A Brief Overview of ἀποκαταλλάσσω (G604: Apokatallassō)

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: Apokatallassō

Root Words: Derived from ἀπό (apo), meaning “from” or “away from,” and καταλλάσσω (katallassō), which means “to reconcile” or “to change.” Thus, ἀποκαταλλάσσω conveys the idea of “reconciliation” or “restoration,” emphasizing a return to a state of harmony or agreement.

Primary Meanings:

• To reconcile or restore a relationship, often after a period of estrangement or conflict.
• To bring back into a state of harmony or mutual agreement.
• In a theological context, it refers to the restoration of a relationship between humanity and God.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich): BDAG defines ἀποκαταλλάσσω as “to reconcile completely” or “to restore to a previous state of harmony.” It highlights the term’s use in contexts involving the full restoration of relationships, particularly in the New Testament where it pertains to reconciliation between God and humanity.

Thayer’s: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes ἀποκαταλλάσσω as “to reconcile thoroughly” or “to restore.” It focuses on the idea of bringing about a complete restoration of peace or harmony, especially in theological contexts.

Vines: According to Vines’ Expository Dictionary, ἀποκαταλλάσσω means “to reconcile completely” or “to restore to a previous state.” It is used to describe the process of bringing about a full reconciliation or restoration of relationships.

LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones): LSJ defines ἀποκαταλλάσσω as “to reconcile” or “to restore.” It notes the term’s application in classical Greek to describe the act of restoring harmony or agreement between parties.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Strong’s defines ἀποκαταλλάσσω as “to reconcile completely” or “to restore,” emphasizing the concept of thorough reconciliation or restoration.

3. Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

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Demosthenes (On the Crown, 4th century BCE): Demosthenes uses similar terms to describe the act of reconciling or restoring relationships in political contexts, illustrating the concept of full reconciliation.

Plato (Laws, 4th century BCE): Plato employs related terms to discuss the restoration of harmony or agreement in social and political settings, reflecting the idea of reconciliation.

Aristotle (Ethics, 4th century BCE): Aristotle discusses the concept of reconciliation in terms of restoring balance and harmony in human relationships, showing the application of similar ideas.

4. Summary:

The Greek word ἀποκαταλλάσσω (Apokatallassō) means “to reconcile completely” or “to restore.” It conveys the process of fully restoring relationships or harmony, especially after a period of conflict or estrangement. In classical Greek literature, it is used to describe the act of reconciling or restoring balance in various contexts. In the New Testament, it specifically refers to the restoration of the relationship between humanity and God, emphasizing a profound and complete reconciliation.