The term "Than" does not appear as a standalone entry in the Bible; however, it is often encountered as a comparative conjunction in English translations, including the Berean Standard Bible . In biblical texts, "than" is used to draw comparisons between two entities, ideas, or actions, often to highlight moral, spiritual, or theological truths.

Comparative Usage in Scripture

1. Moral and Ethical Comparisons: The Bible frequently uses "than" to compare moral and ethical qualities, emphasizing the superiority of one virtue over another. For example, Proverbs 16:16 states, "How much better to acquire wisdom than gold! To gain understanding is more desirable than silver." This verse underscores the biblical principle that spiritual wisdom and understanding are of greater value than material wealth.

2. Spiritual Priorities: In the teachings of Jesus, "than" is used to prioritize spiritual over earthly concerns. In Matthew 6:26, Jesus says, "Look at the birds of the air: They do not sow or reap or gather into barns—and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" Here, Jesus uses "than" to emphasize the greater value of human life and the importance of trusting in God's provision.

3. Expressions of Love and Devotion: The use of "than" in expressions of love and devotion is evident in passages like John 15:13, where Jesus declares, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." This comparison highlights the ultimate expression of love through self-sacrifice, a central theme in Christian theology.

4. Divine Attributes: The Bible also uses "than" to compare human attributes with divine attributes, often to illustrate the transcendence and superiority of God. Isaiah 55:9 states, "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." This passage serves to remind believers of the infinite wisdom and understanding of God compared to human limitations.

Theological Implications

The use of "than" in the Bible often carries significant theological implications. It serves as a tool for teaching and reinforcing key biblical principles, such as the value of spiritual over material pursuits, the importance of love and sacrifice, and the recognition of God's supreme authority and wisdom. By drawing these comparisons, Scripture encourages believers to align their lives with divine priorities and to seek a deeper understanding of God's will.

Conclusion

While "than" may seem like a simple conjunction, its use in the Bible is profound, offering insights into the values and priorities that are central to the Christian faith. Through its comparative function, "than" helps to illuminate the path of righteousness and the pursuit of a life that honors God above all else.1. (conj.) A particle expressing comparison, used after certain adjectives and adverbs which express comparison or diversity, as more, better, other, otherwise, and the like. It is usually followed by the object compared in the nominative case. Sometimes, however, the object compared is placed in the objective case, and than is then considered by some grammarians as a preposition. Sometimes the object is expressed in a sentence, usually introduced by that; as, I would rather suffer than that you should want.

2. (adv.) Then. See Then.

2228. e -- or, than
... e. 2229 . or, than. Part of Speech: Particle, Disjunctive Particle Transliteration:
e Phonetic Spelling: (ay) Short Definition: or, than Definition: or, than. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2228.htm - 6k

2260. eper -- than.
... than. Part of Speech: Particle, Disjunctive Particle Transliteration: eper Phonetic
Spelling: (ay'-per) Short Definition: than Definition: than. ... than. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2260.htm - 6k

1883. epano -- above, more than
... above, more than. Part of Speech: Adverb Transliteration: epano Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-an'-o) Short Definition: on the top, above, superior to Definition: (a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1883.htm - 6k

5245. hupernikao -- to be more than conqueror
... to be more than conqueror. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: hupernikao Phonetic
Spelling: (hoop-er-nik-ah'-o) Short Definition: I am more than conqueror ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5245.htm - 7k

1647. elachistoteros -- less than the least.
... 1646, 1647. elachistoteros. 1648 . less than the least. ... of elachistos, qv. less
than the least. Comparative of elachistos; far less -- less than the least. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1647.htm - 6k

5518. choinix -- a choenix (a dry measure of less than a quart)
... a choenix (a dry measure of less than a quart). Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: choinix Phonetic Spelling: (khoy'-nix) Short Definition: a Greek ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5518.htm - 6k

5228. huper -- over, beyond, fig. on behalf of, for the sake of ...
... of, for the sake of, concerning NASB Word Usage about (5), above (4), behalf (22),
beyond (4), concerning (3), exceed (1), more so (1), more than (5), over (2 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5228.htm - 7k

3844. para -- from beside, by the side of, by, beside
... Usage above (2), along (1), among (4), anyone's* (1), aside* (1), before (4), beside
(6), beyond (2), contrary (5), give (1), had (1), rather than (2), reason ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3844.htm - 8k

4133. plen -- yet, except
... form of polus Definition yet, except NASB Word Usage besides (1), except (2),
however (3), nevertheless (8), only (1), than (1), yet (3). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4133.htm - 6k

5250. huperpleonazo -- to abound exceedingly
... As a strengthened form of 5428 ("more than"), 5250 ("makes ") expresses the way
God will inbirth faith, through divine love, in the yielded believer to a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5250.htm - 7k

4481. min -- from, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than
... 4480, 4481. min. 4482 . from, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than.
Transliteration: min Phonetic Spelling: (min) Short Definition: partly. ...
/hebrew/4481.htm - 6k

4260. machamaah -- smoother than butter
... 4259, 4260. machamaah. 4261 . smoother than butter. Transliteration: machamaah
Phonetic Spelling: (makh-am-aw-aw') Short Definition: butter. ... than butter. ...
/hebrew/4260.htm - 6k

4480. min -- from
... 4479, 4480. min or minni or minne. 4481 . from. Transliteration: min or minni
or minne Phonetic Spelling: (min) Short Definition: than. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/4480.htm - 8k

518. im -- if
... certainly (1), either (1), either an or (1), either their or (2), else* (1), except*
(22), however* (1), if (588), if* (1), indeed (1), less than* (1), more of ...
/hebrew/518.htm - 6k

3588. ki -- that, for, when
... 1), except (1), except* (21), how (12), however* (1), if (169), if* (2), inasmuch*
(6), indeed (61), indeed* (1), last* (1), more of her than* (1), more than ...
/hebrew/3588.htm - 7k

