Lexical Summary ethizó: to accustom, to habituate Original Word: ἐθίζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance to accustomFrom ethos; to accustom, i.e. (neuter passive participle) customary -- custom. see GREEK ethos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ethos Definition to accustom, i.e. the established custom (perf. pass. part.) NASB Translation custom (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1480: ἐθίζωἐθίζω: (ἔθος, which see); to accustom; passive to be accustomed; perfect preposition τό εἰθισμένον, usage, custom: τοῦ νόμου, prescribed by the law, Luke 2:27. (Euripides, (Aristophanes), Thucydides, Xenophon, Plato, others.) Topical Lexicon Root Idea and Old Testament Background The participial form εἰθισμένον in Luke 2:27 stands upon the idea of something practiced so regularly that it becomes a settled habit or custom. The Old Testament frequently intertwines divine commands with habitual observance. Throughout Exodus 12; Leviticus 12; Deuteronomy 6; and Psalm 119 the people are urged to make obedience a way of life, not a sporadic act. That background frames Luke’s use: Joseph and Mary are portrayed as people whose hearts and schedules are shaped by covenant expectation, keeping what the Law “was accustomed” to require. Occurrence in the New Testament Luke 2:27 is the sole usage. The setting is the presentation of the infant Jesus at the temple forty days after His birth, in conjunction with Mary’s purification (Leviticus 12) and the redemption of the firstborn (Exodus 13). The renders the sentence: “So He came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for Him what was customary under the Law.” The Holy Spirit’s guidance (“He came by the Spirit”) intersects with human obedience to long-standing custom (“what was customary”), showing divine sovereignty and human responsibility operating together. Historical and Cultural Context Second Temple Judaism took Levitical purity seriously. After childbirth, a mother waited forty days (for a male child) before offering a burnt offering and a sin offering (Leviticus 12:6-8). Luke 2:24 notes the offering of “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,” confirming Joseph and Mary’s modest socioeconomic standing. Redeeming the firstborn for five shekels (Numbers 18:15-16) and dedicating Him to the Lord mirrored Hannah’s presentation of Samuel (1 Samuel 1:24-28). All of this was “customary,” woven into Jewish community life and calendar. Theological Significance 1. Fulfillment: Luke highlights that Jesus, from infancy, fulfills every righteous requirement (cf. Matthew 3:15). The habitual aspect of the Law foreshadows Christ’s perfectly obedient life. Implications for Christian Life and Worship • Worship rhythms: Weekly Lord’s-day gatherings, household prayers, and ordinances such as Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are meant to become Christ-centered “customs,” not mere formalities (Acts 2:42-47; 1 Corinthians 11:26). Illustrative Applications in Ministry 1. Family Ministry: Encourage parents to treat devotional practices as family habits, modeling Joseph and Mary’s temple visit. εἰθισμένον therefore testifies that God works through ordinary, repeated faithfulness to accomplish His extraordinary redemptive purposes. Forms and Transliterations ειθισμενον ειθισμένον εἰθισμένον eithismenon eithisménonLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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