Lexical Summary aitios: Responsible, cause, guilty Original Word: αἴτιος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance author. From the same as aiteo; causative, i.e. (concretely) a causer -- author. see GREEK aiteo Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 159: αἴτιοςαἴτιος, , , that in which the cause of anything resides, causative, causing. Hence, 1. ὁ αἴτιος the author: σωτηρίας, Hebrews 5:9 (the same phrase is frequent in secular writings; cf. the opposite αἴτιος τῆς ἀπωλείας in Bel and the Dragon, verse 2. τό αἴτιον equivalent to ἡ αἰτία; cause: Acts 19:40 (cf. Buttmann, 400 (342) n.). b. crime, offence: Luke 23:4, 14, 22. (αἴτιος culprit.) (See αἰτία, 3.) General sense and semantic field The term denotes that which is responsible for an action or condition: a cause, ground, reason, charge, or guilt. It can describe the factual basis in a legal setting, personal culpability, or, positively, the originating source of blessing. Usage in the passion narrative (Luke 23:4, 14, 22) Luke records Pilate’s repeated verdict that Jesus was innocent of any “cause” for punishment. In each instance αἴτιον underscores the legal nullity of the accusations. The word places the spotlight on Christ’s blamelessness, fulfilling prophetic expectation that the Servant would suffer though “he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth” (Isaiah 53:9). Christological significance 1. Innocence of the Substitute: The absence of any αἴτιον against Jesus validates His qualification as the spotless Lamb (1 Peter 1:19). He bears sin not for personal guilt but vicariously for others (2 Corinthians 5:21). Hebrews 5:9 — Christ the Source of Eternal Salvation “And having been made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” Here αἴτιος shifts from legal innocence to constructive agency. Jesus is not merely free from blame; He is the effective cause of everlasting deliverance. The verse stands at the intersection of His completed obedience (“made perfect”) and His ongoing priestly ministry. αἴτιος conveys that salvation is not self-generated by believers but proceeds entirely from the finished work of the Son. Acts 19:40 — Civic accountability “For we are in jeopardy of being charged with rioting for today’s events, since there is no cause we can present to justify this commotion.” The town clerk recognizes that without a defensible αἴτιον, the assembly’s disorder invites Roman censure. The verse illustrates the broader Greco-Roman legal backdrop in which αἴτιος/αἴτιον functioned as technical terminology for a legally sustainable ground of action. Theological threads • Divine justice: Scripture consistently demands a real αἴτιον before condemnation (Deuteronomy 17:6). Pilate’s testimony highlights the miscarriage of justice that became God’s instrument for redemption (Acts 2:23). Practical ministry implications 1. Apologetics: Present Christ as the sinless One—no legitimate αἴτιον for His death except the predetermined plan of God (1 Peter 2:22-24). Summary Strong’s Greek 159 portrays both the absence of legitimate grounds for condemning Jesus and His positive role as the effective cause of eternal salvation. The word moves from courtroom negation in Luke to redemptive affirmation in Hebrews, and to civic caution in Acts, weaving a coherent biblical testimony to Christ’s innocence, agency, and believers’ accountability before God. Englishman's Concordance Luke 23:4 Adj-ANSGRK: Οὐδὲν εὑρίσκω αἴτιον ἐν τῷ INT: Nothing find I faulty in the Luke 23:14 Adj-ANS Luke 23:22 Adj-ANS Acts 19:40 Adj-GNS Hebrews 5:9 Adj-NMS Strong's Greek 159 |
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