Lexical Summary adokimos: Disqualified, unapproved, rejected, worthless Original Word: ἀδόκιμος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance castaway, rejected, reprobate. From a (as a negative particle) and dokimos; unapproved, i.e. Rejected; by implication, worthless (literally or morally) -- castaway, rejected, reprobate. see GREEK a see GREEK dokimos Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 96: ἀδόκιμοςἀδόκιμος, (δόκιμος) (from Euripides down), not standing the test, not approved; properly of metals and coin, ἀργύριον, Isaiah 1:22; Proverbs 25:4; νόμισμα, Plato, legg. see p. 742 a., others; hence, which does not prove itself to be such as it ought: γῆ, of sterile soil, Hebrews 6:8; in a moral sense (A. V. reprobate), 1 Corinthians 9:27; 2 Corinthians 13:5-7; νοῦς, Romans 1:28; περί τήν πίστιν, 2 Timothy 3:8; hence, unfit for something: πρός πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθόν ἀδόκιμοι, Titus 1:16. Topical Lexicon Concept Overview “Adokimos” designates a person or thing that fails the test of divine scrutiny—found wanting, rejected, or rendered unfit for God’s purposes. The term evokes the image of metal that, once assayed, is discarded as impure. Scripture employs the word to expose moral corruption, doctrinal deceit, and spiritual barrenness, contrasting each with the “approved” life that bears evidence of grace. Old Testament Foreshadowing Jeremiah likens wayward Judah to “rejected silver” (Jeremiah 6:30), a picture of metal that refuses refinement and is thrown away. This metallurgical metaphor undergirds the New Testament’s use of “adokimos”: God’s people are continually tried; authentic faith endures the furnace, while hypocrisy is condemned as worthless slag. New Testament Usage 1. Romans 1:28 When humanity spurns the knowledge of God, “He gave them over to a depraved mind”—a mind stamped “adokimos.” Moral inversion, therefore, is not merely human failure but divine verdict. The passage frames all subsequent occurrences: rejection results from persistent unbelief. Paul disciplines his body “lest after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.” The apostle’s vigilance exposes a sobering truth: gifted ministry does not immunize against disqualification; persevering obedience matters. “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves…unless indeed you fail the test” (verse 5). Paul re-applies the term three times, directing the church to spiritual self-audit. Authentic Christianity welcomes scrutiny because Christ dwells within; counterfeit faith fears exposure. Just as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, false teachers “are depraved in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.” Here “adokimos” indicts doctrinal corruption. Opposition to apostolic truth reveals hearts already judged unfit. 5. Titus 1:16 “They profess to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for any good work.” Verbal orthodoxy cannot mask practical godlessness; fruitless lives face the label “adokimos.” 6. Hebrews 6:8 Land that drinks the rain but yields “thorns and thistles” is “worthless and near to being cursed, its end is to be burned.” The agricultural parable warns professing believers: long-term barrenness invites the verdict of rejection. Theological Significance Adokimos crystallizes the biblical tension between profession and possession. God’s judgment is not arbitrary; it is the righteous declaration that a life, doctrine, or ministry lacks the tested evidence of regeneration. The word affirms: • Divine testing is inevitable (1 Peter 1:6-7). Pastoral and Ministry Implications Self-Examination: Regular, prayerful testing safeguards against presumption. The Lord’s Table (1 Corinthians 11:28) and personal devotion provide arenas for honest appraisal. Discipleship: Churches nurture believers toward “dokimos”—approved character—through sound teaching, accountable fellowship, and disciplined practice. Leadership Qualification: Elders must exemplify lives proven genuine (1 Timothy 3:1-7). Teachers who contradict apostolic doctrine show themselves “adokimos” and must be silenced (Titus 1:10-11). Evangelism: The gospel confronts the sinner’s “adokimos” state, offering in Christ the only righteousness that passes God’s test (2 Corinthians 5:21). Historical Reflection Early Christian writers—Ignatius, Polycarp, and later Chrysostom—cited Paul’s warnings to urge moral vigilance amid persecution and heresy. The Reformers, facing ecclesiastical corruption, likewise invoked “adokimos” to call for reformation by Scripture. Conclusion “Adokimos” stands as both caution and compass. It warns that untested or untrue faith ends in rejection, yet it points toward Christ, whose spotless obedience secures the believer’s acceptance. By abiding in Him, the church moves from the dread of disqualification to the joy of “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Forms and Transliterations αδοκιμοι αδόκιμοι αδόκιμοί ἀδόκιμοι ἀδόκιμοί αδοκιμον αδόκιμον ἀδόκιμον αδοκιμος αδόκιμος ἀδόκιμος αδολεσχήσαι αδολεσχήσω αδολεσχία αδολεσχίαν αδολεσχίας ηδολέσχει ηδολέσχησα ηδολέσχουν adokimoi adókimoi adókimoí adokimon adókimon adokimos adókimosLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Romans 1:28 Adj-AMSGRK: θεὸς εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν ποιεῖν NAS: gave them over to a depraved mind, KJV: over to a reprobate mind, to do INT: God to a depraved mind to do 1 Corinthians 9:27 Adj-NMS 2 Corinthians 13:5 Adj-NMP 2 Corinthians 13:6 Adj-NMP 2 Corinthians 13:7 Adj-NMP 2 Timothy 3:8 Adj-NMP Titus 1:16 Adj-NMP Hebrews 6:8 Adj-NMS Strong's Greek 96 |
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