Lexical Summary bdelussomai: To abhor, detest, loathe Original Word: βδελύσσομαι Strong's Exhaustive Concordance abhor, abominable. From a (presumed) derivative of bdeo (to stink); to be disgusted, i.e. (by implication) detest (especially of idolatry) -- abhor, abominable. HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 948 bdelýssō – properly, stink, become foul (abhorrent), detestable as stench; "to strongly detest something on the basis that it is abominable – 'to abhor, to abominate' " (L & N, 1, 25.186). See 946 (bdelussō). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom bdeó (to stink) Definition to detest NASB Translation abhor (1), abominable (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 948: βδελύσσωβδελύσσω: (βδέω quietly to break wind, to stink); 1. to render foul, to cause to be abhorred: τήν ὀσμήν, Exodus 5:21; to defile, pollute: τάς ψυχάς, τήν ψυχήν, Leviticus 11:43; Leviticus 20:25; 1 Macc. 1:48; perfect passive participle ἐβδελυγμένος abominable, Revelation 21:8 (Leviticus 18:30; Proverbs 8:7; Job 15:16; 3Macc. 6:9; βδελυσσόμενος, 2 Macc. 5:8). In native Greek writings neither the active nor the passive is found. 2. βδελύσσομαι; deponent middle (1 aorist ἐβδελυξάμην often in the Sept. (Josephus, b. j 6, 2, 10); in Greek writings deponent passive, and from Aristophanes down); properly, to turn oneself away from on account of the stench; metaphorically, to abhor, detest: τί, Romans 2:22. Romans 2:22 employs the participle βδελυσσόμενος of those who “abhor idols,” exposing the hypocrisy of professing moralists who still break God’s law. Revelation 21:8 lists ἐβδελυγμένοις among the categories consigned to the lake of fire, identifying “the abominable” as one class of the finally unrepentant. Semantic Range and Old Testament Background The verb expresses intense loathing, often tied to ritual or moral uncleanness. It inherits the moral freight of the Hebrew תּוֹעֵבָה (toʿevah), used for idolatry (Deuteronomy 7:25), occultism (Deuteronomy 18:10-12), sexual perversion (Leviticus 18), and dishonest commerce (Proverbs 11:1). In Septuagint renderings this Greek family of terms frequently translates toʿevah, ensuring continuity between Testaments: what the Law and the Prophets branded “abomination” remains so under the gospel. Theological Themes 1. Holiness versus Idolatry. Romans 2:22 exposes a façade of piety. Detesting idols outwardly cannot compensate for hidden sins. True holiness demands both external and internal fidelity. Historical and Cultural Context First-century Judaism prized ritual purity and reviled pagan idolatry. Yet the same period was rife with syncretism, temple fraud, and economic exploitation tied to cultic sites (e.g., the Artemis trade in Acts 19:24-27). Paul’s audience in Rome—Jews and Gentiles—understood that profiteering from idols while claiming to hate them was duplicity. Revelation, written to congregations under Roman imperial pressure, warns believers not to capitulate to the empire’s idolatrous practices lest they be numbered among “the abominable.” Practical Ministry Implications • Preaching must expose respectable sins that masquerade beneath orthodox slogans. Biblical Warnings and Promises Warning: “But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable… their portion is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur” (Revelation 21:8). Promise: Those who overcome are granted access to the New Jerusalem where “nothing unclean will ever enter” (Revelation 21:27). The same root word undergirds both statements, stressing that God’s grace both forgives and purifies. Christological Fulfillment Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law’s demand for spotless holiness (Hebrews 4:15). On the cross He bore the penalty for our abominations (Isaiah 53:5-6), removing guilt and providing a righteousness not our own (Philippians 3:9). Through union with Him believers receive a heart that truly detests sin, not merely its consequences (Romans 6:1-14). Application for the Church Today • Personal Examination: Ask with Paul, “You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?” In modern terms: Do we denounce godlessness yet tolerate greed, pornography, or occult entertainment? Thus Strong’s 948 challenges believers to match their professed hatred of evil with authentic, Spirit-empowered obedience and to proclaim both the gravity of sin and the greater grace found in Jesus Christ. Englishman's Concordance Romans 2:22 V-PPM/P-NMSGRK: μοιχεύεις ὁ βδελυσσόμενος τὰ εἴδωλα NAS: adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, KJV: dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, INT: do you commit adultery you who abhor the idols Revelation 21:8 V-RPM/P-DMP Strong's Greek 948 |
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