Lexical Summary kataluó: To destroy, to dissolve, to overthrow, to abolish Original Word: καταλύω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance destroy, dissolve, lodge, come to noughtFrom kata and luo; to loosen down (disintegrate), i.e. (by implication) to demolish (literally or figuratively); specially (compare kataluma) to halt for the night -- destroy, dissolve, be guest, lodge, come to nought, overthrow, throw down. see GREEK kata see GREEK luo see GREEK kataluma NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kata and luó Definition to destroy, overthrow NASB Translation abolish (2), destroy (5), destroyed (1), find lodging (1), guest (1), overthrow (1), overthrown (1), tear down (1), torn down (4). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2647: καταλύωκαταλύω; future καταλύσω; 1 aorist κατέλυσα; 1 aorist passive κατελυθην; 1 future passive 3 person singular καταλυθήσεται; to dissolve, disunite (see, III. 4); a. (what has been joined together) equivalent to to destroy, demolish: λίθους (A. V. throw down), Matthew 24:2; Mark 13:2; Luke 21:6; τόν ναόν, Matthew 26:61; Matthew 27:40; Mark 14:58; Mark 15:29; Acts 6:14; οἰκίαν, 2 Corinthians 5:1; universally opposed to οἰκοδομεῖν, Galatians 2:18 (2 Esdr. 5:12; Homer, Iliad 9, 24f; 2, 117; τευχη, Euripides, Tro. 819; γέφυραν, Herodian, 8, 4, 4 (2 edition, Bekker)). b. metaphorically, to overthrow, i. e. to render vain, to deprive of success, to bring to naught: τήν βουλήν ἤ τό ἔργον, Acts 5:38 (τάς ἀπειλάς, 4 Macc. 4:16); τινα, to render fruitless one's desires, endeavors, etc. ibid. 39 G L T Tr WH (Plato, legg. 4, p. 714 c.); to subvert, overthrow: τό ἔργον τοῦ Θεοῦ (see ἀγαθός, 2), Romans 14:20. As in classical Greek from Herodotus down, of institutions, forms of government, laws, etc., to deprive of force, annul, abrogate, discard: τόν νόμον, Matthew 5:17 (2 Macc. 2:22; Xenophon, mem. 4, 4, 14; Isocrates paneg. § 55; Philost. v., Apoll. 4, 40). c. of travelers, to halt on a journey, to put up, lodge (the figurative expression originating in the circumstance that, to put up for the night, the straps and packs of the beasts of burden are unbound and taken off; or, perhaps more correctly, from the fact that the traveler's garments, tied up when he is on the journey, are unloosed at its end; cf. ἀναλύω, 2): Luke 9:12; Luke 19:7; so in Greek writings from Thucydides, Xenophon, Plato down; the Sept. for לוּן, Genesis 19:2; Genesis 24:23, 25, etc.; Sir. 14:25, 27 Sir. 36:31; (cf. Buttmann, 145 (127)). The Greek verb behind Strong’s 2647 appears seventeen times in the New Testament and ranges from the dismantling of a building, to the invalidation of a principle, to the simple act of finding lodging. Each use retains the central idea of something being taken down, undone, or laid to rest. Literal Demolition of Structures Several occurrences speak of an actual tearing down of buildings. In the Olivet discourse Jesus foretells the fall of the Jerusalem temple: “Not one stone will be left on another; every one will be thrown down” (Matthew 24:2; Mark 13:2; Luke 21:6). The verb carries a vivid finality: the impressive edifice Israel cherished would be utterly dismantled, prefiguring both the Roman destruction in A.D. 70 and the passing of the old order. Judicial and Accusatory Contexts Because Jesus predicted the temple’s ruin, false witnesses distorted His words in court: “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days’” (Matthew 26:61; cf. Mark 14:58). The same charge reappears at Calvary (Matthew 27:40; Mark 15:29). Ironically, by crucifying Him they fulfilled the very prophecy His accusers misunderstood: the true temple of His body was destroyed yet raised on the third day (John 2:19-22). Prophetic Predictions of Temple’s Fall Beyond firsthand accusations, the term is used by the apostles in Acts. Gamaliel warns the Sanhedrin that any movement not of God “will be overthrown” (Acts 5:38-39). Stephen is likewise maligned for allegedly saying, “This Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place” (Acts 6:14). Both scenes underline a transition: God’s redemptive plan is advancing, and any opposition will ultimately collapse. Christ’s Relation to the Mosaic Law Jesus clarifies: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them” (Matthew 5:17). Here the verb does not speak of physical demolition but of annulling authority. Christ’s fulfillment secures the Law’s intentions and foretells a righteousness surpassing that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). Spiritual Metaphor for the Body and Earthly Tents Paul employs the word for the believer’s present body: “If the earthly tent we live in is dismantled, we have a building from God” (2 Corinthians 5:1). Physical death is not annihilation but the taking down of a temporary shelter, followed by a house “eternal in the heavens.” The verb thus widens to encompass the Christian hope of resurrection. Evangelistic Ethics and Corporate Edification Romans 14:20 warns against damaging fellow believers over secondary matters: “Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.” What Christ builds through His cross and Spirit can be torn down by careless liberty. The same pastoral concern echoes in Galatians 2:18, where Peter’s hypocrisy threatened to annul the gospel’s unity—“If I rebuild what I already tore down, I prove myself a lawbreaker.” Ecclesiastical Controversy and Legalism Galatians 2:18 demonstrates how reverting to law-keeping undermines the completed work of Christ. The verb pinpoints the absurdity of replacing grace with ritual. To “rebuild” a demolished legal edifice is to deny the sufficiency of the cross. Lodging and the Ministry of Hospitality The most benign nuance appears in Luke: when Jesus is welcomed by Zacchaeus, the crowd grumbles that He “has gone in to be the guest of a sinful man” (Luke 19:7). Earlier the Twelve ask permission for the hungry crowds to “go into the surrounding villages and countryside and find lodging” (Luke 9:12). In these settings the verb shades into “settling down” for the night, highlighting the humble logistics of itinerant ministry. Theological Reflection Throughout Scripture, the term reminds believers that earthly structures—whether temples, bodies, or human regulations—are temporary. What God establishes in Christ cannot be dismantled; what He means to dismantle will not stand. The cross simultaneously fulfilled, ended, and inaugurated: it met the Law’s demands, broke its condemnation for believers, and ushered in the new covenant’s indestructible life. Practical Implications for Ministry Today 1. Avoid anything that erodes the conscience or unity of Christ’s body (Romans 14:20). Englishman's Concordance Matthew 5:17 V-ANAGRK: ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον NAS: that I came to abolish the Law KJV: that I am come to destroy the law, or INT: that I came to abolish the law Matthew 5:17 V-ANA Matthew 24:2 V-FIP-3S Matthew 26:61 V-ANA Matthew 27:40 V-PPA-NMS Mark 13:2 V-ASP-3S Mark 14:58 V-FIA-1S Mark 15:29 V-PPA-NMS Luke 9:12 V-ASA-3P Luke 19:7 V-ANA Luke 21:6 V-FIP-3S Acts 5:38 V-FIP-3S Acts 5:39 V-ANA Acts 6:14 V-FIA-3S Romans 14:20 V-PMA-2S 2 Corinthians 5:1 V-ASP-3S Galatians 2:18 V-AIA-1S Strong's Greek 2647 |
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