Lexical Summary arrén: Male, man Original Word: ἄρρην Strong's Exhaustive Concordance male, man. Arsen (ar'-sane) probably from airo; male (as stronger for lifting) -- male, man. see GREEK airo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originvariant reading for arsén, q.v. Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 730: ἄρρηνἄρρην, see ἄρσην. STRONGS NT 730: ἄρσηνἄρσην, ἄρσενος, ὁ, ἄρσεν, τό, also (according to R G in Revelation 12:5, 13, and in many editions, that of Tischendorf included, in Romans 1:27a; cf. Fritzsche on Romans, vol. i., p. 78; (Winer's Grammar, 22)) ἄρρην, ἀρρενος, ὁ, ἀρρεν, τό (from Homer down), male: Matthew 19:4; Mark 10:6; Luke 2:23; Romans 1:27; Galatians 3:28; Revelation 12:5, 13 (where Lachmann reads ἀρσεναν; on which Alex. form of the accusative cf. Winers Grammar, 48 (47f); 66 (64); Mullach, p. 22 (cf. p. 162); Buttmann, 13 (12); (Sophocles Lexicon, Introduction, p. 36; Tdf. Proleg., p. 118; Müller's note on the Epistle of Barnabas 6, 2 [ET], p. 158; WHs Appendix, p. 157 L Scrivener, Collation etc., p. liv.)). Strong’s Greek 730 designates a “male,” not merely as a biological datum but as a theological signpost. From creation to consummation, Scripture employs the word to mark God-given distinctions, covenant privileges, moral boundaries, and prophetic hope. Canonical Occurrences • Matthew 19:4 and Mark 10:6 cite Jesus’ appeal to Genesis, “Have you not read that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female’?”. Male Identity in the Created Order The word first sounds in Genesis 1:27 (LXX), framing maleness as part of humanity’s dual image-bearing. Jesus’ double citation (Matthew 19, Mark 10) links marital norms to this original act. Because the Creator Himself classifies humanity into “male” and “female,” the category is neither cultural construction nor temporary arrangement. Covenant and Cultic Significance Under the Mosaic economy the firstborn male opened the womb for redemptive rites (Luke 2:23). Males often represented households in sacrificial worship, previewing the representative headship fulfilled in Christ, “the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29). Ethical and Moral Teaching Romans 1:27 roots sexual ethics in creational maleness: “In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and burned with lust for one another”. The apostle shows that when the male identity is detached from its created purpose, disorder and judgment follow. Thus 730 becomes key in constructing a biblical sexual ethic. Soteriological Equality without Erasure Galatians 3:28 abolishes no creation distinctions; it removes soteriological barriers. In Christ, male privilege gives no advantage before the cross, yet the category remains intact for vocational ordering in family and church life (see 1 Timothy 2:12-13; though 730 is absent, the created male reference undergirds Paul’s argument). Eschatological Victory Revelation unveils the final significance: a “male child, who is to rule all the nations with an iron scepter” (12:5). The term signals fulfillment of Psalm 2 and harkens back to the promised male seed (Genesis 3:15). Satan’s rage against the male child typifies hostility toward God’s redemptive plan centered in the incarnate Son. Historical Reflection Early creeds affirmed Christ’s real humanity as “male,” countering Gnostic denials of embodied salvation. Church fathers such as Irenaeus linked the male child of Revelation 12 to the victorious Christ, safeguarding both His genuine incarnation and sovereign authority. Implications for Ministry Today • Uphold male and female distinctions as good gifts, integral to marriage, family, and church order. Summary Strong’s 730 threads through Scripture as a crimson cord—marking creation’s design, covenant structure, moral boundary, and messianic triumph—culminating in the risen Christ who forever embodies God’s purpose for humanity. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 19:4 N-ANSGRK: ἀπ' ἀρχῆς ἄρσεν καὶ θῆλυ KJV: made them male and female, INT: [them] from [the] beginning male and female Mark 10:6 N-ANS Luke 2:23 N-NNS Romans 1:27 N-NMP Romans 1:27 N-NMP Romans 1:27 N-DMP Galatians 3:28 N-NNS Revelation 12:5 N-ANS Revelation 12:13 N-AMS Strong's Greek 730 |
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