Brief Overview of ἀπρόσιτος (G676: aprósitos)

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: aprósitos

Root Words:

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• ἀ- (a-): A prefix meaning “without” or “not.”
• πρόσιτος (prósitos): Derived from προσίτημι (prosítēmi), meaning “to approach” or “to come near.”

Primary Meanings:

• The term ἀπρόσιτος means “not approachable” or “inaccessible.”
• It describes something or someone that cannot be approached or accessed, often used in a figurative sense to denote divine or elevated aspects that are beyond human reach.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich): BDAG defines ἀπρόσιτος as “not accessible” or “inaccessible,” used metaphorically to describe things or people that are difficult to approach or reach. The term is used to convey an idea of something being beyond human reach or understanding.

Thayer’s: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon concurs with BDAG, noting that ἀπρόσιτος means “inaccessible” or “not to be approached.” It is typically used in a metaphorical sense to describe divine or elevated concepts that are beyond human reach.

Vines: Vines’ Expository Dictionary reinforces the meaning of ἀπρόσιτος as “inaccessible,” emphasizing its use in describing things or beings that are beyond human ability to approach or grasp.

LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones): The LSJ lexicon similarly defines ἀπρόσιτος as “not to be approached,” with a focus on its use in contexts that imply inaccessibility or remoteness.

Strongs Exhaustive Concordance: Strong’s Concordance lists ἀπρόσιτος as “inaccessible,” reflecting its use to describe things that cannot be approached or reached.

Bible Verses:

• Hebrews 12:18 (KJV): “For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest…”
• The term is used here to describe the mountain that was inaccessible to the people, indicating a place or state beyond human reach.

3. Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

In classic Greek literature up to 100 AD, ἀπρόσιτος was used to describe various concepts and entities that were metaphorically or literally beyond human approach:

• Plato’s “Phaedo”: Describes the afterlife and divine realms as ἀπρόσιτος to human understanding.
• Herodotus’ “Histories”: Refers to certain sacred spaces as ἀπρόσιτος due to their inaccessibility to ordinary people.
• Aristotle’s works: Uses the term to describe philosophical ideas or truths that are beyond practical reach or understanding.

4. Summary:

The Greek word ἀπρόσιτος (G676: aprósitos) conveys the idea of being “inaccessible” or “not approachable.” Its primary usage is metaphorical, often describing concepts, places, or entities that are beyond human reach or understanding. The term is consistently defined across various lexicons and concordances, reflecting its figurative application to things that cannot be approached or comprehended by human means. In classic Greek literature, ἀπρόσιτος was used to describe divine or elevated aspects that were considered beyond human access or comprehension.