Brief Overview of ἀπόχρησις (G671: Apóchrēsis)

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: Apóchrēsis

Root Words: The term ἀπόχρησις combines the prefix ἀπό (apó), meaning “away from,” with χρησις (chrēsis), meaning “use” or “application.” The compound word conveys the concept of cessation or removal of use.

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Primary Meanings:

• The act of ceasing to use or employ something.
• The abandonment or relinquishment of use or application.
• A formal or legal act of renouncing rights or claims.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich): BDAG defines ἀπόχρησις as “cessation of use” or “disuse,” with a focus on the formal relinquishment or abandonment of something that was previously in use.

Thayer’s: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes ἀπόχρησις as “disuse” or “abandonment,” referring to the state of ceasing to use something or renouncing a claim or right.

Vines: Vines’ Expository Dictionary notes that ἀπόχρησις means “cessation” or “relinquishment,” particularly in contexts where something is no longer employed or applied.

LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones): LSJ defines ἀπόχρησις as “disuse” or “cessation of use,” emphasizing the act of no longer using or applying something.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Strong’s describes ἀπόχρησις as “cessation” or “disuse,” highlighting its meaning related to the abandonment of use or application.

Bible Verses:

• Hebrews 10:18 (NIV): “And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary.” (This verse implies the cessation or removal of previous practices in light of new understandings.)

3. Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

Plato (Phaedo, 4th century BCE): Plato uses similar terms to discuss the cessation of practices or ideas, reflecting the philosophical notion of moving away from old methods or beliefs.

Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics, 4th century BCE): Aristotle employs related concepts to describe the abandonment or disuse of certain practices or habits as part of moral and ethical discussions.

Polybius (Histories, 2nd century BCE): Polybius refers to the disuse or cessation of certain political or social practices in his historical accounts, illustrating the concept of relinquishing old methods or systems.

4. Summary:

ἀπόχρησις (Apóchrēsis) primarily means “cessation” or “disuse,” referring to the act of no longer using or applying something. It conveys the formal abandonment or relinquishment of use, whether in a legal, social, or practical context. In classical Greek literature and biblical texts, it reflects the process of stopping or discontinuing the use of something, emphasizing the shift from previous practices or claims.