Lexical Summary logomachia: Word battle, dispute about words, quarrel over words Original Word: λογομαχία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance a dispute about wordsFrom the same as logomacheo; disputation about trifles ("logomachy") -- strife of words. see GREEK logomacheo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom logomacheó Definition a strife of words NASB Translation disputes about words (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3055: λογομαχίαλογομαχία, λογομαχίας, ἡ (λογομαχέω), dispute about words, war of words, or about trivial and empty things: plural 1 Timothy 6:4. (Not found in secular authors.) Topical Lexicon Root Ideaλογομαχία describes a contentious wrangling that elevates vocabulary, definitions, and speculative assertions above the substance of revealed truth. It is not the careful handling of words urged elsewhere in Scripture, but an obsession with verbal victories that displaces love, edification, and obedience. New Testament Setting (1 Timothy 6:4) Paul warns Timothy that certain teachers, “puffed up with conceit and understanding nothing,” have a morbid craving for λογομαχία. This craving is listed first among the evidences of doctrinal corruption, and it immediately breeds “envy, strife, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction” (1 Timothy 6:4-5). In the wider context of Ephesus, such verbal sparring was characteristic of itinerant sophists who sold their oratorical prowess for patronage. Paul identifies the same spirit in those who treat the gospel as a platform for intellectual sport or financial gain. Association with False Teaching 1. Pride-Rooted: The impulse grows out of conceit (1 Timothy 6:4), turning theological conversation into a means of self-exaltation. Contrast with Sound Doctrine Sound doctrine produces “love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5). By contrast, λογομαχία drains conversation of love and replaces it with rivalry. Where Scripture calls teachers to “hold firmly to the trustworthy word” (Titus 1:9) and to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15), word-fighting delights in technicalities and partisan slogans. Parallel Warnings • “Remind them... not to quarrel about words; it is of no value and only ruins the hearers” (2 Timothy 2:14). These related admonitions show that λογομαχία is part of a broader pattern of destructive speech that undermines the faith of others. Historical and Cultural Background Greek rhetoric prized the art of disputation, and traveling lecturers often staged public debates to display cleverness. In first-century Ephesus, such spectacles would have been familiar. When elements of that culture infiltrated the church, the result was a hybrid of Christian terminology and sophistic one-upmanship. Paul counters this trend by emphasizing godly character over verbal prowess. Consequences in Church Life 1. Division: Verbal skirmishes split congregations into factions (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:10-12). Pastoral Remedies • Teach the whole counsel of God, not favorite controversies (Acts 20:27). Theological Significance λογομαχία exposes the heart’s idolatry: when words become weapons, the speaker replaces God-honoring truth with self-honoring cleverness. Scripture does not denigrate reasoned defense of the faith (Acts 17:2-3; 1 Peter 3:15); rather, it condemns debates that revel in novelty while neglecting holiness. True doctrine fuels love; spurious disputes feed the flesh. Guidance for Believers Today • Evaluate teaching by its fruit: does it cultivate Christlike character and unity? Summary λογομαχία, occurring singularly in 1 Timothy 6:4, represents a perennial danger: the temptation to turn sacred truth into an arena for ego-driven debate. Scripture calls leaders and congregations alike to reject such strife, embrace sound doctrine, and pursue the unity and love that adorn the gospel. Forms and Transliterations λογομαχιας λογομαχίας logomachias logomachíasLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
    |