Lexical Summary thuó: To sacrifice, to slay, to kill Original Word: θύω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance kill, sacrifice, slay. A primary verb; properly, to rush (breathe hard, blow, smoke), i.e. (by implication) to sacrifice (properly, by fire, but genitive case); by extension to immolate (slaughter for any purpose) -- kill, (do) sacrifice, slay. HELPS Word-studies 2380 thýō – to kill as a sacrifice and offer on an altar. 2380 /thýō ("sacrifice") means more than "kill" as it also suggests offering something as a spiritual sacrifice. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. verb Definition to offer, sacrifice NASB Translation butchered (1), kill (4), killed (2), offer sacrifice (1), offering sacrifice (1), sacrifice (2), sacrificed (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2380: θύωθύω; imperfect ἔθυον; 1 aorist ἔθυσα; passive, present infinitive θύεσθαι; perfect participle τεθυμενος; 1 aorist ἐτύθην (1 Corinthians 5:7, where Rec.bez elz ἐθυθην, cf. Winers Grammar, § 5, 1 d. 12); (from Homer down); the Sept. mostly for זָבַח, also for שָׁחַט, to slay; 1. to sacrifice, immolate: absolutely, Acts 14:13; τίνι, the dative of person (in honor of one), Acts 14:18; τίνι τί, 1 Corinthians 10:20. 2. to slay, kill: absolutely, Acts 10:13; Acts 11:7; τί, Luke 15:23, 27, 30; passive Matthew 22:4; τό πάσχα, the paschal lamb, Mark 14:12; passive, Luke 22:7; 1 Corinthians 5:7 (Deuteronomy 16:2, 6). 3. to slaughter: absolutely, John 10:10; τινα, Sir. 31:24 (Sir. 34:24); 1 Macc. 7:19. Strong’s Greek 2380 conveys the deliberate slaughter of an animal for sacrificial, festive, or cultic purposes. Whether the context is the temple, the family table, or an idolatrous shrine, the verb highlights an act of worship or celebration that places a life upon the altar. Old Covenant Framework Because the Septuagint regularly employs this verb for Levitical sacrifices (for example Leviticus 17:8-9; Exodus 12:6), every New Testament use is colored by that background. The divine pattern—blood shed so that sinners might approach a holy God—lies behind the Passover (Exodus 12) and every subsequent offering. Thus, when the evangelists speak of the Passover lamb “being sacrificed” (Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7), the word evokes centuries of priestly ministry and anticipates its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Festival Fulfillment in Christ Paul proclaims, “For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). The perfect passive (ἐτύθη) marks the once-for-all nature of Calvary. All earlier occurrences of θύω met their goal in the cross; no further atoning blood is required (Hebrews 10:10-12). The church therefore celebrates an everlasting feast of sincerity and truth, purging the old leaven of sin. Kingdom Banquet Imagery In the parable of the wedding feast Jesus says, “See, I have prepared my banquet; my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered” (Matthew 22:4). The killing of the animals signals that everything needed for joyous fellowship with the King is complete; refusal to come is a moral offense, not a logistical one. Likewise, in the parable of the prodigal son the father orders, “Bring the fatted calf and kill it” (Luke 15:23). Here θύω underscores the lavish grace that welcomes repentant sinners into restored communion. Household and Table Fellowship Peter’s rooftop vision confronts deep-seated taboos: “Get up, Peter, kill and eat!” (Acts 10:13; 11:7). By commanding θύω without ceremonial restriction, the Lord dismantles the wall between Jew and Gentile. The subsequent outpouring of the Spirit on Cornelius’s household confirms that clean and unclean distinctions, as enforced by dietary law, have served their purpose. Missionary Collision with Idolatry At Lystra the priest of Zeus “brought bulls and wreaths… hoping to sacrifice with the crowds” (Acts 14:13). Even after Paul’s protest, “they could hardly stop the crowds from sacrificing” (Acts 14:18). The narrative exposes pagan θύω as a counterfeit worship that must be resisted. Paul later applies the same verb in Corinth: “The sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God” (1 Corinthians 10:20). Believers must not share in those tables; fellowship with Christ’s cup excludes any communion with idols. Violent Opposition Versus Abundant Life Jesus contrasts His mission with that of the thief: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life” (John 10:10). Here θύω depicts murderous intent, setting in relief the Good Shepherd’s self-giving love. What false shepherds do to the flock, Christ willingly endures for the flock. Practical Ministry Implications 1. Worship centers on the once-sacrificed but now-risen Christ. All church gatherings—from the Lord’s Supper to corporate praise—flow from His completed θύω. Eschatological Anticipation Revelation foresees the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, where sacrificial imagery culminates in unending feast. The completed θύω of the cross guarantees a future where no further blood is shed, yet the joyous fellowship symbolized by killed oxen and fattened cattle reaches its perfect expression. Thus Strong’s 2380 traces a line from the slain lamb in Egypt to the crucified Lord in Jerusalem and on to the eternal banquet of the redeemed, framing the whole drama of redemption in the language of sacrifice. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 22:4 V-RPM/P-NNPGRK: τὰ σιτιστὰ τεθυμένα καὶ πάντα NAS: and my fattened livestock are [all] butchered and everything KJV: [my] fatlings [are] killed, and INT: the fatted beasts are killed and all things [are] Mark 14:12 V-IIA-3P Luke 15:23 V-AMA-2P Luke 15:27 V-AIA-3S Luke 15:30 V-AIA-2S Luke 22:7 V-PNM/P John 10:10 V-ASA-3S Acts 10:13 V-AMA-2S Acts 11:7 V-AMA-2S Acts 14:13 V-PNA Acts 14:18 V-PNA 1 Corinthians 5:7 V-AIP-3S 1 Corinthians 10:20 V-PIA-3P 1 Corinthians 10:20 V-PIA-3P Strong's Greek 2380 |
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