Divine Justice: τιμωρία (Strong’s G5098: timoria) Warns Against Grace Rejection

Strong’s G5098: A noun meaning “punishment” or “penalty,” derived from τιμωρέω (to avenge). Used in Hebrews to describe the severe consequences of rejecting God’s grace, emphasizing divine justice while highlighting the superiority of the new covenant.

U- Unveiling the Word

τιμωρία carries profound theological weight in its New Testament usage, particularly in the context of divine justice. This term represents not merely punishment but vindication of honor through just retribution. In Hebrews, it appears in a sobering warning about rejecting Christ’s sacrifice, emphasizing the serious consequences of spurning God’s grace. The early church understood this word as expressing both divine justice and the gravity of apostasy. Today, it continues to remind believers of the serious nature of covenant relationship with God and the consequences of rejecting His grace.

N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: τιμωρία, timoria, /ti-mo-REE-ah/
• Detailed pronunciation: tee-mo-REE-ah (emphasis on REE)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• τιμή (time) – “honor” or “value”
• οὖρος (ouros) – “watcher” or “guardian”
• -ία (-ia) – abstract noun suffix
• Combined to mean “honor-guarding” or “vindication”

D – Defining Meanings

• Punishment
• Retribution
• Penalty
• Vengeance
• Just punishment

For compound words:
Combines concepts of honor-watching with abstract noun form to indicate punishment that upholds honor

Translation Options:

• “Punishment” – Most common translation
• “Retribution” – Emphasizing justice aspect
• “Penalty” – Emphasizing consequences

E – Exploring Similar Words

• κόλασις (kolasis) /KO-la-sis/ – punishment, correction. See G2851
• ἐκδίκησις (ekdikesis) /ek-DI-kay-sis/ – vengeance, vindication. See G1557
• δίκη (dike) /DEE-kay/ – justice, punishment. See G1349

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological features as a Noun:

• Case: Nominative/Genitive/Dative/Accusative
• Number: Singular/Plural
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: First

Case forms:

• Nominative: τιμωρία
• Genitive: τιμωρίας
• Dative: τιμωρίᾳ
• Accusative: τιμωρίαν

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes τιμωρία’s use in contexts of divine retribution. Thayer’s notes its connection to vindication of honor. LSJ documents its use in legal and religious contexts. Vine’s highlights its appearance in warnings about apostasy. Strong’s connects it to concepts of guardianship and honor. Moulton and Milligan provide evidence of its use in legal penalties. The synthesis reveals a term that carries both legal and moral weight, particularly in contexts of divine justice and covenant faithfulness.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“Of how much sorer [punishment] [τιμωρία], suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” Hebrews 10:29

Additional References:
This is the only occurrence in the New Testament.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

Author: Work	Text
Plato: Laws	“The gods exact [punishment] [τιμωρία] from those who transgress divine law.”
Demosthenes: Against Meidias	“The court must impose proper [retribution] [τιμωρία] for these crimes.”
Thucydides: History	“They suffered severe [punishment] [τιμωρία] for betraying their allies.”

N – Noteworthy Summary

τιμωρία appears in Scripture as a solemn warning about rejecting God’s grace, yet it ultimately points to the good news of King Jesus. While emphasizing the serious consequences of apostasy, it highlights the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice and the privilege of new covenant relationship. This word reminds us that God’s justice serves His grace, warning us to cherish and remain faithful to the salvation offered in Christ.

D – Did You Know?

1. The word was used in ancient law codes for capital punishment.
2. Early church martyrs saw their suffering as different from this type of punishment.
3. It appears in ancient temple inscriptions warning against sacrilege.

Strong’s G5098: A noun meaning “punishment” or “penalty,” derived from τιμωρέω (to avenge). Used in Hebrews to describe the severe consequences of rejecting God’s grace, emphasizing divine justice while highlighting the superiority of the new covenant.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: punishment, justice, retribution, penalty, divine judgment, apostasy, warning, covenant, grace, consequences, honor, faithfulness​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​