Original Word: ἀποσκίασμα
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: aposkiasma
Pronunciation: ah-pos-kee-AS-mah
Phonetic Spelling: (ap-os-kee'-as-mah)
Definition: either a shadow cast by an object, or a faint image or copy of an object.
Meaning: A shadow or a shadowing forth; a reflection or an image cast by an object.

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek verb ἀποσκιάζω (aposkiazō), which means "to cast a shadow" or "to overshadow."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for ἀποσκίασμα, the concept of shadow or reflection can be related to several Hebrew terms that convey similar ideas, such as:

- צֵל (tsel) • Strong's Hebrew 6738: Meaning "shadow," often used metaphorically to describe protection or the fleeting nature of life.
- דְּמוּת (demuth) • Strong's Hebrew 1823: Meaning "likeness" or "resemblance," used to describe representations or images.

These Hebrew terms, like ἀποσκίασμα, are used in the biblical text to convey ideas of impermanence, representation, and the contrast between earthly and divine realities.

Usage: The term ἀποσκίασμα is used in the New Testament to convey the idea of a shadow or a reflection, often in a metaphorical sense to describe something that is a mere representation or a temporary form of a greater reality.

Context: The Greek term ἀποσκίασμα appears in the New Testament in contexts that emphasize the transient or insubstantial nature of earthly things compared to divine realities. It is used to illustrate the concept of earthly representations being mere shadows of heavenly truths. This term is notably found in James 1:17, where it is used to describe the unchanging nature of God in contrast to the shifting shadows of the created world: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow" (BSB).

In this passage, ἀποσκίασμα is employed to highlight the constancy and reliability of God's character and gifts, contrasting them with the variability and impermanence of earthly phenomena. The imagery of "shifting shadow" underscores the idea that while human experiences and perceptions may change, God's nature remains steadfast and unalterable.

The use of ἀποσκίασμα in the New Testament reflects a broader biblical theme of distinguishing between the temporal and the eternal, the seen and the unseen. It serves as a reminder of the ultimate reality found in God, who is the source of all that is good and perfect, and whose nature is not subject to the fluctuations of the created order.

644 aposkíasma (from 575 /apó, "from" and skiazō, "cast shade") – properly, a shadow created by turning. Typically shadows change according to the changing position of the sun (being short at midday and lengthy at nightfall). But God doesn't change (shorten or lengthen!)because He Himself is His the only absolute reference point! Unlike a shifting shadow, caused by revolution, the Lord is immutable and possesses all power and life in Himself.

Word Origin
from apo and skiazó (to overshadow, shade)
Definition
a shadow
NASB Translation
shadow (1).

STRONGS NT 644: ἀποσκίασμα

ἀποσκίασμα, ἀποσκιαστος, τό (σκιάζω, from σκιά), a shade cast by one object upon another, a shadow: τροπῆς ἀποσκίασμα shadow caused by revolution, James 1:17. Cf. ἀπαύγασμα.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

shadow.

From a compound of apo and a derivative of skia; a shading off, i.e. Obscuration -- shadow.

see GREEK apo

see GREEK skia

Forms and Transliterations

απεσκλήρυνε απεσκοπεύσαμεν αποσκιασμα αποσκίασμα ἀποσκίασμα αποσκοπευόντων αποσκοπεύσω αποσκορακιεί αποσκορακίσης αποσκορακισμόν αποσοβών απόσπασμα aposkiasma aposkíasma

Links

Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts