The Bible has influenced our daily language in many ways. Here are four common phrases with roots in the Bible.
Kiss Of Death: refers to any gesture that precedes a bad—often cataclysmic—outcome. In Matthew 26:48-50, Judas kisses Jesus in order to identify him to the Romans: “Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.’ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Greetings, Rabbi!’ and kissed him. Jesus replied, ‘Friend, do what you came for.’”
Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing: Used to describe a person who comes to another person with apparent good intentions, only to double cross them in the end. In Matthew 7:15-16, Jesus warns of false prophets coming “… in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”
The Writing On The Wall: Commonly used when an event is seen (often in hindsight) as a sign of doom. When Daniel was summoned by King Belshazzar to translate mysterious writing that appears on a wall, his translation predicts the forthcoming fall of the Babylonian empire.
The Straight And Narrow: If you follow the straight and narrow, you follow the rules, no matter how difficult. Comes from Jesus’ teachings in Matthew 7:14. In many recent translations, “straight” is often translated as “small.”
What other sayings have we missed? Let us know below.
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