Lexical Summary ousia: Substance, essence, being, property, wealth Original Word: οὐσία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance goods, property From the feminine of on; substance, i.e. Property (possessions) -- goods, substance. see GREEK on NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ousa (fem. part. of eimi) Definition substance, property NASB Translation estate (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3776: οὐσίαοὐσία, οὐσίας, ἡ (from ὤν, οὖσα, ὄν, the participle of εἰμί), what one has, i. e. property, possessions, estate (A. V. substance): Luke 15:12f. (Tobit 14:13; Herodotus 1, 92; Xenophon, Plato, Attic orators, others.) Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope Strong’s Greek 3776, οὐσία, refers to the material “substance” or “estate” that can be owned, inherited, managed, or squandered. In biblical thought it represents not only physical assets but the sum of one’s entrusted resources under God. Occurrences in the New Testament Luke 15:12–13 contains the only two New Testament uses. The younger son demands his share of the father’s οὐσία; soon afterward he “squandered his wealth in wild living” (Luke 15:13). These paired verses frame οὐσία as a trust received and then mismanaged. Context within the Parable of the Two Sons (Luke 15:11-32) 1. Gifted, not earned. The father’s division of property is a voluntary act of grace, anticipating the Father’s generosity in salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9). Old Testament Background The Septuagint employs οὐσία for Hebrew terms denoting possessions or inheritance (e.g., Proverbs 19:14; 28:22). These passages underscore diligence, covenant faithfulness, and the danger of rapid or unrighteous gain (Proverbs 13:11). Luke echoes that wisdom tradition, showing the folly of severing wealth from worship. Theological Themes • Divine ownership: “The earth is the LORD’s” (Psalm 24:1). Human οὐσία is temporary stewardship (1 Chronicles 29:14). Historical and Cultural Insights First-century Jewish law permitted a father to distribute property before death, though doing so was socially shocking. Estates typically consisted of land, livestock, and liquid assets. A prodigal who sold family land to Gentiles threatened both economic survival and covenant identity (Leviticus 25:23). The listeners’ outrage heightens the picture of radical grace. Implications for Christian Ministry 1. Discipleship and possessions: Teach believers to regard salaries, skills, and time as entrusted οὐσία (1 Peter 4:10). Relation to Early Church Practice Acts 2:45 and Acts 4:34-35 show communal sharing that honored both private property and kingdom priorities. Such generosity stands as an antithesis to the prodigal’s dissipation and a corrective to the elder brother’s tight-fistedness. Summary Οὐσία spotlights the tension between gift and responsibility. In Luke 15 it exposes both reckless extravagance and resentful conservatism, while magnifying the Father whose grace recovers squandered wealth and restores squandered lives. Forms and Transliterations ουσιαν ουσίαν οὐσίαν ουσιας ουσίας οὐσίας ousian ousían ousias ousíasLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Luke 15:12 N-GFSGRK: μέρος τῆς οὐσίας ὁ δὲ NAS: me the share of the estate that falls KJV: the portion of goods that falleth INT: portion of the property And Luke 15:13 N-AFS Strong's Greek 3776 |
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