Lexical Summary agathopoieó: To do good, to act rightly Original Word: ἀγαθοποιέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance do good. From agathopoios; to be a well-doer (as a favor or a duty) -- (when) do good (well). see GREEK agathopoios HELPS Word-studies 15 agathopoiéō (from 18 /agathós, "intrinsically good" and 4160 /poiéō, "to do, make") – properly, to do what is inherently good, i.e. is inspired and powered by God (Mk 3:4; Lk 6:9,35; 1 Pet 2:15,20,36,17; 3 Jn 11). See 18 (agathos). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom agathos and poieó Definition to do good NASB Translation do what is right (2), do good (4), do right (1), does good (1), doing what is right (1), doing right (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 15: ἀγαθοποιέωἀγαθοποιέω, (ῶ; 1 aorist infinitive ἀγαθοποιῆσαι; (from ἀγαθοποιός); 1. to do good, do something which profits others: Mark 3:4 (Tdf. ἀγαθόν ποιῆσαι; Luke 6:9); to show oneself beneficent, Acts 14:17 Rec.; τινα, to do some one a favor, to benefit, Luke 6:33, 35, (equivalent to הַיטִיב, Zephaniah 1:12; Numbers 10:32; Tobit 12:13, etc.). 2. to do well, do right: 1 Peter 2:15, 20 (opposed to ἁμαρτάνω); ἀγαθοποιέω describes intentional action that benefits others, expressing active benevolence rooted in God’s own goodness. It moves beyond mere moral restraint to positive, tangible service that reflects the character of Christ. Distribution in the New Testament • Gospels: Mark 3:4; Luke 6:9, 33, 35 These ten occurrences appear in contexts of controversy, ethical instruction, pastoral exhortation, and personal commendation, forming a consistent biblical theology of benevolent action. Doing Good on the Sabbath (Mark 3:4; Luke 6:9) Jesus asks, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?” (Mark 3:4). By healing the man with the withered hand, He asserts that mercy fulfils rather than violates Sabbath intent. ἀγαθοποιέω here exposes legalism that forgets human need and demonstrates that God’s rest is inseparable from His goodness. The Sermon on the Plain (Luke 6:33, 35) Luke 6:35 commands, “Love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return.” Benevolence toward adversaries reflects the Father “who is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.” ἀγαθοποιέω thus becomes the practical demonstration of enemy-love, distinguishing disciples from common social reciprocity (Luke 6:33). Peter’s Theology of Suffering and Witness (1 Peter 2–3) Peter repeatedly urges persecuted believers to persist in doing good: • 1 Peter 2:15 – Doing good silences “the ignorance of foolish men.” For Peter, ἀγαθοποιέω is both apologetic and cruciform: good works refute slander and imitate Christ’s own righteous suffering (1 Peter 2:21-23). Domestic Application (1 Peter 3:6) Sarah is cited as an example for Christian wives, “doing what is right and not fearing any terror.” Here ἀγαθοποιέω grounds household relationships in fearless obedience to God rather than cultural expectation, showing that benevolence begins in the home. Individual Discernment (3 John 1:11) “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God.” John applies the term to personal discernment and imitation, contrasting Diotrephes’ self-exalting conduct with the exemplary Demetrius. Doing good marks authentic spiritual lineage. Theological Significance 1. Revelation of God’s Character: Believers mirror the benevolence of the Father (Luke 6:35). Ministry Implications • Compassion Ministries: Healing, relief, and social mercy continue Jesus’ Sabbath model. Historical Reception Early Church apologists (e.g., Justin Martyr) cited Christian benevolence—care for abandoned infants, aid to plague victims—as evidence of divine truth, aligning with ἀγαθοποιέω. Reformers linked civic charity to the doctrine of vocation, while modern evangelical missions couple gospel proclamation with hospitals and schools, continuing the biblical mandate. Old Testament Foundations Though ἀγαθοποιέω is Greek, its concept resonates with Hebrew imperatives like “do justice, love mercy” (Micah 6:8) and the wisdom call to “not withhold good” (Proverbs 3:27). Jesus and Peter stand in continuity with this heritage, now centred on Christ. Eschatological Outlook Galatians 6:9 (using a cognate) captures the promise: “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Persistent ἀγαθοποιέω anticipates divine reward when Christ is revealed (1 Peter 4:13). Summary ἀγαθοποιέω unites Christ’s healing compassion, enemy-love, courageous endurance, and everyday kindness. It is both command and privilege: the Spirit-enabled outworking of the gospel that testifies to the goodness of God until He makes all things new. Englishman's Concordance Mark 3:4 V-ANAGRK: τοῖς σάββασιν ἀγαθο¦ποιῆσαι ἢ κακοποιῆσαι KJV: Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, INT: on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil Luke 6:9 V-ANA Luke 6:33 V-PSA-2P Luke 6:33 V-PPA-AMP Luke 6:35 V-PMA-2P 1 Peter 2:15 V-PPA-AMP 1 Peter 2:20 V-PPA-NMP 1 Peter 3:6 V-PPA-NFP 1 Peter 3:17 V-PPA-AMP 3 John 1:11 V-PPA-NMS Strong's Greek 15 |
    |