Lexical Summary héttéma: Loss, defeat, failure, shortcoming Original Word: ἥττημα Strong's Exhaustive Concordance diminishing, fault. From hettao; a deterioration, i.e. (objectively) failure or (subjectively) loss -- diminishing, fault. see GREEK hettao NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom héttaomai Definition loss NASB Translation defeat (1), failure (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2275: ἥττημαἥττημα (cf. Buttmann, 7; WH's Appendix, p. 166), ἡτηματος, τό, (ἡττάομαι); 1. a diminution, decrease: i. e. defeat, Isaiah 31:8; αὐτῶν, brought upon the Jewish people in that so few of them had turned to Christ, Romans 11:12 (R. V. loss). 2. loss, namely, as respects salvation, 1 Corinthians 6:7 (R. V. text defect). Cf. Meyer (but cf. his 6te Aufl.) on each passage. (Elsewhere only in ecclesiastical writ:) The term ἥττημα describes a condition of loss, defeat, or diminished standing. It portrays a state in which something falls short of its intended strength or fullness, whether spiritually, morally, or materially. Scriptural Occurrences 1. Romans 11:12 – The “failure” of Israel that opens the door of salvation riches to the Gentiles. Semantic Nuances • Personal deficiency: a weakness that exposes spiritual or moral lack. Contextual Analysis Paul contrasts Israel’s present ἥττημα with its promised “fullness.” Their stumbling becomes the unexpected means by which Gentiles receive salvation, revealing God’s sovereignty over apparent losses. The verse invites expectancy: if God can turn a national failure into global blessing, He will surely bring surpassing glory when Israel’s fullness arrives. The Corinthian believers, by suing one another, demonstrate ἥττημα before unbelievers. Litigation exposes a community deficit: lack of brotherly love, unwillingness to absorb wrong, and diminished witness. Paul’s rhetorical questions (“Why not rather be wronged?”) underscore that refusing to retaliate may look like loss but is actually spiritual victory. Theological Significance • Divine reversals: God transforms human loss into channels of grace (Romans 11:12). Historical Insight Greco-Roman culture prized legal prowess; lawsuits were a public avenue to protect honor. Paul’s rebuke in Corinth cuts against prevailing social norms, urging a countercultural ethic of voluntary loss. Similarly, first-century Jewish expectations of national supremacy made Israel’s rejection of Messiah look like catastrophic defeat, yet Scripture frames it as a strategic stage in salvation history. Ministry Applications • Peacemaking: churches should handle disputes internally with humility, modeling reconciliation. Related Concepts • “Stumbling” (Romans 11:11) – emphasizes misstep. Practical Reflections 1. Evaluate personal reactions to injustice: do we demand vindication or accept loss for Christ’s sake? Conclusion ἥττημα alerts believers to the paradox of the gospel: what appears to be defeat can accomplish God’s greatest victories. Recognizing and responding to loss with faith and love safeguards unity, magnifies grace, and sustains hope until every deficiency is swallowed up in the promised fullness of God’s redemptive plan. Englishman's Concordance Romans 11:12 N-NNSGRK: καὶ τὸ ἥττημα αὐτῶν πλοῦτος NAS: for the world and their failure is riches KJV: and the diminishing of them INT: and the failure of them [is the] riches 1 Corinthians 6:7 N-NNS |
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