Understanding ἀσφαλίζω (asphalizo) Strong’s G805: Securing Truth and Guarding Against Deception in Biblical Context

Pronunciation Guide: as-fal-ID-zo

Basic Definition

Strong’s G805: ἀσφαλίζω (asphalizo) describes the act of making something secure, safe, or certain. In its primary sense, it refers to the physical action of securing or making something fast, but it extends metaphorically to ensuring certainty or establishing truth beyond doubt. This verb emphasizes thorough and deliberate action taken to prevent unwanted movement, change, or access.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Verb
• Root Word: ἀσφαλής (asphales) – safe, certain, secure
• Language Origin: Compound of ἀ- (a-) “not” + σφάλλω (sphallo) “to make fall or fail”
• Primary Usage: Narrative sections, particularly in contexts of security measures

ἀσφαλίζω Morphology:

• ἀσφαλίζω (present active indicative) – I secure/make safe
• ἀσφαλίσασθε (aorist middle imperative) – secure/make safe! (command)
• ἠσφαλίσαντο (aorist middle indicative) – they secured/made safe
• ἠσφαλισμένον (perfect passive participle) – having been secured/made safe

Origin & History

The word ἀσφαλίζω emerged from classical Greek maritime terminology, where it initially described the act of securing ships against stormy waters. Xenophon uses the term in his “Oeconomicus” when discussing the proper storage of valuable equipment on ships. The concept evolved to encompass any act of making something secure or certain.

In the Septuagint, though rare, the word appears in contexts of fortification and security measures. The historian Polybius frequently employed this term in his “Histories” when describing military fortifications and strategic security measures taken by armies.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• To make secure physically (through barriers, seals, or guards)
• To ensure certainty or establish truth beyond doubt
• To take precautionary measures against potential threats
• To guarantee or make firm through official means

ἀσφαλίζω Translation Options:

• “to secure” – emphasizes physical action of making something safe
• “to make certain” – focuses on establishing reliability
• “to guard carefully” – highlights protective aspect
• “to make fast” – emphasizes the binding or fixing aspect of security

Biblical Usage

The most notable use of ἀσφαλίζω appears in Matthew 27:64, where the chief priests and Pharisees request Pilate to secure the tomb of Jesus. This usage perfectly demonstrates both the physical and metaphorical implications of the word – they wanted both physical security measures and certainty that no deception could occur.

The word’s usage in the New Testament reveals a fascinating interplay between human attempts at security and divine purposes. It often appears in contexts where human efforts to secure or make certain are ultimately overcome by God’s sovereign plans.

Biblical Cross References:

• Matthew 27:64 – “Therefore command that the tomb be made secure [ἀσφαλισθῆναι] until the third day”
• Matthew 27:65 – “You have a guard; go, make it as secure [ἀσφαλίσασθε] as you know how”
• Matthew 27:66 – “So they went and made the tomb secure [ἠσφαλίσαντο] by sealing the stone”
• Acts 16:24 – “and secured [ἠσφαλίσατο] their feet in the stocks”

Cultural Insights

In ancient Jewish culture, the concept of securing or sealing carried significant legal and ceremonial weight. The practice of sealing tombs was particularly important, involving both physical security measures and religious considerations. The seal placed on Jesus’s tomb would have been a formal Roman seal, the breaking of which would have carried severe penalties. This explains why the Jewish leaders specifically requested Roman guards and official sealing – they wanted the highest possible level of security both legally and physically.

The use of ἀσφαλίζω in the context of Jesus’s tomb ironically highlights human attempts to prevent God’s predetermined plan. The same security measures intended to prevent fraud became the very evidence that authenticated the resurrection, as no human effort could have overcome both the seal and the guard without detection.

Theological Significance

The theological implications of ἀσφαλίζω are profound, particularly in the resurrection narrative. It demonstrates the futility of human attempts to thwart God’s purposes. The very measures taken to prevent the proclamation of the resurrection became evidence supporting it. This word serves as a powerful reminder that no human security can prevail against God’s sovereign will.

Moreover, the word points to a deeper truth about certainty and security in God’s kingdom. While the world seeks physical and temporal security, true security comes from trust in God’s unchanging nature and promises. The failure of the tomb’s security measures despite being “made as secure as they knew how” (Matthew 27:65) stands as a testament to the supreme authority of God over all human precautions.

Personal Application

When we encounter this word in Scripture, it should prompt us to examine where we place our security. Are we like the religious leaders, trusting in physical measures and human authority? Or do we rest in the unshakeable security of God’s promises? The word challenges us to recognize that true security comes not from external measures but from trust in the living God.

This understanding can transform how we handle uncertainties in our lives. Just as no seal or guard could contain the power of the resurrection, no circumstance in our lives is beyond God’s sovereign control.

Related Words

• βεβαιόω (bebaioo) – to confirm, establish, make firm – emphasizes the aspect of making something reliable or certain rather than physically secure See G950
• φυλάσσω (phylasso) – to guard, watch, keep – focuses more on the protective aspect of security See G5442
• τηρέω (tereo) – to keep, guard, observe – emphasizes maintaining a state or condition See G5083
• φρουρέω (phroureo) – to guard, protect by military guard – specifically relates to military protection See G5432

Did you Know?

• The word ἀσφαλίζω has survived into modern Greek, where it’s used in the insurance industry, highlighting its enduring connection to security and certainty. The modern Greek word for insurance, “ασφάλεια” (asfaleia), comes from the same root.
• In ancient shipbuilding, ἀσφαλίζω described the process of securing cargo holds with special binding techniques that would prevent shifting during storms – a practice that required both skill and precision to ensure the safety of valuable cargo.
• The seal placed on Jesus’s tomb would have been a cord stretched across the stone, sealed at either end with clay bearing the Roman governor’s official stamp. Breaking this seal was considered an act of defiance against Roman authority, punishable by death.

Remember This

The ultimate irony of ἀσφαλίζω in Scripture is that human attempts to secure truth through physical means proved powerless against the greatest truth of all – the resurrection of the Messiah Jesus.