Grace Unbound: χάριν (Strong’s G5484: charin) Reveals Divine Favor’s Power

Strong’s G5484: From χάρις, meaning divine favor or grace. An accusative case form that developed into a preposition meaning “for the sake of, because of.” Represents God’s unmerited favor and the gratuitous nature of His gifts to humanity, central to New Testament theology.

U- Unveiling the Word

χάριν represents a profound theological concept that evolved from its classical meaning of favor or kindness to become a cornerstone of New Testament theology. Originally denoting charm or that which brings delight, it transformed into a technical term for God’s unmerited favor towards humanity. In its prepositional usage, it carries the sense of “for the sake of” or “because of,” highlighting the motivational aspect of grace. The early church fathers extensively used this term to articulate the fundamental Christian doctrine that salvation comes not through human merit but through God’s freely given favor. Today, χάριν continues to remind believers that their relationship with God is founded on His initiative and generosity rather than human achievement.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: χάριν, charin, /ˈkʰarin/
• Detailed pronunciation: kh (aspirated k as in “Bach”) – a (as in “father”) – rin (as in “ring”)
• Part of Speech: Noun (accusative case) functioning as a preposition

Etymology:

• Root: χάρις (charis) – grace, favor
• Form: Accusative case of χάρις
• Development: Accusative case form that grammaticalized into a preposition

D – Defining Meanings

• Primary meanings:

1. For the sake of
2. Because of
3. By reason of
4. With reference to

For compound words: Not a compound word, but derived from χάρις through case transformation

Translation Options:

1. “For the sake of” – Best captures the purposive sense
2. “Because of” – Emphasizes causative meaning
3. “On account of” – Reflects motivational aspect

E – Exploring Similar Words

• χάρις (charis, /ˈkʰaris/) – the nominative form, emphasizing divine grace See G5485
• χάρισμα (charisma, /kʰəˈrizma/) – gift of grace See G5486
• εὐχαριστία (eucharistia, /juˌkʰariˈstia/) – thanksgiving See G2169

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

• Case: Accusative
• Number: Singular
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: Third

The accusative case typically indicates the direct object but here functions as a preposition. In English, this transformation would be similar to how “regarding” (present participle) became a preposition.

• Cross-references:
• Verbal form: χαρίζομαι (to show favor)
• Adjectival form: χαριτόω (to bestow grace)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG identifies χάριν as an improper preposition developed from the accusative of χάρις, consistently governing the genitive case. Thayer’s emphasizes its evolution from expressing gratitude to indicating purpose or causation. LSJ traces its classical usage, showing how it maintained both its literal meaning of “thanks to” and metaphorical sense of “for the sake of.” Vine’s connects it to the broader theological concept of grace, while Moulton and Milligan provide papyri evidence of its common usage in everyday Koine Greek. The lexicons collectively demonstrate how this term bridges secular and sacred contexts, making it particularly effective in communicating divine truth to a Hellenistic audience.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little [χάριν]. Luke 7:47

Additional References:
Ephesians 3:1, Galatians 3:19, 1 John 3:12, Jude 1:16

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

χάριν stands as a linguistic bridge between human understanding and divine truth. Its transformation from a simple accusative case to a preposition mirrors how God’s grace transforms believers from mere recipients to active participants in His kingdom work. The word encapsulates the essence of the gospel – that everything we receive from God is “for the sake of” His glory and our good. It reminds us that our salvation, sanctification, and service are all because of and through His grace, never our merit.

D – Did You Know?

1. χάριν is one of few Greek nouns that developed into a preposition through regular usage
2. It appears in some of the earliest New Testament manuscripts
3. Its usage influenced the development of theological vocabulary in multiple languages

Strong’s G5484: From χάρις, meaning divine favor or grace. An accusative case form that developed into a preposition meaning “for the sake of, because of.” Represents God’s unmerited favor and the gratuitous nature of His gifts to humanity, central to New Testament theology.

Part of speech: Noun functioning as preposition

Tags: grace, favor, preposition, theological-terms, divine-gift, unmerited-favor, new-testament-greek, koine-greek, biblical-greek, salvation​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​