Brief Overview of ἀποστάσιον (G647: Apostásion)

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: Apostásion

Root Words: The term ἀποστάσιον (apostásion) is derived from ἀπό (apó), meaning “from” or “away,” and στάσις (stásis), meaning “standing” or “position.”

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Primary Meanings:

• Divorce or separation, specifically in the context of marital dissolution.
• A formal separation from a previous status or relationship.
• In some contexts, it refers to a legal or official act of separation or withdrawal.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich): BDAG defines ἀποστάσιον as “divorce,” specifically referring to the legal dissolution of marriage. It is used in biblical contexts to denote the formal act of separating from one’s spouse, reflecting the legal and social implications of such a decision.

Thayer’s: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes ἀποστάσιον as “a writing of divorcement,” indicating a formal document or decree that officially ends a marriage relationship. This term emphasizes the legal aspect of marital separation.

Vines: Vines’ Expository Dictionary notes that ἀποστάσιον refers to “a divorce” or “a letter of divorcement,” focusing on the legal and formal nature of the separation from a spouse.

LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones): LSJ defines ἀποστάσιον as “a bill of divorce” or “a divorce,” used primarily to describe the formal document or decree that signifies the dissolution of a marriage.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Strong’s defines ἀποστάσιον as “a divorce” or “a bill of divorce,” highlighting its role in the formal process of ending a marriage relationship.

3. Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

Demosthenes (Orations, 4th century BCE): Demosthenes uses ἀποστάσιον in the context of legal proceedings related to divorce, illustrating its application in formal legal documents and decrees of marital separation.

Plato (Laws, 4th century BCE): Plato references ἀποστάσιον in discussions about marriage and divorce, focusing on its role in legal and social contexts as a formal act of separation.

Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics, 4th century BCE): Aristotle uses ἀποστάσιον to describe the legal aspect of divorce and the formalities involved in the dissolution of marital relationships.

4. Summary:

ἀποστάσιον (apostásion) primarily means “divorce” or “a bill of divorce,” referring to the formal and legal dissolution of a marriage. It denotes the act of separation from a spouse, often involving an official document or decree. Classic Greek literature provides examples of its use in legal and social contexts, emphasizing its role in formalizing marital separation. Understanding ἀποστάσιον helps to grasp the legal and procedural aspects of divorce in ancient Greek society and its implications in biblical texts.