Greek word · G334
ἀνάθεμα
anathema
devoted
Something "set up" (ana-tithēmi) in a sanctuary as a gift to the deity: a votive offering. Examples are gold shields, crowns, vessels, statues and inscribed plaques. Kings and cities showed their piety and their status this way.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
ἀνάθημα, -τος, τό
(cf. ἀνάθημα, and see MM, VGT, see word), [in LXX often as seel. for ἀνάθεμα (חָרַם), and in Numbers 21:3, Judges 1:17 for חׇרְמָה, but prop. in 3Ma.3:17, al. ;]
a gift set up in a temple, a votive offering: Luke 21:5 (LT, -θεμα).†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
From the study of 2 Maccabees 9:16
- Range of meaning
Something "set up" (ana-tithēmi) in a sanctuary as a gift to the deity: a votive offering. Examples are gold shields, crowns, vessels, statues and inscribed plaques. Kings and cities showed their piety and their status this way.
- Against the English
KJV/Brenton "goodly gifts" and WEB "best offerings" are fair. Neither makes clear that these are gifts put on display in the temple, which is the specific sense.
- How it drifted
No drift in the English here. But Greek readers should not confuse ἀνάθημα (with a long ē, "votive gift") with ἀνάθεμα (with a short e, "something devoted to destruction, a curse"). The two forms come from the same root and sometimes overlap in the manuscripts, yet in this verse the meaning is clearly an honourable gift.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Common in Greek temple inscriptions and in Herodotus (for example, Croesus's gifts at Delphi). Luke 21:5 uses the same phrase-pattern for Herod's temple, "adorned (kekosmētai) with beautiful stones and offerings (anathēmasin)". 2 Maccabees 3:2 says earlier kings honoured the Jerusalem temple "with the finest gifts". Josephus describes royal gifts to the temple in the same terms (Ant. 12.40–41, Ptolemy II).
Similar words
Where it appears
Luke · 1
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Luke 21:5 ἀναθήμασιν with consecrated gifts
As some of the disciples were remarking how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and consecrated gifts, Jesus said,
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.