Brief Overview of ἀχειροποίητος (G886: acheiropoietos)

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: Acheiropoietos

Root Words: From ἀ- (a-, “not”) + χείρ (cheir, “hand”) + ποιέω (poieo, “to make”). Literally means “not made with hands.”

Primary Meanings:

• Not made by human hands.
• Spiritual or divine in origin, contrasting with human-made or earthly constructs.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG: Focuses on the usage of ἀχειροποίητος in theological contexts, particularly in the New Testament to describe things not fashioned by human hands, often implying divine construction or origin.

Thayer’s: Similar to BDAG, emphasizes the contrast between divine and human craftsmanship, especially in the context of religious artifacts or spiritual realities.

Vines: Explores the metaphorical and theological implications, highlighting the word’s use in discussions of the heavenly or eternal as opposed to the temporal and earthly.

LSJ: While more focused on classical usage, notes the term can apply in broader Greek literature to describe anything not created by human effort.

Strong’s Exhaustive: Provides references to New Testament verses where the term is used to describe heavenly things, such as the temple not made with hands.

Bible Verses:

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• 2 Corinthians 5:1: “For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
• Hebrews 9:11: “But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation.”

3. Classic Greek Literature:

Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

• The term might appear in philosophical texts discussing the concept of the ideal or the form, contrasting human-made objects with those conceived in thought alone.
• In religious texts differentiating between idols crafted by artisans and the unseen gods they represent.
• Used in rhetorical contexts to emphasize the superiority of natural or divine order over human artifice.

4. Summary:

ἀχειροποίητος (acheiropoietos) serves as a significant theological term within the New Testament, underscoring the distinction between the earthly and the divine. It is used metaphorically to signify that which is of heavenly or spiritual origin, devoid of human corruption or imperfection. The exploration of this term in various lexicons and classical literature underscores its role in distinguishing between the transient nature of human creations and the eternal nature of divine constructs. This distinction is pivotal in understanding early Christian theology and its separation from traditional pagan practices.