Lexical Summary eidólon: Idol Original Word: εἴδωλον Strong's Exhaustive Concordance idol. From eidos; an image (i.e. For worship); by implication, a heathen god, or (plural) the worship of such -- idol. see GREEK eidos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom eidos Definition an image (i.e. for worship), by impl. a false god NASB Translation idol (4), idols (7). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1497: εἴδωλονεἴδωλον, εἰδώλου, τό (εἶδος (cf. Winers Grammar, 96 (91); Etym. Magn. 296, 9)), in Greek writings from Homer down, an image, likeness, i. e. whatever represents the form of an object, either real or imaginary; used of the shades of the departed (in Homer), of apparitions, spectres, phantoms of the mind, etc.; in Biblical writings (an idol, i. e.): 1. the image of a heathen god: Acts 7:41; 1 Corinthians 12:2; Revelation 9:20 (Isaiah 30:22; 2 Chronicles 23:17, etc.; θεῶν ἤ δαιμον´ων εἴδωλα, Polybius 31, 3, 13); 2. a false god: Acts 15:20 (on which see ἀλίσγημα); Romans 2:22; 1 Corinthians 8:4, 7; 1 Corinthians 10:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16; 1 Thessalonians 1:9 (often in the Sept.); φυλάσσειν ἑαυτόν ἀπό τῶν εἰδώλων, to guard oneself from all manner of fellowship with heathen worship, 1 John 5:21. The term denotes a manufactured representation that usurps the reverence due to the living God. Whether fashioned in stone, metal, or conceptualized in the imagination, it embodies a false claim to divinity and invites worship that belongs exclusively to the Creator. Old Testament Foundations Although the Greek word appears only in the New Testament, its idea saturates the Hebrew Scriptures. From the golden calf in Exodus 32 to the carved images condemned in Isaiah 44:9-20, Israel’s history illustrates that idols are powerless, mute pretenders. The prophets continually expose idolatry as spiritual adultery, preparing the reader to grasp the gravity of the term when it surfaces in the New Testament. Greco-Roman Cultural Setting First-century believers lived amid temples dedicated to Zeus, Aphrodite, Artemis, and a multitude of household gods. Civic life, trade guilds, and family celebrations revolved around sacrifice to these images. Thus, avoiding idolatry carried social and economic cost, a reality underscored in Acts 19:23-41 and assumed in Paul’s discussions of meat offered to idols (see 1 Corinthians 8–10). Survey of New Testament Occurrences • Romans 2:22 exposes hypocrisy: “You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?” The accusation shows that mere disdain for images cannot substitute for true obedience. Theological Significance 1. Idolatry dethrones God in the human heart. Worship is a zero-sum reality; devotion given to an idol is stolen from the Lord. Pastoral and Missional Applications • Evangelism must confront idolatry. Missionaries to polytheistic cultures still face literal images; witnesses in secular contexts must unmask sophisticated idols—pleasure, wealth, power—that vie for ultimate allegiance. Conclusion Strong’s 1497 crystallizes the Bible’s unwavering stance: idols—however enticing—are empty, deceptive, and incompatible with faith in Jesus Christ. True worship turns from every counterfeit to delight in the living God, awaiting the day when “the kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” (Revelation 11:15). Englishman's Concordance Acts 7:41 N-DNSGRK: θυσίαν τῷ εἰδώλῳ καὶ εὐφραίνοντο NAS: a sacrifice to the idol, and were rejoicing KJV: sacrifice unto the idol, and INT: sacrifice to the idol and rejoiced Acts 15:20 N-GNP Romans 2:22 N-ANP 1 Corinthians 8:4 N-NNS 1 Corinthians 8:7 N-GNS 1 Corinthians 10:19 N-NNS 1 Corinthians 12:2 N-ANP 2 Corinthians 6:16 N-GNP 1 Thessalonians 1:9 N-GNP 1 John 5:21 N-GNP Revelation 9:20 N-ANP Strong's Greek 1497 |
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