5k

270. achaz -- to grasp, take hold, take possession
... 269, 270. achaz. 271 . to grasp, take hold, take possession. Transliteration:
achaz Phonetic Spelling: (aw-khaz') Short Definition: seized. Word Origin a prim ...
/hebrew/270.htm - 6k

3943. laphath -- to twist, turn, grasp with a twisting motion
... 3942, 3943. laphath. 3944 . to twist, turn, grasp with a twisting motion.
Transliteration: laphath Phonetic Spelling: (law-fath') Short Definition: forward ...
/hebrew/3943.htm - 6k

2388. chazaq -- to be or grow firm or strong, strengthen
... encouragement (1), encourages (1), established himself securely (1), fasten (1),
fastens (1), fierce (1), firm (2), firmly (2), firmly in his grasp (1), forces ...
/hebrew/2388.htm - 8k

6642. tsabat -- to reach, hold out
... root Definition to reach, hold out NASB Word Usage served (1). reach. A primitive
root; to grasp, ie Hand out -- reach. 6641, 6642. tsabat. 6643 . ...
/hebrew/6642.htm - 5k

1574. gomed -- a short cubit (from elbow to knuckles of clenched ...
... 1). cubit. From an unused root apparently meaning to grasp; properly, a span --
cubit. 1573, 1574. gomed. 1575 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/1574.htm - 6k

7476. rayon -- a thought
... cogitation, thought. (Aramaic) corresponding to ra'yown; a grasp. Ie (figuratively)
mental conception -- cogitation, thought. see HEBREW ra'yown. 7475, 7476. ...
/hebrew/7476.htm - 6k

6908. qabats -- to gather, collect
... A primitive root; to grasp, ie Collect -- assemble (selves), gather (bring) (together,
selves together, up), heap, resort, X surely, take up. 6907, 6908. ...
/hebrew/6908.htm - 6k

The Grasp that Brings Peace
... THE GRASP THAT BRINGS PEACE. 'Let him take hold of My strength ... reconciled to God.'.
III. The grasp which ends alienation. The word for 'strength ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the grasp that brings peace.htm

Death to Lawful Things is the Way Out into a Life of Surrender.
... The little hands of the calyx clasp tightly in the bud, round the beautiful petals;
in the young flower their grasp grows more elastic"loosening somewhat in ...
/.../trotter/parables of the cross/death to lawful things is.htm

The Scaffolding Left in the Body
... Now although most people have some time or other been seized in the awful grasp
of a baby, few have any idea of the abnormal power locked up in the tentacles ...
/.../the lowell lectures on the ascent of man/chapter ii the scaffolding left.htm

The Message and Its Practical Results
... If, then, we grasp these two thoughts of absolute purity and of self-impartation
as the very nature and property of God, John tells us that we grasp the kernel ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the message and its practical.htm

The Mystery of the Lord's Incarnation Clearly Implies the Divinity ...
... But I am speaking of Christ and the Church," ie, since perhaps at the present time
all cannot grasp that, they may at least grasp this, which is not at ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter xi the mystery of.htm

A Sheaf of Prayer Arrows
... So that when we say, 'O Lord!' we summon up before ourselves, and grasp as the grounds
of our confidence, and we humbly present before Him as the motives, if ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture j/a sheaf of prayer arrows.htm

How the Apostle Maintains that Christ is the Power of God and the ...
... Thus all who have failed to grasp them must be reckoned among the princes of this
world, and those who have grasped them among God's wise ones. ...
/.../cassian/the seven books of john cassian /chapter x how the apostle.htm

Wide Reading.
... It underlies all methods of getting a grasp of this wonderful Book, and so coming
to as full and rounded an understanding of God as is possible to men down here ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on prayer/wide reading.htm

God's Inheritance in the Saints
... be on their foreheads.' Obedience, contemplation, transformation, these are the
hands by which we here lay hold on God; and they in the heavens grasp Him just ...
/.../gods inheritance in the saints.htm

Impossible Silence
... is so rare. The one is a deficient conception of what the Gospel is, and
the other is a feeble grasp of it for ourselves. If you ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/impossible silence.htm

Grasp (20 Occurrences)
... 3. (vi) To effect a grasp; to make the motion of grasping; to clutch; to
struggle; to strive. ... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. GRASP. ...
/g/grasp.htm - 13k

Seize (91 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To take or grasp suddenly; to reach and grasp. ... 6. (vt) To grasp with the
mind; to comprehend fully and distinctly; as, to seize an idea. ...
/s/seize.htm - 34k

Grip (32 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To trench; to drain. 4. (n.) An energetic or tenacious grasp; a holding
fast; strength in grasping. ... 8. (vt) To give a grip to; to grasp; to gripe. ...
/g/grip.htm - 16k

Robbery (18 Occurrences)
... counted it not a prize to be on an equality," etc., ie, "did not look upon equality
with God as a prize which must not slip from his grasp" = "did not cling ...
/r/robbery.htm - 16k

Catch (46 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To lay hold on; to seize, especially with the hand; to grasp (anything)
in motion, with the effect of holding; as, to catch a ball. ...
/c/catch.htm - 22k

Seizure (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) The act of seizing, or the state of being seized; sudden and violent grasp
or gripe; a taking into possession; as, the seizure of a thief, a property ...
/s/seizure.htm - 7k

Grasped (11 Occurrences)

/g/grasped.htm - 9k

Empire (8 Occurrences)
... (1) Julius Caesar. For a couple of generations political leaders had foreseen
the coming of supreme power and had tried to grasp it. ...
/e/empire.htm - 80k

Family (438 Occurrences)
... That this account should have held the place in history that it has had adds testimony
to the fine perception of sentiment and the strong grasp on principle ...
/f/family.htm - 87k

Hold (500 Occurrences)
... position, or relation, within certain limits, or the like; to prevent from falling
or escaping; to sustain; to restrain; to keep in the grasp; to retain. ...
/h/hold.htm - 39k

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