Lexical Summary timóreó: To punish, to avenge, to vindicate Original Word: τιμωρέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance punish. From a comparative of time and ouros (a guard); properly, to protect one's honor, i.e. To avenge (inflict a penalty) -- punish. see GREEK time HELPS Word-studies 5097 timōréō (from 5092 /timḗ, "perceived worth" and ouros, "a guardian") – to act as guardian with the authority to also mete out punishment (literally, assign due retribution) – as it seems best in the eyes of the punisher. See also the root, 5092 /timḗ ("perceived value"). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originperhaps from timé and arnumai (to exact atonment) Definition to punish, avenge NASB Translation punished (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5097: τιμωρέωτιμωρέω, τιμώρω; 1 aorist passive ἐτιμωρήθην; (from τιμωρός, and this from τιμή and οὐρός, see θυρωρός); from Sophocles and Herodotus down; properly, to be a guardian or avenger of honor; hence, 1. to succor, come to the help of:τίνι, one, Sophocles, Herodotus, Thucydides, others, 2. to avenge: τίνι, one, Herodotus, Xenophon, others. 3. in the N. T. τιμώρω τινα, to take vengeance on one, to punish: Acts 22:5; Acts 26:11 (Sophocles O. R. 107; in Greek writings the middle is more common in this sense). The verb occurs only twice in the Greek New Testament, both times in autobiographical speeches by the Apostle Paul (Acts 22:5; Acts 26:11). In each instance the word is used of punitive measures demanded or executed against believers before Paul’s conversion. The setting is judicial: letters of extradition from the Sanhedrin (Acts 22:5) and corporal discipline administered in synagogues (Acts 26:11). Thus the term functions inside Luke’s narrative as a marker of legal-religious coercion directed at the church. Historical Background: Sanhedrin and Punitive Authority First-century Judaism possessed limited self-government under Roman oversight. The Council in Jerusalem could authorize arrest and flogging for perceived blasphemy (cf. Matthew 10:17; John 18:31). Paul, as a zealous Pharisee, became an agent of this authority. By employing the verb, Luke highlights a legal mechanism—synagogue scourging—that resembled the thirty-nine lashes prescribed in Deuteronomy 25:3 and codified by later rabbinic tradition. The Damascus letters show that such jurisdiction was thought to extend into the Diaspora. Apostolic Testimony: Paul’s Self-Disclosure Paul twice bears witness that he was “punishing” believers: These confessions underscore both the severity of his former hostility and the magnitude of grace that turned a persecutor into an apostle (1 Timothy 1:13-16). Theological Reflection on Human Justice Versus Divine Mercy Scripture affirms that civil authorities are “God’s servant for your good … an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer” (Romans 13:4). Yet Paul’s misuse of delegated authority demonstrates how zeal without truth corrupts justice. His experience illustrates Proverbs 17:15: “He who condemns the righteous … are both an abomination to the LORD.” The risen Christ intervened, revealing that persecuting the church is tantamount to persecuting the Lord Himself (Acts 9:4). Connection with Old Testament Judicial Ethics The Torah differentiates between just retribution and personal vengeance: “Vengeance is Mine, and recompense” (Deuteronomy 32:35). Human judges were to punish within lawful bounds, always preserving covenantal righteousness. Paul’s later writings echo this ethic: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for God’s wrath” (Romans 12:19). The very apostle who once sought punitive authority now exhorts the church to forgo vengeance. Christological Transformation of Punishment At the cross divine wrath and mercy converge. Christ “bore our sins in His body” (1 Peter 2:24), satisfying justice so that believers are no longer “condemned” (Romans 8:1). Paul’s life embodies this gospel: the persecutor deserving punishment becomes the herald of forgiveness, illustrating that God “punishes” sin in Christ so He may justify the ungodly (Romans 3:26). Pastoral and Missional Applications 1. Zeal Needs Truth: Ministry must be guided by sound doctrine lest righteous intentions inflict harm (Philippians 3:6; John 16:2). Eschatological Horizon Scripture promises final vindication: “He will repay, each according to his deeds” (Romans 2:6). Earthly punishment—whether just or misguided—anticipates the ultimate judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10), where perfect justice will prevail and every wrong will be set right. Summary of Usage Strong’s 5097 surfaces exclusively in Paul’s recounting of his pre-conversion persecution, spotlighting human punishment employed in opposition to the gospel. Luke’s selective use emphasizes the contrast between coercive religion and the liberating grace Paul later proclaimed. Englishman's Concordance Acts 22:5 V-ASP-3PGRK: Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἵνα τιμωρηθῶσιν NAS: as prisoners to be punished. KJV: Jerusalem, for to be punished. INT: Jerusalem in order that they might be punished Acts 26:11 V-PPA-NMS Strong's Greek 5097 |
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