Universal Application: τις (Strong’s G5100: tis) Shows Gospel’s Personal Impact

Strong’s G5100: An indefinite pronoun meaning “someone, anyone, a certain one.” Used extensively in the New Testament to make general principles personal, particularly in teachings about relationships, responsibilities, and spiritual truths. Shows how divine truth applies to each individual.

U- Unveiling the Word

τις serves a crucial role in making biblical teachings personal and specific. As an indefinite pronoun, it bridges the gap between general principles and individual application, particularly in moral and spiritual teachings. In Jesus’ parables and apostolic instructions, it helps readers see themselves in the scenarios presented. The early church recognized its power in making abstract truths concrete and personal. Today, it continues to remind us that Scripture’s teachings aren’t merely theoretical but apply to each person individually, challenging readers to see themselves in the text.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: τις, tis, /tis/
• Detailed pronunciation: tees (short and unaccented)
• Part of Speech: Indefinite Pronoun

Etymology:

• Primary word from Indo-European *kʷis
• No prefixes or suffixes
• Related to interrogative τίς (who?)

D – Defining Meanings

• Someone
• Anyone
• A certain one
• Anyone at all
• Some person or thing

For compound words:
Not a compound word, but a primary pronoun

Translation Options:

• “Someone” – When emphasizing individuality
• “Anyone” – When emphasizing universality
• “A certain one” – When emphasizing specificity

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ἕκαστος (hekastos) /HE-kas-tos/ – each one individually. See G1538
• οὐδείς (oudeis) /oo-DEIS/ – no one, nobody. See G3762
• πᾶς (pas) /pas/ – all, everyone. See G3956

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological features as a Pronoun:

• Case: Nominative/Genitive/Dative/Accusative
• Number: Singular/Plural
• Gender: Masculine/Feminine/Neuter

Forms include:

• Nominative: τις/τι
• Genitive: τινός
• Dative: τινί
• Accusative: τινά/τι
• Plural forms follow similar patterns

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes τις’s role in making general statements specific. Thayer’s notes its versatility in various contexts. LSJ documents its extensive use in classical Greek for indefinite reference. Vine’s highlights its importance in personalizing spiritual truths. Strong’s connects it to fundamental concepts of individuality and universality. Moulton and Milligan show its common usage in everyday language. The synthesis reveals a term crucial for making abstract teachings concrete and personal.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought [anything] [τις] against thee;” Matthew 5:23

Additional References:
Matthew 8:19
Mark 8:3
Luke 7:36
John 3:3

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

τις appears throughout Scripture making divine truth personally applicable. It proclaims the good news that King Jesus’s message is for everyone individually, not just humanity in general. This word reminds us that each person must respond to God’s call personally, and that His promises and commands apply to each believer specifically. It personalizes the Gospel, showing that salvation is both universal in scope and individual in application.

D – Did You Know?

1. It’s one of the most frequently used words in the New Testament.
2. Early Christian writers used it to emphasize personal application of Scripture.
3. Its various forms help create different levels of specificity in Greek.

Strong’s G5100: An indefinite pronoun meaning “someone, anyone, a certain one.” Used extensively in the New Testament to make general principles personal, particularly in teachings about relationships, responsibilities, and spiritual truths. Shows how divine truth applies to each individual.

Part of speech: Indefinite Pronoun

Tags: indefinite, personal application, individuals, anyone, someone, universality, specificity, personalization, general principles, particular cases, relationships, application​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​