Brief Overview of ἀπολύτρωσις (G629: Apolýtrōsis)

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: Apolýtrōsis

Root Words: The term ἀπολύτρωσις (apolýtrōsis) is derived from ἀπολύτρωτος (apolýtrōtos, “redeemed”) and λύτρον (lýtron, “ransom”).

Primary Meanings:

• Redemption or deliverance through payment of a ransom.
• A release or liberation achieved by payment or sacrifice.
• The theological concept of salvation as deliverance from sin or bondage.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich): BDAG defines ἀπολύτρωσις as “a release effected by payment of a ransom,” specifically in the context of the deliverance from bondage or captivity. It emphasizes the notion of redemption as a process involving a ransom or substitute.

Thayer’s: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes ἀπολύτρωσις as “redemption, deliverance by payment of a ransom,” highlighting its use in contexts involving the liberation of individuals from sin, captivity, or other forms of bondage.

Vines: Vines’ Expository Dictionary outlines ἀπολύτρωσις as “redemption” or “deliverance,” focusing on the concept of being freed from a situation through a ransom or payment, often used in theological contexts referring to salvation.

LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones): LSJ defines ἀπολύτρωσις as “redemption,” relating to the act of buying back or delivering from captivity, with an emphasis on the payment or substitution involved in the process.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Strong’s describes ἀπολύτρωσις as “redemption” or “deliverance by ransom,” specifically referring to the concept of being freed from bondage through payment.

3. Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

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Herodotus (Histories, 5th century BCE): Herodotus refers to the practice of paying ransom for captives, illustrating the concept of redemption in historical contexts.

Euripides (Iphigenia in Aulis, 5th century BCE): Euripides’ plays include themes of redemption and ransom, reflecting the cultural understanding of deliverance through payment.

Plato (Phaedo, 4th century BCE): Plato discusses the philosophical implications of redemption and the release from earthly bonds, using ἀπολύτρωσις in a metaphorical sense.

4. Summary:

ἀπολύτρωσις (apolýtrōsis) refers to the concept of redemption or deliverance through payment, often used to describe the act of freeing someone from captivity or bondage by means of a ransom. In classical Greek literature, it appears in contexts related to both literal and metaphorical forms of release, including historical, dramatic, and philosophical discussions. The term is crucial in theological contexts, symbolizing the broader concept of salvation and liberation from sin or moral bondage.