Lexical Summary anastauroó: To crucify again Original Word: ἀνασταυρόω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance crucify again. From ana and stauroo; to recrucify (figuratively) -- crucify afresh. see GREEK ana see GREEK stauroo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ana and stauroó Definition to crucify again NASB Translation again crucify (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 388: ἀνασταυρόωἀνασταυρόω, ἀνασταύρω; to raise up upon a cross, crucify, (ἀνά as in ἀνασκολοπίζω): Hebrews 6:6 (very often in Greek writings from Herodotus down). Cf. Winers De verb. comp. etc. Part iii., p. 9f; (Winer admits that in Hebrews, the passage cited the meaning to crucify again, or afresh, may also he assigned to this verb legitimately, and that the absence of a precedent in secular writings for such a sense is, from the nature of the case, not surprising). Topical Lexicon Biblical Usage and Context The verb appears once in the Greek New Testament, Hebrews 6:6, where it depicts certain apostates as “crucifying the Son of God again to their own harm and subjecting Him to public disgrace” (Hebrews 6:6). The imagery recalls the historical crucifixion yet intensifies it: through willful repudiation of Christ after intimate experience of His grace, such people reenact the shame and hostility displayed at Calvary. Exegetical Insights from Hebrews 6:6 Hebrews 6:4-6 forms a single conditional sentence describing a hypothetical but sobering scenario. The participle translated “crucifying again” defines the ongoing condition of those who have “fallen away.” The author does not portray a momentary lapse but a continuous, settled stance. By choosing the present tense, the writer underscores persistent hostility rather than accidental failure. The coupling of “crucifying again” with “subjecting Him to public disgrace” links inward apostasy with outward contempt, echoing the ridicule Jesus endured from crowds (Matthew 27:39-43). Thus the sin addressed is not ignorance but deliberate repudiation after full exposure to gospel light. Theological Themes 1. Gravity of Apostasy: The verb pictures apostasy as more than doctrinal error; it is active participation in the shame of the original crucifixion. Historical Illustrations from Early Church Early Christian writers, such as Tertullian and Cyprian, cited Hebrews 6 when addressing believers who denied Christ under persecution. While recognizing the possibility of restoration for penitent confessors, they warned that contemptuous denial after knowledge of truth mirrored the behavior of Christ’s original executioners. The rare use of this verb heightened their exhortations: to renounce Christ knowingly was to join the mob at Golgotha. Doctrinal Harmony with Other Passages • Hebrews 10:26-29 parallels the idea, speaking of deliberate sin after receiving the knowledge of truth and regarding the blood of the covenant as “an unholy thing.” These passages cohere, presenting a unified biblical warning without contradiction: true salvation is secure (John 10:27-29), but superficial participation can end in ruin if it culminates in conscious, sustained repudiation. Pastoral and Ministry Applications 1. Discernment in Counseling: Leaders should differentiate between struggling believers and hardened apostates. The word pictures a recurring, obstinate stance, not momentary doubt. Christological Focus The verse magnifies Christ’s honor by showing the offensiveness of treating His once-for-all sacrifice as inconsequential. Any theology or practice that minimizes the finality of the cross flirts with the very danger Hebrews 6:6 portrays. Therefore, every ministry endeavor—teaching, worship, discipleship—must keep the crucified and risen Lord central, lest the community drift toward the attitudes that “crucify again the Son of God.” Warnings and Encouragement for Believers Hebrews couples its sternest warnings with strong assurances (Hebrews 6:9-10). The verb’s singular appearance intensifies the warning while the surrounding context supplies confidence for those who “hold firmly to the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:18). The healthy Christian life balances sober reverence for Christ’s sacrifice with joyful reliance on its sufficiency. Forms and Transliterations ανασταυρουντας ανασταυρούντας ἀνασταυροῦντας ανεστάλη τω anastaurountas anastauroûntasLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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