Brief Overview of Βλάσφημος (G989: Blasphemos)

1. Overview

Βλάσφημος (Blasphemos, pronounced BLAS-fay-mos) is a Greek adjective that primarily means “blasphemous,” “slanderous,” or “speaking evil.” It is derived from the combination of two Greek words: blaptō (meaning “to harm” or “to injure”) and phēmē (meaning “speech” or “report”). Therefore, blasphemos carries the connotation of harmful or injurious speech, particularly that which is directed against God, sacred figures, or religious beliefs. This term is often used in the New Testament to describe individuals who speak irreverently or insultingly about what is considered holy or divine.

2. Detailed Description

In BDAG (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich), blasphemos is defined as “slanderous, abusive, reviling,” particularly in the sense of speaking in a way that is disrespectful or injurious. BDAG emphasizes that the term is often applied to individuals who speak against God or religious principles, thereby committing what is considered a grievous sin in Christian theology. The adjective is closely related to the noun blasphemia (G988), which refers to the act of blasphemy itself.

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon explains blasphemos as “speaking evil, slanderous, reproachful,” and notes that it is typically used in contexts where the speech in question is directed against God or sacred things. Thayer’s also highlights the term’s usage in describing both the act of blasphemy and the character of a person who engages in such speech.

Vine’s Expository Dictionary adds that blasphemos can refer to both verbal slander and an overall disposition of irreverence or hostility toward the divine. Vine’s points out that the term is used in the New Testament to describe people who are actively hostile to God and who express this hostility through their words.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance lists blasphemos under G989 and defines it as “blasphemous, railing, or slanderous.” Strong’s notes that the term appears in the New Testament to describe those who speak or act in a way that shows contempt for God or sacred things, such as in 2 Timothy 3:2, where it is used to characterize the behavior of people in the “last days.”

3. Usage in Classical Greek Literature

In classical Greek literature, blasphemos was used to describe speech or behavior that was considered offensive or injurious, particularly in a religious or sacred context. Here are three examples:

1. Plato’s “Laws”: Plato uses the term blasphemos to describe speech that is disrespectful toward the gods, illustrating the seriousness with which such behavior was viewed in ancient Greek society.
2. Euripides’ “Hippolytus”: In this tragedy, Euripides employs blasphemos to describe characters who speak against the gods, highlighting the tragic consequences of blasphemy in Greek mythology.
3. Sophocles’ “Antigone”: Sophocles uses blasphemos in the context of characters who defy divine laws, further underscoring the cultural and religious significance of the term in classical literature.

These examples show that blasphemos was a term of serious reproach in ancient Greek culture, often associated with irreverence toward the gods and the divine order.

4. Summary

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Βλάσφημος (Blasphemos) is a Greek adjective meaning “blasphemous,” “slanderous,” or “speaking evil.” It is derived from the roots blaptō (to harm) and phēmē (speech), and it refers to speech or behavior that is injurious, particularly when directed against God or sacred entities. Lexicons like BDAG, Thayer’s, Vine’s, and Strong’s agree that blasphemos is used in the New Testament to describe individuals who speak irreverently about God or religious matters. In classical Greek literature, the term was used to describe characters who exhibited disrespect or hostility toward the gods, often with tragic consequences. Blasphemos remains a significant term in both religious and secular contexts, emphasizing the importance of reverence and respect in speech and behavior.