Lexical Summary euergeteó: To do good, to benefit, to be a benefactor Original Word: εὐεργετέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance do good. From euergetes; to be philanthropic -- do good. see GREEK euergetes NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom euergetés Definition to do good NASB Translation doing good (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2109: εὐεργετέωεὐεργετέω, ἐυεργέτω; (εὐεργέτης), to do good, bestow benefits: Acts 10:38. (the Sept.; often in Attic writings.) Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek 2109 appears once in the New Testament as a participial description of Jesus Christ in Acts 10:38, characterizing His earthly ministry as one of continual beneficence—“doing good.” The single usage becomes a lens through which Scripture depicts the Messiah as the supreme Benefactor whose works embody and reveal the goodness of God. Scriptural Setting: Acts 10:34-48 Peter stands in the house of Cornelius, the first recorded full-blown Gentile evangelistic breakthrough. Explaining the life of Jesus, he says, “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). 1. The phrase “doing good” (εὐεργετῶν) summarizes Christ’s public activity between His baptism and His passion. Historical and Cultural Context In the Greco-Roman world, εὐεργέτης (“benefactor”) was a title of honor for philanthropists who funded civic projects or relief. By applying its cognate verb to Jesus, Peter elevates Him above every earthly patron. Unlike civic benefactors who distributed favors for prestige or political capital, Jesus’ beneficence flows from divine compassion and culminates in the cross and resurrection. Christ as the Ultimate Benefactor • Motive: Love rooted in the very nature of God (John 3:16). Links to Old Testament Theology Psalm 119:68 declares, “You are good, and You do what is good.” The participle εὐεργετῶν echoes this revelation: divine goodness is not abstract but active. Old Testament acts of deliverance—Exodus redemption, wilderness provision, covenant blessings—foreshadow the concentrated goodness revealed in Christ. Patterns Adopted by the Early Church 1. Diaconal ministry: Dorcas “was always doing good and helping the poor” (Acts 9:36). The church’s benevolent outreach functioned apologetically in a pagan society, reflecting the character of its Lord. Theological Implications • Soteriology: Good works never merit salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9), yet redeemed people are “created in Christ Jesus to do good works” (Ephesians 2:10). Practical Application for Contemporary Ministry 1. Holistic Mission: Combine proclamation with tangible mercy—hospitals, orphan care, disaster aid. Eschatological Perspective Works of goodness follow believers into eternity: “Their deeds will follow them” (Revelation 14:13). At the judgment, the righteous are recognized by actions toward “the least of these” (Matthew 25:35-40). Acts 10:38 therefore foreshadows the final assessment standard—alignment with the Benefactor’s heart. Summary The lone New Testament appearance of Strong’s 2109 distills the ministry of Jesus Christ into a single, potent idea: relentless, Spirit-empowered beneficence. This snapshot informs Christian identity, shaping a church that preaches a saving gospel while tangibly manifesting the goodness of God in a broken world. Forms and Transliterations ευεργετήσαντά ευεργετήσαντί ευεργετων ευεργετών εὐεργετῶν ευηργέτησέ euergeton euergetôn euergetōn euergetō̂nLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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