Metallic Wealth: χαλκός (Strong’s G5475: chalkos) – Biblical Currency’s Sacred Role

Strong’s G5475: A base metal, specifically copper or bronze, used as currency and for crafting sacred vessels. In biblical times, χαλκός represented both monetary value and practical utility, being essential for Temple worship implements and daily commerce, symbolizing material wealth and divine service.

U- Unveiling the Word

χαλκός holds a significant place in biblical narratives, representing both monetary value and practical utility. This term encompasses copper, bronze, and brass – metals that were crucial in ancient Near Eastern society. In the New Testament, it primarily appears in contexts of currency and valuable metal implements. Its usage in Temple worship, where bronze vessels and implements were common, connects material worth with sacred service. Early church fathers often used χαλκός metaphorically to contrast earthly wealth with spiritual riches. Today, this word reminds us how material resources can serve divine purposes, echoing the biblical principle of stewardship.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: χαλκός, chalkos, /khal-kos/
• Detailed pronunciation: KHAL (as in ‘chalk’) – koss (as in ‘moss’)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• Root: χαλκ- (chalk-) – base meaning “copper/bronze”
• Suffix: -ος (-os) – common masculine noun ending
• Derived from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰelh₂- meaning “to shine”

D – Defining Meanings

• Primary copper or bronze metal
• Coins made of copper/bronze
• Metal implements or vessels
• General term for money

For compound words: Not applicable as χαλκός is a simple noun

Translation Options:

• Bronze – most accurate for biblical period metallurgy
• Copper – appropriate for raw material references
• Money/Coins – suitable in monetary contexts

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ἄργυρος (arguros, /ar-gu-ros/) – silver, emphasizing higher value – See G696
• χρυσός (chrusos, /khru-sos/) – gold, highest value metal – See G5557
• χαλκεύς (chalkeus, /khal-kyoos/) – coppersmith/metalworker – See G5471

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Noun Features:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Gender: Masculine
• Declension: Second

Example morphological changes:

• Nominative: χαλκός (chalkos)
• Genitive: χαλκοῦ (chalkou)
• Dative: χαλκῷ (chalko)
• Accusative: χαλκόν (chalkon)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The lexical evidence for χαλκός shows remarkable consistency across ancient sources. BDAG emphasizes its dual meaning as both raw metal and currency. Thayer’s highlights its importance in daily commerce, while LSJ provides extensive classical usage examples. Vine’s notes its metaphorical applications in biblical literature. Moulton and Milligan’s papyrological evidence confirms its common use in commercial transactions. Strong’s connects it to Temple worship implements, while LEH provides Septuagint parallels showing continuity between Old and New Testament usage. This breadth of meaning reflects the metal’s crucial role in ancient society.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“Do not get any gold or silver or copper [χαλκός] to take with you in your belts” Matthew 10:9

Additional References:
Mark 6:8
Mark 12:41
1 Corinthians 13:1
Revelation 18:12

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

χαλκός embodies the intersection of material value and sacred service in biblical narrative. Its use in Temple worship reminds us that physical resources can be dedicated to holy purposes. This connects to the good news of King Jesus, who transforms our understanding of wealth from mere material possession to a tool for Kingdom work. The word teaches us about stewardship, showing how even common materials can serve divine purposes when dedicated to Him.

D – Did You Know?

• χαλκός was the primary material for the massive laver in Solomon’s Temple
• Ancient bronze was typically 88% copper and 12% tin
• The word survived in Modern Greek, still meaning copper/bronze

Strong’s G5475: A base metal, specifically copper or bronze, used as currency and for crafting sacred vessels. In biblical times, χαλκός represented both monetary value and practical utility, being essential for Temple worship implements and daily commerce, symbolizing material wealth and divine service.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: metals, currency, temple-worship, biblical-artifacts, commerce, wealth, stewardship, sacred-vessels, bronze, copper​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​