Lexical Summary hagneia: Purity, Chastity Original Word: ἁγνεία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance purity. From hagnos; cleanliness (the quality), i.e. (specially) chastity -- purity. see GREEK hagnos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom hagnos Definition purity NASB Translation purity (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 47: ἁγνείαἁγνεία (WH ἁγνία (see Iota)), (ας, ἡ, (ἁγνεύω), purity, sinlessness of life: 1 Timothy 4:12; 1 Timothy 5:2. (Of a Nazarite, Numbers 6:2, 21.) (From Sophocles O. T. 864 down.) Topical Lexicon Scope and Emphasis Strong’s Greek number 47 denotes the quality of inward and outward moral purity. In the two New Testament appearances, the word functions as a touchstone for personal integrity, especially for leaders and those who influence the flock of God. Its focus is not ceremonial cleanness but the practical holiness of thoughts, intentions, and relationships. Occurrences in the New Testament • 1 Timothy 4:12 – Paul exhorts Timothy to set an example “in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, and in purity.” Though limited in frequency, these occurrences frame the entire pastoral charge. Purity is to mark both public ministry (chapter 4) and private interaction (chapter 5). Purity in the Old Testament Background Mosaic regulations distinguished the holy from the common, the clean from the unclean (Leviticus 10:10). Yet the prophets pressed beyond ritual acts to the heart: “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove your evil deeds from My sight” (Isaiah 1:16). The Old Testament thus anticipates an ethic in which moral purity becomes the decisive evidence of covenant loyalty (Psalm 24:3-4; Proverbs 22:11). Purity and the Character of God Purity derives its standard from God’s own nature: “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil” (Habakkuk 1:13). Every call to purity therefore rests on the doctrine of divine holiness. Believers are summoned to reflect God’s character: “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:15). Implications for Timothy and Church Leadership Paul’s charge highlights purity as an indispensable credential for ministry credibility. Timothy’s youth could invite suspicion, but unassailable purity would silence detractors (1 Timothy 4:12). The same quality protects ministry relationships from scandal. In 1 Timothy 5:2 Paul moves from older men and women to “younger women as sisters,” anchoring pastoral care in familial, untainted affection. Purity in Teaching and Example Purity is not merely private virtue; it is pedagogical. An instructor models the gospel before expounding it. Paul therefore links purity with “speech” and “conduct,” underscoring that doctrine wedded to unclean living forfeits authority (Titus 2:7-8). Purity and Gender Relations By commanding Timothy to treat younger women “in all purity,” Paul anticipates later pastoral pitfalls. The phrase establishes boundaries that safeguard both shepherd and flock. It also elevates women to sisterly dignity, countering the objectifying norms of Greco-Roman society. Relation to Other New Testament Terms for Holiness Whereas hagiasmos (sanctification) often stresses the process and setting apart, the term under review concentrates on the settled state of undefiled character. Both words complement each other: sanctification produces purity, and purity evidences ongoing sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7). Historical and Early Church Usage Early Christian writers cherished the virtue. The Didache commands believers to be “meek… and pure of heart.” Ignatius urges Polycarp to exercise “incorruptible purity.” The church recognized that credible witness before a watching world depended on lives unmarred by moral compromise. Practical Applications for Contemporary Believers • Personal Discipline: “Everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3). Related Doctrinal Themes – Regeneration: A new heart enables purity (Ezekiel 36:26). – Indwelling Spirit: The Spirit is the agent of purifying fire (Malachi 3:3; 1 Corinthians 6:11). – Eschatological Hope: The church will be presented “to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle” (Ephesians 5:27). Purity, then, is both gift and task—granted through the gospel and cultivated by obedience. It safeguards the church, adorns doctrine, and prepares believers for the vision of God, for “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). Forms and Transliterations αγνεία ἁγνείᾳ αγνείαν αγνείας αγνια ἁγνίᾳ agneia hagneia hagneíāiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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