5921. al -- upon, above, over
... 19), behalf (18), behind* (2), beside (47), beside* (6), besides (5), besiege*
(1), besieged* (13), besieging (1), besieging* (5), better than (1), between (1 ...
/hebrew/5921.htm - 8k

1768. di -- who, which, that, because
... 1), because (1), because* (5), before* (1), even (1), forasmuch* (1), inasmuch*
(9), since (2), so (6), soon (1), soon* (1), surely* (1), than* (1), until* (11 ...
/hebrew/1768.htm - 6k

637. aph -- also, yea
... also, although, and furthermore, yet, but, even, how much less more, rather
than,. A primitive particle; meaning accession (used ...
/hebrew/637.htm - 6k

1115. bilti -- not, except
... Word Origin from balah Definition not, except NASB Word Usage besides (2), except
(3), except* (1), less than* (1), moreover (1), neither (1), no (15), no ...
/hebrew/1115.htm - 6k

2004. hen -- they
... pl. pronoun from hu Definition they NASB Word Usage likewise (1), which (2). in,
such like, with them, thereby, therein, more than they, wherein, in which,. ...
/hebrew/2004.htm - 6k

Whether the Will is a Higher Power than the Intellect?
... OF THE WILL (FIVE ARTICLES) Whether the will is a higher power than the intellect? ...
Therefore the will is a more noble and perfect power than the intellect. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether the will is a.htm

'A Greater than Solomon'
... 'A GREATER THAN SOLOMON'. 'A greater than Solomon is here.'"Matthew
12:42. It is condescension in Him to compare Himself with any ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/a greater than solomon.htm

'A Greater than Jonas'
... 'A GREATER THAN JONAS'. 'A greater than Jonas is here.'"Matthew 12:41.
There never was any man in his right mind, still more of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/a greater than jonas.htm

More than Conquerors
... ROMANS MORE THAN CONQUERORS. 'Nay, in all these things we are more than
conquerors through Him that loved us.'"Romans 8:37. In ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/more than conquerors.htm

More than Heaven
... HYMNS MORE THAN HEAVEN. "A throne was set in Heaven, and One sat on the
throne.""Revelation 4:2. ... All things else as loss; More than Heaven itself is precious,. ...
/.../bevan/hymns of ter steegen and others second series/more than heaven.htm

Whether Hatred is Stronger than Love?
... OF HATRED (SIX ARTICLES) Whether hatred is stronger than love? Objection
1: It would seem that hatred is stronger than love. For ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether hatred is stronger than.htm

A Rock Higher than I.
... JESUS. IX. A ROCK HIGHER THAN I. (MEASURE ALTERED.) ... For help from the flood to come
forth. To the Rock that is higher than I. When foes to assault me unite,. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/morris/favourite welsh hymns/ix a rock higher than.htm

Whiter than Snow
... Whiter Than Snow. Gerhard Ter Steegen Hebrews 4:14. To heart and soul how sweet
Thou art,. O great High Priest of God! My heart brought nigh to God's own heart. ...
/.../bevan/hymns of ter steegen suso and others/whiter than snow.htm

Whether the Moral virtues are Better than the Intellectual virtues ...
... OF EQUALITY AMONG THE VIRTUES (SIX ARTICLES) Whether the moral virtues
are better than the intellectual virtues? Objection 1: It ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the moral virtues are 2.htm

Whether the Incontinent in Anger is Worse than the Incontinent in ...
... OF INCONTINENCE (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether the incontinent in anger is worse
than the incontinent in desire? Objection 1: It would ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether the incontinent in anger.htm

Than (5474 Occurrences)
... Sometimes, however, the object compared is placed in the objective case, and
than is then considered by some grammarians as a preposition. ...
/t/than.htm - 7k

Elna'than (5 Occurrences)
Elna'than. Elnathan, Elna'than. Elobethhanan . Multi-Version Concordance
Elna'than (5 Occurrences). 2 Kings 24:8 Jehoiachin ...
/e/elna'than.htm - 7k

Sooner (21 Occurrences)
... Matthew 18:28 But no sooner had that servant gone out, than he met with one of his
fellow servants who owed him 100 shillings; and seizing him by the throat ...
/s/sooner.htm - 12k

Sweeter (4 Occurrences)
... Sweeter (4 Occurrences). Judges 14:18 The men of the city said to him on the seventh
day before the sun went down, "What is sweeter than honey? ...
/s/sweeter.htm - 7k

Swifter (6 Occurrences)
... They were swifter than eagles. They were stronger than lions. ... Job 7:6 My days are
swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope. ...
/s/swifter.htm - 8k

Stronger (59 Occurrences)
... Acts 19:16 And the man in whom the evil spirit was, jumping on them, was stronger
than the two of them, and overcame them, so that they went running from that ...
/s/stronger.htm - 23k

Stumble (89 Occurrences)
... For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than
for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna. (WEB ASV YLT NAS). ...
/s/stumble.htm - 34k

Appears (38 Occurrences)
... him. They said, "When the Christ comes, he won't do more signs than those
which this man has done, will he?" (See RSV). Colossians ...
/a/appears.htm - 17k

Quicker (5 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Quicker (5 Occurrences). Job 7:6 My days go quicker than
the cloth-worker's thread, and come to an end without hope. (BBE). ...
/q/quicker.htm - 7k

Sharper (4 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any
two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both ...
/s/sharper.htm - 8k

What does it mean to have a holier-than-thou attitude? | GotQuestions.org

How is Jesus greater than all the other great people in history? | GotQuestions.org

How is sorrow better than laughter (Ecclesiastes 7:3)? | GotQuestions.org

Than: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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