Lexical Summary aphanismos: Disappearance, destruction, ruin Original Word: ἀφανισμός Strong's Exhaustive Concordance vanish away. From aphanizo; disappearance, i.e. (figuratively) abrogation -- vanish away. see GREEK aphanizo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom aphanizó Definition a vanishing NASB Translation disappear (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 854: ἀφανισμόςἀφανισμός, ἀφανισμοῦ, ὁ (ἀφανίζω, which see), disappearance; destruction: Hebrews 8:13. (Theophrastus, Polybius, Diodorus, Plutarch, Lucian, others; often in the Sept., particularly for שַׁמָּה and שְׁמָמָה.) Topical Lexicon Summary of ConceptStrong’s Greek 854, ἀφανισμός (aphanismos), denotes the complete disappearance or fading away of something that once had visible form or legal force. In its single New Testament occurrence—Hebrews 8:13—it portrays the outgoing Mosaic covenant as a reality already “aging” and “near to vanishing.” The term underscores a decisive historical moment: the transition from the shadow-system of the Law to the enduring substance of the New Covenant in Christ. Covenantal Context Hebrews 8 contrasts the ministries of earthly priests with the exalted ministry of the exalted High Priest. By quoting Jeremiah’s promise of a “new covenant,” the writer argues that the old order has been rendered obsolete. The closing statement—“And what is obsolete and aging will soon disappear” (Hebrews 8:13)—employs ἀφανισμός to signal an irreversible covenantal shift. The Law was never defective in its divine origin (Romans 7:12), yet it was provisional, designed to prepare sinners for the mediatorial work of Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:24). The disappearance of the old covenant is therefore not destruction of Scripture but fulfillment of its anticipatory purpose. Old Testament Foreshadowing The vocabulary of fading and vanishing is common in Old Testament prophecy: • Psalm 102:26 speaks of the heavens wearing out “like a garment.” When Hebrews 8:13 applies ἀφανισμός to the Mosaic covenant, it draws on this prophetic tradition, assuring believers that the prophesied new order has dawned through Christ’s atoning death and resurrection. Theological Implications 1. Superiority of Christ’s Priesthood The old priesthood stood on the foundation of animal sacrifices, endlessly repeated yet never able to cleanse the conscience (Hebrews 9:9). By contrast, Jesus “offered for all time one sacrifice for sins” (Hebrews 10:12). The moment that sacrifice was accepted, the Levitical system was rendered obsolete—marked for ἀφανισμός. 2. Continuity and Discontinuity While the ceremonial law has vanished, its moral core remains (Matthew 5:17). The vanishing concerns the provisional administration—rituals, priesthood, and tabernacle typology. The righteousness reflected in those shadows is fulfilled, not annulled, under the New Covenant’s law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). 3. Assurance for Believers Because the old covenant has disappeared, access to God no longer depends on genealogical priesthood or temple rites. The believer’s standing is secured by Christ’s once-for-all mediation (Hebrews 7:25), granting “boldness to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus” (Hebrews 10:19). Historical Resonance Early Christian writers recognized the strategic weight of ἀφανισμός: • Justin Martyr (Dialogue 11) viewed Jerusalem’s destruction as visible proof that the former covenant had “vanished.” Ministerial and Pastoral Application 1. Preaching: Hebrews 8:13 offers a framework for expounding redemptive history—showing how God’s progressive revelation climaxes in Christ. Eschatological Echoes The term anticipates a future, cosmic ἀφανισμός when present heavens and earth give way to a new creation (2 Peter 3:10-13). Just as the old covenant faded before the New, so the transient created order will yield to the eternal kingdom (Revelation 21:1). The past vanishing assures believers that God governs every redemptive epoch, bringing each to consummation in His appointed time. Related Greek Vocabulary • ἀφανίζω (aphanizō, 853): the verb “to make invisible or wipe out,” used, for example, in Matthew 6:16 to describe hypocrites who “disfigure” their faces. Conclusion Strong’s 854 serves as a concise theological signpost: God’s gracious move from shadow to substance. Hebrews 8:13 heralds the end of the old covenant age, grounding the believer’s confidence in the unshakable, everlasting ministry of Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations αφανισμοίς αφανισμόν αφανισμός αφανισμου αφανισμού αφανισμόυ ἀφανισμοῦ αφανισμώ aphanismou aphanismoûLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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