Divine Purpose: τέλος (Strong’s G5056: telos) Reveals God’s Ultimate Goal

Strong’s G5056: A neuter noun meaning “end,” “goal,” or “purpose,” representing both termination and fulfillment. Used in the New Testament to describe the ultimate purpose or goal toward which something moves, particularly in relation to God’s redemptive plan and Christ’s completion of the law.

U – Unveiling the Word

τέλος embodies more than just an ending; it represents the goal or purpose toward which everything moves. In the New Testament, it appears in various contexts, from describing the completion of faith’s journey in Matthew 10:22 to declaring Christ as the “end” or goal of the law in Romans 10:4. The early church understood τέλος as expressing both temporal conclusion and purposeful fulfillment, seeing in Christ the ultimate goal of all Scripture and history. Today, this word continues to remind believers that history moves purposefully toward God’s appointed end, with Christ as both the goal and the fulfillment of all things.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: τέλος, telos, tel’-os
• Phonetic Guide: tel (as in “tell”) + os (as in “dose”)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• Root word standing alone
• From Proto-Indo-European *kwel- (to turn, revolve)
• Forms basis for many compound words related to completion and purpose

D – Defining Meanings

• End, conclusion
• Goal, purpose
• Final outcome
• Fulfillment
• Ultimate aim
• Termination point

Translation Options:

• “end” – captures both conclusion and purpose
• “goal” – emphasizes purposeful direction
• “fulfillment” – combines completion with purpose

E – Exploring Similar Words

• συντέλεια (synteleia) – completion, consummation See G4930
• πέρας (peras) – limit, boundary See G4009
• ἔσχατος (eschatos) – last, final See G2078

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Nominal Features:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Gender: Neuter
• Declension: Third declension

Examples:

• Nominative: τέλος (end)
• Genitive: τέλους (of end)
• Dative: τέλει (to/for end)
• Accusative: τέλος (end as object)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

Lexical sources reveal τέλος’s rich meaning. BDAG emphasizes its dual sense of termination and goal. Thayer’s highlights its use in describing Christ as the law’s fulfillment. LSJ traces its classical usage from “turning point” to “purpose.” Vine’s notes its significance in eschatological contexts. Strong’s connects it to the concept of reaching a limit. Moulton and Milligan document its use in tax receipts and commercial contexts. The combined evidence suggests τέλος carried both temporal and teleological significance, expressing both conclusion and purposeful fulfillment.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end [τέλος] who will be saved.” Matthew 10:22

Additional References:
Matthew 24:6, Matthew 24:14, Luke 1:33, Romans 10:4, 1 Corinthians 1:8, 1 Timothy 1:5, Hebrews 6:8, James 5:11, 1 Peter 4:7

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

τέλος powerfully expresses God’s purposeful direction of all things toward their appointed end in Christ. As the goal of the law and the purpose of creation, Jesus gives meaning to history and human existence. This word reminds us that our lives and the entire cosmos move not toward meaningless termination but toward divine fulfillment. The good news proclaims that in Christ, we find both our purpose and our destination, as He is the τέλος toward which all God’s promises and plans converge.

D – Did You Know?

• τέλος appears 40 times in the New Testament
• Ancient tax collectors used this word to mark “paid in full”
• Early Christian writers saw Christ as the τέλος of both creation and Scripture

Strong’s G5056: A neuter noun meaning “end,” “goal,” or “purpose,” representing both termination and fulfillment. Used in the New Testament to describe the ultimate purpose or goal toward which something moves, particularly in relation to God’s redemptive plan and Christ’s completion of the law.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: end, purpose, goal, fulfillment, eschatology, completion, Christ, law, destiny, ultimate-aim​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​