Lexical Summary paromoiazó: To compare, to liken, to make similar Original Word: παρομοιάζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be like unto. From paromoios; to resemble -- be like unto. see GREEK paromoios NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom paromoios Definition to be like NASB Translation like (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3945: παρομοιάζωπαρομοιάζω; (from παρόμοιος, and this from παρά (which see IV. 1 (?)) and ὅμοιος); to be like; to be not unlike: Matthew 23:27 R G T Tr marginal reading WH text (Several times also in ecclesiastical writings.) Topical Lexicon Textual Occurrence Strong’s Greek 3945 appears once in the New Testament, in Matthew 23:27, where Jesus declares to the scribes and Pharisees, “You are like whitewashed tombs”. The verb places emphasis on an explicit comparison, serving as the hinge on which Christ’s indictment of hypocrisy turns. Immediate Context in Matthew 23:27 Matthew 23 records the final public discourse of Jesus before His crucifixion, a series of seven woes exposing religious pretension. By selecting the whitewashed tomb as His analogy, Jesus exposes a cosmetic righteousness that masks inner corruption. The annual whitewashing of graves before Passover (so pilgrims would not become ceremonially unclean by accidental contact) provides a vivid cultural picture: gleaming externals hiding death within. The comparison is intensively moral and prophetic, in keeping with Old Testament patterns of covenant lawsuit (for example, Isaiah 1:11-17; Micah 6:1-8). Theological Implications 1. Hypocrisy as Spiritual Death. Just as a tomb holds a corpse, so a hypocrite’s heart harbors unrepentant sin (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:1). Historical Background: Whitewashed Tombs According to first-century Jewish practice, tombs were lime-washed annually before major feasts. The whitening served both aesthetic and ritual purposes, preventing inadvertent Levitical defilement (Numbers 19:16). Rabbinic writings refer to “whitened sepulchres” as markers of impurity. Jesus appropriates this familiar sight, turning it into a moral parable. Comparative Language in Scripture While this specific verb occurs only once, Scripture often employs likeness to highlight moral truth: Such comparative constructions share the didactic function of exposing self-deception. Ministry Significance 1. Preaching and Teaching. The vividness of Jesus’ analogy equips preachers to confront cultural and ecclesial hypocrisy with precision and grace. Historical Use in Christian Tradition Church fathers such as Chrysostom cited Matthew 23:27 to warn against clerical showmanship. Reformers likewise employed the passage during calls for ecclesiastical renewal, underscoring that sacraments and liturgy lose power when divorced from heartfelt faith. Practical Application • Examine Motives: Regularly test whether acts of service arise from love for God or desire for reputation (Colossians 3:17). Related Old Testament Imagery Ezekiel’s vision of bones coming to life (Ezekiel 37:1-14) answers the problem exposed in whitewashed tombs: only divine breath can turn death into life. The prophetic promise foreshadows the Gospel provision whereby Christ grants regeneration rather than cosmetic reform (John 3:3-8). Summary Strong’s Greek 3945 marks a singular yet weighty moment in the New Testament, where Jesus likens religious hypocrisy to dazzling tombs filled with decay. The comparison exposes the peril of externalism, calls believers to authentic holiness, and supplies enduring imagery for preaching, pastoral care, and personal sanctification. Forms and Transliterations παρομοιαζετε παρομοιάζετε paromoiazete paromoiázeteLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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