Lexical Summary pseudologos: False speaker, liar Original Word: ψευδολόγος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance speaking lies. From pseudes and lego; mendacious, i.e. Promulgating erroneous Christian doctrine -- speaking lies. see GREEK pseudes see GREEK lego HELPS Word-studies 5573 pseudológos (an adjective, derived from 5571 /pseudḗs, "false, pretense" and 3004 /légō, "speaking to a conclusion") – properly, a liar passing on false conclusions because working with false premises (used only in 1 Tim 4:2). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom pseudés and logos Definition speaking falsely, lying NASB Translation liars (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5573: ψευδολόγοςψευδολόγος, ψευδολογον (ψευδής and λεγο), speaking (teaching) falsely, speaking lies: 1 Timothy 4:2. (Aristophanes ran. 1521; Polybius, Lucian, Aesop, others.) Topical Lexicon Word Family and Semantic Emphasis The term occurs only once in the New Testament (1 Timothy 4:2), yet it belongs to a larger biblical vocabulary of falsehood that includes “false witness,” “lying tongue,” and “deceit.” Scripture consistently treats any distortion of truth as rebellion against the God whose very nature is truth (John 14:6). Immediate Context: 1 Timothy 4:1-2 “The Spirit expressly states that in later times some will abandon the faith to follow deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars, whose consciences are seared with a hot iron.” Paul warns Timothy that the last-days church will face doctrinal corruption propagated by people who knowingly dissemble. Their “seared” consciences depict moral numbness: repeated suppression of truth so persistent that conviction is cauterized. Old Testament Foundations • Exodus 20:16—Truthfulness is a covenantal command, anchoring social justice and worship. Theological Significance of Lying 1. Source in Satan: “He was a murderer from the beginning… for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44) Liars as False Teachers • Acts 20:29-30—Paul foresees “savage wolves” who will distort truth to draw disciples after themselves. Lying in these passages is not merely moral failure; it is doctrinal subversion that endangers salvation. Conscience and Moral Insensitivity Paul’s image of a “seared” conscience (1 Timothy 4:2) portrays nerve endings deadened by repeated burns. Persistent deception can render the inner moral gauge insensitive, explaining how individuals proclaim error with apparent sincerity. Pastoral and Ministry Applications 1. Guard the Flock—Shepherds must expose error (Acts 20:28-31). Historical Background Early heresies in Ephesus likely blended asceticism, speculative myths, and proto-Gnosticism. Teachers promoted these ideas while claiming apostolic authority, making the charge of lying particularly grave. The Pastoral Epistles countered such movements by emphasizing sound doctrine and orderly church leadership. Contrast with the Way of Truth • Jesus Christ—“I am the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6) Truth is not merely propositional but personal, embodied in Christ and mediated by the Spirit to His people. Practical Discernment for Today • Test every teaching against Scripture (Acts 17:11). Eternal Perspective The deceptive speech signified by Strong’s 5573 opposes the kingdom where “no lie was found in their mouths” (Revelation 14:5). The church proclaims a gospel that transforms liars into truth-lovers, reflecting the God who “desires truth in the inmost being” (Psalm 51:6). Forms and Transliterations ψευδολογων ψευδολόγων pseudologon pseudologōn pseudológon pseudológōnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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