Lexical Summary bdeluktos: Detestable, abominable Original Word: βδελυκτός Strong's Exhaustive Concordance abominable. From bdelusso; detestable, i.e. (specially) idolatrous -- abominable. see GREEK bdelusso HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 947 bdelyktós – abominable. See 946 (bdelussō). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom bdelussomai Definition detestable NASB Translation detestable (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 947: βδελυκτόςβδελυκτός, βδελυκτη, ὄν (βδελύσσομαι), abominable, detestable: Titus 1:16. (Besides only in Proverbs 17:15; Sir. 41:5; 2 Macc. 1:27; (cf. Philo de victim. offer. § 12 under the end).) Topical Lexicon Essential Ideaβδελυκτός expresses moral repugnance before a holy God. It describes persons or deeds that are not merely wrong but revolting—objects of divine loathing that must be rejected unless cleansed by grace. Though the term occurs only once in the Greek New Testament, it gathers up a rich Old Testament heritage and supplies a forceful verdict on counterfeit Christianity. New Testament Usage Titus 1:16 introduces the word in a context of church oversight on Crete. False teachers claimed saving knowledge yet lived in contradiction to that claim. Paul writes, “They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good deed” (Titus 1:16). Three charges escalate in severity: the sham is first judged abominable (βδελυκτοί), then rebellious, then useless. The Holy Spirit thus brands hypocrisy itself as something God cannot endure within His household. Old Testament Background 1. Moral abominations. The Septuagint frequently uses cognates of βδελυκτός for practices that violate the covenant—idolatry (Deuteronomy 27:15), occult involvement (Deuteronomy 18:12), sexual perversion (Leviticus 18:22), and dishonest commerce (Proverbs 11:1). Relationship to Other Greek Terms • βδέλυγμα (Strong’s 946) points to the result—“abomination” normally connected to idolatry (Matthew 24:15; Revelation 17:4). βδελυκτός, by contrast, labels the person or thing that provokes such revulsion. Theological Implications 1. God’s holiness is not abstract; it includes moral sensitivities that find evil revolting (Habakkuk 1:13). Historical and Cultural Setting In Greco-Roman society certain foods, diseases, and social practices were labeled miara (polluted), reflecting a worldview that feared contamination. Paul leverages that shared sense of disgust but grounds it in revelation: the defilement that truly matters is ethical, not ceremonial. By branding false teachers βδελυκτοί, he strikes at their honor-shame standing, warning the churches that such men are spiritually toxic. Pastoral and Ministry Significance • Discernment for elders. The wider passage (Titus 1:10-16) instructs overseers to silence deceptive voices. Recognizing what God calls detestable safeguards the flock. Homiletical and Discipleship Insights 1. Expose counterfeit faith. Use Titus 1:16 to contrast appearance with reality and to call believers to integrated living (James 1:22). Summary βδελυκτός concentrates Scripture’s abhorrence of hypocrisy, idolatry, and moral corruption into a single, potent adjective. Its lone New Testament appearance pierces the veneer of empty religion and summons the church to authentic godliness secured by the cleansing work of Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations βδελυκτοι βδελυκτοί βδελυκτοὶ βδελυκτός bdeluktoi bdelyktoi bdelyktoìLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
    |