Lexical Summary horothesia: Boundary setting, boundary Original Word: ὁροθεσία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance a limit, boundaryFrom a compound of the base of horion and a derivative of tithemi; a limit-placing, i.e. (concretely) boundary-line -- bound. see GREEK horion see GREEK tithemi HELPS Word-studies 3734 horothesía (from horos, "boundary, limit" and 5087 /títhēmi," to set") – properly, limits pre-set boundaries (used only occurs in Ac 17:26). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as horion and tithémi Definition a setting of boundaries NASB Translation boundaries (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3734: ὁροθεσίαὁροθεσία, ὁροθεσίας, ἡ (from ὁροθετης; and this from ὅρος (a boundary; see ὅριον), and τίθημι); a. properly, a setting of boundaries, laying down limits. b. a definite limit; plural bounds, Acts 17:26. (Ecclesiastical writings; (Winer's Grammar, 25).) Strong’s Greek 3734 denotes the setting of geographic limits—fixed boundary lines established by an authority. Scripture employs the concept to express God’s sovereign ordering of space, nations, and, by extension, the orderly life of His people. Biblical Occurrence Acts 17:26 is the sole New Testament use: “From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands”. The term appears in Paul’s address on the Areopagus, a setting devoted to philosophical inquiry, thereby linking divine revelation with general human questions about origin and place. Old Testament Background Though other Hebrew and Greek terms are used, the theme of divinely set borders permeates the Hebrew Scriptures: Each passage underlines that physical borders derive from the Creator’s will, not merely human treaty or conquest. God’s Sovereignty over Nations Paul’s use of the word in Acts 17 ties national geography to the larger doctrine of providence. Boundaries are not accidents of history but deliberate divine appointments. This affirms: 1. Unity of the human race (“From one man”). These points refute ethnic pride and fatalism alike, emphasizing that every culture exists under God’s moral government. Moral and Social Implications of Boundaries Scripture warns against removing boundary markers (Deuteronomy 19:14; Proverbs 22:28), portraying geographic stability as a safeguard for justice and inheritance. By using a term for marked limits, Acts 17:26 upholds lawful property and national borders as instruments of order, not obstacles to the Gospel. Christians therefore respect legitimate distinctions while pursuing reconciliation in Christ (Ephesians 2:14-18). Evangelistic Context Paul cites God-set borders to introduce repentance and resurrection (Acts 17:30-31). Recognizing divine placement of peoples supplies missionaries with confidence: Historical Setting in Acts Athenians revered patron deities of city-states and credited human founders for territorial lines. Paul redirects that reverence to the true God. The singular occurrence of 3734 inside a speech to Gentiles underscores the universal scope of biblical revelation even when expressed through a technical term for land surveying. Application for Ministry Today 1. Missions Strategy – Understand demographic movements (migration, diaspora) as part of God’s redrawing of borders for Gospel advance (Acts 8:1-5). Summary Strong’s 3734 encapsulates the biblical conviction that geography serves grace. Whether considering personal property, national sovereignty, or global evangelization, God’s ordained boundaries reveal His wisdom, sustain human society, and ultimately propel the message of salvation to the ends of the earth. |
    |