Lexical Summary isos: Equal, same, equivalent Original Word: ἴσος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance agree, as much, equal, like.Probably from eido (through the idea of seeming); similar (in amount and kind) -- + agree, as much, equal, like. see GREEK eido HELPS Word-studies 2470 ísos – equality; having the same (similar) level or value; equivalent, equal in substance or quality (J. Thayer). [2470 (ísos) is the root of the English terms, "isometric" and "isosceles" – referring to equivalencies.] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition equal NASB Translation consistent (2), equal (3), equality (1), same (2). Topical Lexicon Concept and ScopeStrong’s 2470 highlights the idea of exact correspondence—whether between persons, gifts, testimonies, or dimensions. Across its eight New Testament appearances, the word links divine realities with human conduct, revealing a unifying thread: God’s own standard of perfect parity shapes the believer’s view of salvation, community, ethics, and hope. Occurrences Across the New Testament 1. Matthew 20:12 – In the parable of the vineyard workers, disgruntled laborers protest: “you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the scorching heat of the day.” Here equality exposes the heart’s resistance to sovereign grace; God’s generosity upends human calculations of merit. 2. Luke 6:34 – Jesus asks, “And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you?” Mere equivalence in reciprocity is shown to be insufficient for kingdom discipleship; love must exceed parity. 3. Mark 14:56; 14:59 – Repeated stress that the false witnesses’ statements were not “equal” or consistent underscores the miscarriage of justice leading to Christ’s crucifixion. Equality of testimony was a legal requirement (Deuteronomy 19:15); its absence accentuates the innocence of Jesus and the unrighteousness of the proceedings. 4. John 5:18 – The Sanhedrin seeks to kill Jesus because He was “making Himself equal with God.” The term here frames the earliest explicit recognition of Christ’s divine identity and becomes a cornerstone for later Trinitarian confession. 5. Acts 11:17 – Peter affirms, “So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder God?” Equality of the Spirit’s gift validates Gentile inclusion and disallows ethnic or ceremonial superiority within the church. 6. Philippians 2:6 – Christ, “existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.” The Son’s voluntary self-humbling defines authentic Christian service: relinquishing rightful status for another’s good. 7. Revelation 21:16 – The New Jerusalem’s “length, width, and height are equal.” Perfect proportion depicts completion, stability, and the full realization of God’s redemptive architecture. Christological Significance John 5:18 and Philippians 2:6 anchor the doctrine of the deity of Christ. His essential oneness with the Father is asserted, yet the incarnation displays equality expressed through humility, not rivalry. Early church fathers drew on these texts at Nicaea and Chalcedon to articulate homoousios (of one essence) while safeguarding the distinction of persons within the Godhead. Ecclesiological Unity Acts 11:17 demonstrates that the same Spirit welds Jew and Gentile into one body. The episode settled the Jerusalem church’s doubts, setting a precedent for later councils (Acts 15). Ministry today must reflect that Spirit-given parity, rejecting racial, social, or economic barriers. Ethical and Social Implications Matthew 20:12 and Luke 6:34 challenge believers to transcend transactional relationships. Kingdom economics run on grace, not equivalence. Employers, lenders, and leaders measure generosity by the cross, not by strict symmetry. Witness and Testimony Mark 14 magnifies the moral demand for consistent witness. In pastoral practice this warns against partial or contradictory testimony, whether in church discipline, legal matters, or public proclamation. Eschatological Fulfillment Revelation 21:16 portrays the consummated city as a perfect cube, recalling the Holy of Holies (1 Kings 6:20). Divine presence will fill every dimension of the redeemed order; nothing is out of proportion, nothing lacking. Historical Reception Patristic writers—from Athanasius to Augustine—cited John 5:18 and Philippians 2:6 to refute Arian and adoptionist claims. Medieval scholastics employed the term to discuss analogia entis (the comparison between Creator and creature), yet insisted the equality of Son with Father is absolute, not metaphorical. Ministry Application • Preaching: Highlight grace that levels the field (Matthew 20), convicting self-righteousness. Related Old Testament Foundations The Septuagint frequently uses cognate language for equal weights, just measures, and fair judgments (for example, Leviticus 19:36; Deuteronomy 25:15). These laws foreshadow the New Testament’s deeper call to moral and relational integrity grounded in God’s character. Key Observations • Equality can expose gracelessness (Matthew 20) or reveal divine generosity (Acts 11). From present discipleship to future glory, the biblical witness shows that true equality is defined, granted, and fulfilled by God Himself. Forms and Transliterations ισα ίσα ἴσα ισαι ίσαι ἴσαι ιση ίση ἴση ισην ίσην ἴσην ίσοι ισον ίσον ἴσον ίσος ίσου ισους ίσους ἴσους ίσω isa ísa isai ísai ise isē íse ísē isen isēn ísen ísēn ison íson isous ísousLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 20:12 Adj-AMPGRK: ἐποίησαν καὶ ἴσους αὐτοὺς ἡμῖν NAS: and you have made them equal to us who KJV: them equal unto us, INT: have worked and equal them to us Mark 14:56 Adj-NFP Mark 14:59 Adj-NFS Luke 6:34 Adj-ANP John 5:18 Adj-AMS Acts 11:17 Adj-AFS Philippians 2:6 Adj-NNP Revelation 21:16 Adj-NNP Strong's Greek 2470 |
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