Lexical Summary pégnumi: To fix, to fasten, to set up Original Word: πήγνυμι Strong's Exhaustive Concordance put up, pitch. A prolonged form of a primary verb (which in its simpler form occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses); to fix ("peg"), i.e. (specially) to set up (a tent) -- pitch. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. verb Definition to make fast NASB Translation pitched (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4078: πήγνυμιπήγνυμι: 1 aorist ἔπηξα; from Homer down; to make fast, to fix; to fasten together, to build by fastening together: σκηνήν, Hebrews 8:2 (A. V. pitched. Compare: προσπήγνυμι.) Topical Lexicon Root Idea and Thematic Thread Strong’s 4078 appears only once in the Greek New Testament, Hebrews 8:2, where it speaks of the “true tabernacle that the Lord pitched, and not man”. The verb evokes an image of firmly setting, fastening, or pitching something so that it stands secure. Throughout Scripture, settings that God Himself establishes—Eden, the wilderness tabernacle, the Jerusalem temple, and ultimately the heavenly sanctuary—are depicted as fixed realities to which human worship must conform. Biblical Context (Hebrews 8) In Hebrews 8 the writer contrasts the Levitical ministry performed in an earthly tent with the superior priestly ministry of Jesus Christ in a heavenly tabernacle. Employing 4078 underscores that this sanctuary is no mere copy: it has been permanently set in place by the Lord. The verse therefore serves as a hinge in the argument that the New Covenant is founded on a reality established by God alone, highlighting the absolute sufficiency and permanence of Christ’s priesthood. Old Testament Background Exodus presents repeated instances where Moses “pitched” the tent of meeting (Exodus 33:7; 40:17). In Numbers 24:6 Balaam likens Israel’s encampments to “gardens beside a river,” again calling attention to tents firmly fixed in ordered array. The Greek translators of the Septuagint often used cognate verbs to translate these Hebrew ideas, helping first-century readers see continuity between God’s self-set dwelling in the wilderness and the heavenly dwelling revealed in Christ. Christological Significance 1. Divine Initiative: By stating that the Lord, not man, pitched the true tabernacle, Hebrews proclaims that every aspect of salvation originates with God. Covenantal Implications The verb reinforces the shift from shadow to substance. Under the Old Covenant priests “continually entered” (Hebrews 9:6), but under the New Covenant Christ “has appeared once for all” (Hebrews 9:26). The sanctuary He serves in is as superior as the covenant He mediates. Worship and Ministry Applications • Assurance in Prayer: Believers approach “the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16) located in a sanctuary already established by God; prayer rests on a fixed foundation. Eschatological Outlook Revelation 21:3 announces, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man.” The heavenly tabernacle fixed by the Lord anticipates that final reality when heaven and earth meet. The once-for-all act of God erecting His true sanctuary guarantees the consummation of redemptive history. Historical Reception Early church writers—such as John Chrysostom—saw in Hebrews 8:2 a refutation of any return to Jewish ceremonialism, emphasizing that God Himself erected the final place of worship. Reformation commentators maintained the same stress, applying it to reject man-made mediators and rites that obscured the finished work of Christ. Homiletical and Discipleship Themes • “The Lord Pitched It”: Sermons can anchor congregations in the security of God’s completed work. Summary Strong’s 4078, though appearing only once, bears weighty theological freight. It signals that the place where Christ ministers is God-established, eternally secure, and altogether sufficient, thereby fortifying faith, shaping worship, and directing hope toward the ultimate fulfillment of God dwelling with His redeemed people. Forms and Transliterations επάγη επάγης έπηξαν έπηξε επηξεν έπηξεν ἔπηξεν παγήσεται πεπήγασι πέπηγεν πεπηγώς πήξας πήξει πήξον πήξουσιν epexen epēxen épexen épēxenLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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