In biblical literature, the concept of "whiten" is often associated with purity, cleansing, and righteousness. The imagery of whiteness is used throughout Scripture to convey spiritual truths and divine attributes, reflecting the transformative power of God in the lives of His people.

Symbolism of Whiteness

Whiteness in the Bible frequently symbolizes purity and holiness. In the Old Testament, the cleansing of garments to become white is a metaphor for spiritual purification. For instance, in Isaiah 1:18 , the Lord invites His people to reason together with Him, saying, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall become like wool." This passage highlights the redemptive power of God to cleanse and forgive sins, transforming the sinner into a state of purity.

Whiteness in Apocalyptic Literature

In the apocalyptic visions of the New Testament, whiteness is prominently featured. The Book of Revelation uses the imagery of white garments to represent the righteousness of the saints. Revelation 7:13-14 describes a vision where the elder explains to John, "These in white robes—who are they, and where have they come from?... These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Here, the whiteness of the robes signifies the believers' purification through the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ, emphasizing the theme of redemption and victory over sin.

Divine Attributes and Whiteness

Whiteness is also used to describe the divine attributes of God and His heavenly realm. In Daniel 7:9 , the Ancient of Days is depicted with clothing "as white as snow," symbolizing His eternal purity and holiness. Similarly, in the Transfiguration account in the Gospels, Jesus' garments become "dazzling white" (Mark 9:3), reflecting His divine glory and the revelation of His true nature to the disciples.

Moral and Ethical Implications

The call to be "whitened" or purified is not merely a ceremonial or external act but carries deep moral and ethical implications. Believers are exhorted to live lives that reflect the purity and holiness symbolized by whiteness. In Ephesians 5:25-27 , Paul speaks of Christ's love for the church, "to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless." This passage underscores the transformative work of Christ in sanctifying His people, calling them to a life of holiness.

Conclusion

The biblical theme of "whiten" serves as a powerful metaphor for the transformative and redemptive work of God. It calls believers to a life of purity, reflecting the holiness of God and the righteousness imparted through faith in Jesus Christ.1. (v. i.) To grow white; to turn or become white or whiter; as, the hair whitens with age; the sea whitens with foam; the trees in spring whiten with blossoms.

2. (v. t.) To make white; to bleach; to blanch; to whitewash; as, to whiten a wall; to whiten cloth.

3021. leukaino -- to whiten, to make white
... to whiten, to make white. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: leukaino Phonetic
Spelling: (lyoo-kah'-ee-no) Short Definition: I whiten Definition: I whiten ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3021.htm - 6k

2867. koniao -- to plaster over
... whiten, whitewash. From konia (dust; by analogy, lime); to whitewash -- whiten.
(kekoniamene) -- 1 Occurrence. (kekoniamenois) -- 1 Occurrence. 2866, 2867. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2867.htm - 6k

7893. shayish -- alabaster
... Whiten, white, marble. From an unused root meaning to bleach, ie Whiten; white,
ie Marble. See shesh. see HEBREW shesh. 7892b, 7893. shayish. 7894 . ...
/hebrew/7893.htm - 6k

That by this Alone the Jews Can Receive Pardon of their Sins, if ...
... And come, let us reason together, saith the Lord: and although your sins be as scarlet,
I will whiten [3926] them as snow; and although they were as crimson, I ...
/.../cyprian/three books of testimonies against the jews/24 that by this alone.htm

John xiii. 1
... Yet consider how great is the reward. "Though," it saith, "your sins be as scarlet,
I will whiten them as snow; though they be red like crimson, I will whiten ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily lxx john xiii 1.htm

God Has Everything to do with Prayer
... Who can gild refined gold, whiten the snow, perfume the rose or heighten the colors
of the summer sunset? Who will prop the mountains or help the great deep? ...
/.../bounds/the reality of prayer/iv god has everything to.htm

Soul-Rest.
... Gigantic "Majesties" and "Kaiser Wilhelms" and "Oregons" and "Vizcayas" plow and
whiten the surface; tempests rage and Euroclydons roar and currents change and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rees/the heart-cry of jesus/chapter viii soul-rest.htm

And He Said unto Them, Verily I Say unto You...
... his face shone like the sun, and his raiment was very white like the snow, and as
[5] the light of lightning, so that nothing on earth can whiten [1685] like it ...
/.../hogg/the diatessaron of tatian/section xxiv and he said.htm

Continuation Respecting Repentance.
... He declares, Though your sins be like crimson, I will make them white as snow;
though they be like scarlet, I will whiten them like wool. ...
/.../chapter viii continuation respecting repentance.htm

Continuation Respecting Repentance.
... He declares, Though your sins be like crimson, I will make them white as snow;
though they be like scarlet, I will whiten them like wool. ...
/.../the epistles of clement/chapter viii continuation respecting repentance.htm

The Transfiguration
... mountain apart by themselves: and He was transfigured before them: and His garments
became glistening, exceeding white: so as no fuller on earth can whiten them ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 9 2-8 the transfiguration.htm

O Gift that Camest up Without Price with the Diver!
... Receive my offering, not that Thou art shortcoming; it is because of mine own
shortcoming that I have offered it to Thee. Whiten my stains! ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn v o gift that.htm

An Impossibility Made Possible
... there with tawny yellow, it is ineradicable; and a man can no more change his character
once formed than a can cast his skin, or a leopard whiten out the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/an impossibility made possible.htm

Whiten (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (vi) To grow white; to turn or become white or whiter; as, the hair whitens with
age; the sea whitens with foam; the trees in spring whiten with blossoms. ...
/w/whiten.htm - 7k

Fuller (5 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary The word "full" is from the Anglo-Saxon fullian, meaning
"to whiten." To full is to press or scour cloth in a mill. ...
/f/fuller.htm - 10k

Bleach (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (v.) To make white, or whiter; to remove the color, or stains, from; to blanch;
to whiten. 2. (vi) To grow white or lose color; to whiten. ...
/b/bleach.htm - 6k

Lime (4 Occurrences)
... 8. (vt) To treat with lime, or oxide or hydrate of calcium; to manure with lime;
as, to lime hides for removing the hair; to lime sails in order to whiten them ...
/l/lime.htm - 11k

Launderer (1 Occurrence)
... Launderer (1 Occurrence). Mark 9:3 His clothing became glistening, exceedingly white,
like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. (WEB NAS). ...
/l/launderer.htm - 6k

Glittering (12 Occurrences)
... Mark 9:3 and his garments became glittering, white exceedingly, as snow, so as
a fuller upon the earth is not able to whiten 'them'. (YLT). ...
/g/glittering.htm - 11k

Glistening (4 Occurrences)
... Glistening (4 Occurrences). Mark 9:3 His clothing became glistening, exceedingly
white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. (WEB RSV). ...
/g/glistening.htm - 7k

Glistering (3 Occurrences)
... Glistering (3 Occurrences). Mark 9:3 and his garments became glistering, exceeding
white, so as no fuller on earth can whiten them. (ASV). ...
/g/glistering.htm - 8k

Whitewash (7 Occurrences)
... ceilings, etc.; milk of lime. 3. (vt) To apply a white liquid composition
to; to whiten with whitewash. 4. (vt) To make white; to ...
/w/whitewash.htm - 9k

White-hot (1 Occurrence)
White-hot. White-haired, White-hot. Whiten . Noah Webster's Dictionary ...
(WEY). White-haired, White-hot. Whiten . Reference Bible.
/w/white-hot.htm - 6k

Whiten: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus