Lexical Summary deigmatizó: To make a public example, to expose, to disgrace Original Word: δειγματίζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance make a show. From deigma; to exhibit -- make a shew. see GREEK deigma NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom deigma Definition to expose, make a show of NASB Translation disgrace (1), made a display (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1165: δειγματίζωδειγματίζω: 1 aorist ἐδειγματισα; (δεῖγμα); to make an example of, to show as an example; τινα, to expose one to disgrace (cf. παραδειγματίζω, θεατρίζω): Matthew 1:19 L T Tr WH; Colossians 2:15. A word unknown to Greek writers. (Cf. Act. Petr. et Paul. § 33; Winer's Grammar, 25 (24); 91 (87); δειγματισμος occurs on the Rosetta stone, line 30; Boeckh, Inscriptions 4697. Compare: παραδειγματίζω.) Topical Lexicon Definition and Essential Idea The verb denoted by Strong’s Greek number 1165 conveys the act of exposing someone or something to open view in order to demonstrate, shame, or display it before others. The action is deliberate and public, intended to make an example that others cannot ignore. Within Scripture the term is used in two very different settings—a quiet decision by Joseph in the Gospel accounts and the decisive triumph of Christ in an apostolic letter—yet both usages revolve around the public dimension of honor and shame. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Matthew 1:19 – Joseph, learning of Mary’s pregnancy, “was unwilling to disgrace her publicly.” First-Century Cultural and Legal Setting In Jewish betrothal law, sexual unfaithfulness could lead to a formal trial before village elders (Deuteronomy 22:23–24). Public exposure secured communal purity by deterring similar offenses, yet it could end in severe penalties—even execution. Joseph, described as “righteous,” had the legal right to initiate such proceedings; his choice not to do so underscored his mercy and foreshadowed the character of the Messiah he would help raise. Roman triumphal processions likewise paraded defeated enemies in chains before cheering crowds. Paul draws on this imagery in Colossians, portraying the cross as the greater triumph in which the risen Lord exhibits vanquished principalities to the universe. Redemptive-Historical Significance Matthew 1:19 places the term at the threshold of the Incarnation. The potential public disgrace of Mary accentuates the grace behind Joseph’s restraint and the divine intervention that soon follows (Matthew 1:20–21). The shame that could have been hers is carried instead by her Son, who “for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Hebrews 12:2). Colossians 2:15 locates the same verb at the climax of redemption. On the cross, Jesus bears human shame but simultaneously shames the hostile powers. What appears to be His humiliation becomes their exposure. The verse links the stripping of authorities (“having disarmed the powers and authorities”) with their exhibition (“He made a public spectacle of them”), testifying that the victory is already decisive, not merely future. Christ’s Victory and Public Display By using a term associated with disgrace, Paul boldly inverts expectations: the cross, an instrument of shame, becomes the stage upon which Satan’s hosts are disgraced. This public display communicates at least three truths: Pastoral and Discipleship Applications 1. Mercy over exposure: Joseph’s example guides believers in handling the failures of others with compassion, seeking restoration rather than humiliation (Galatians 6:1). Related Biblical Themes and Passages • Honor and shame: Proverbs 3:35; Isaiah 45:17. Historical Reception in the Church Early Christian writers saw in Joseph a pattern of discreet righteousness and in Colossians 2:15 a warrant for the fearless proclamation of Christ’s lordship over every earthly and spiritual authority. Hymns such as “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” echo the language of defeated foes, and baptismal liturgies historically contained renunciations of Satan based on this passage. Summary Strong’s Greek 1165 highlights two moments where public exposure is pivotal: one avoided through mercy, the other embraced to secure redemption. Together they reveal a God who tempers justice with compassion and who turns instruments of shame into arenas of victory, inviting His people to live with the same blend of tenderness and triumph. Forms and Transliterations δέδοικας δεδοίκασι δεδοίκασιν δεδοικότες δεδοικώς δειγματισαι δειγματίσαι εδεδοίκειν εδειγματισεν εδειγμάτισεν ἐδειγμάτισεν deigmatisai deigmatísai edeigmatisen edeigmátisenLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 1:19 V-ANAGRK: θέλων αὐτὴν δειγματίσαι ἐβουλήθη λάθρᾳ NAS: and not wanting to disgrace her, planned INT: willing her to expose publicly purposed secretly Colossians 2:15 V-AIA-3S Strong's Greek 1165 |
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