Divine Generosity: φειδομένως (Strong’s G5340: pheidomenōs) Challenges Spiritual Stinginess

Strong’s G5340: An adverb meaning “sparingly, frugally,” derived from φείδομαι (to spare). Used in Paul’s teaching about generous giving. Represents cautious, restricted giving contrary to God’s abundant grace. Significant in discussions of Christian stewardship and generosity.

U- Unveiling the Word

The adverb φειδομένως describes action done sparingly or with restraint, particularly in the context of giving. In its New Testament usage, Paul employs it to contrast restricted giving with the abundant generosity that should characterize Christian stewardship. The word appears in a farming metaphor where sparse sowing results in meager harvest, illustrating the spiritual principle of generous giving. The early church understood this term as warning against miserly attitudes in spiritual and material stewardship. Today, φειδομένως continues to challenge believers to examine their giving patterns in light of God’s boundless generosity.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: φειδομένως, pheidomenōs, fi-dom-en’-oce
• Pronunciation Guide: fi (as in “fee”) + dom (as in “dome”) + en (as in “end”) + oce (as in “gross”)
• Part of Speech: Adverb

Etymology:

• φείδομαι (pheidomai): root meaning “to spare”
• -ως (-ōs): adverbial suffix
  Combined to describe manner of sparing or restraint

D – Defining Meanings

• Sparingly
• Frugally
• With restraint
• Cautiously

For compound words:
This is not a compound word but a derived adverb

Translation Options:

• “Sparingly” – emphasizes restricted action
• “Frugally” – stresses economic restraint
• “Cautiously” – captures hesitant giving

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ἐλαχίστως (elachistōs, el-akh-is’-toce) – least See G1646
• μετρίως (metriōs, met-ree’-oce) – moderately See G3357
• πλουσίως (plousiōs, ploo-see’-oce) – richly See G4146

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As an adverb:

• Indeclinable
• Modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs
• Describes manner of action

The word remains unchanged morphologically regardless of context, typical of Greek adverbs derived from participles.

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The lexicons provide rich understanding of φειδομένως. BDAG emphasizes its use in contexts of restricted giving. Thayer’s notes its connection to careful or sparing action. LSJ documents its classical usage in economic contexts. Vine’s particularly emphasizes its appearance in Paul’s teaching about generous giving. Strong’s connects it to the concept of restraint. Moulton and Milligan provide evidence of its use in business documents describing careful expenditure.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
2 Corinthians 9:6: “But this I say: He who sows sparingly [φειδομένως] will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

The word φειδομένως powerfully illustrates the principle that restricted giving reflects a limited understanding of God’s abundance. Paul uses this term to challenge believers to move beyond cautious, calculating generosity to reflect God’s lavish grace. The good news is that King Jesus demonstrated ultimate generosity by giving Himself completely for us, establishing a pattern of abundance that should characterize His followers’ giving.

D – Did You Know?

1. φειδομένως was often used in ancient business documents about budget restrictions.
2. Early church fathers used this term when discussing proper attitudes toward wealth.
3. The word influenced Christian teachings about tithing and generosity.

Strong’s G5340: An adverb meaning “sparingly, frugally,” derived from φείδομαι (to spare). Used in Paul’s teaching about generous giving. Represents cautious, restricted giving contrary to God’s abundant grace. Significant in discussions of Christian stewardship and generosity.

Part of speech: Adverb

Tags: giving, generosity, stewardship, abundance, frugality, restraint, sowing, reaping, Paul’s-teaching, Christian-giving, grace, financial-wisdom, spiritual-principle, bounty, divine-generosity​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​