Word Studies¶
Bible Study: Salvation Before Jesus¶
Generated: 2026-03-13¶
Overview¶
This file organizes the Strong's lexicon data, Hebrew/Greek parsing results, and LXX bridge mappings that are most directly relevant to the study question: How were God's people saved before the time of Jesus? The key lexical data demonstrates that the vocabulary of salvation, faith, righteousness, atonement, and grace is shared across both testaments — the same concepts expressed in the same words (or their direct equivalents) whether in Hebrew or Greek.
PART 1 — HEBREW WORD STUDIES¶
H0539 — AMAN (believed / be faithful)¶
Transliteration: aman Root meaning: to build up or support; to foster; to render firm or faithful; to trust or believe; to be permanent or quiet; morally, to be true or certain Translations: believe, be faithful, established, sure, trust
Key form in this study — Genesis 15:6:
Hebrew: הֶאֱמִ֖ן (he'emin) — Hiphil Perfect 3ms Parsing: "he caused to be firm" → "he trusted in" → "he believed"
The Hiphil stem is causative: Abraham "caused himself to be firm" toward God — he anchored himself in God. The Perfect tense marks a completed definite act.
LXX / NT Connection: - LXX translates he'emin (GEN 15:6) as ἐπίστευσεν (episteusen) — Aorist of pisteuo (G4100) - Paul quotes this in ROM 4:3, GAL 3:6; James quotes it in JAS 2:23 - Abraham's "believing" (aman) is the direct OT ancestor of NT "believing/faith" (pistis)
Word family: - Emunah (H530) — faithfulness/faith (used in HAB 2:4: "the just shall live by his emunah") - Emet (H571) — truth/faithfulness - Amen — universal expression of confirmation (from the same root)
H0530 — EMUNAH (faithfulness / faith)¶
Transliteration: emunah Root: aman (H539); from the same root as "believed" in GEN 15:6 Definition: firmness; figuratively, security, moral fidelity, truth, integrity; steadiness, stability Translations: faith, truth, faithfulness, steadiness
Key occurrence — Habakkuk 2:4:
Hebrew: בֶּאֱמוּנָתֹ֥ו (be'emunato) — Noun.fs + 3ms suffix = "by HIS faithfulness/faith" Full clause: "the just shall live by his emunah"
Parsing detail (HAB 2:4 full clause):
| Hebrew | Lemma | Parsing | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| צַדִּ֖יק | צדיק | Adj.ms.Abs | just/righteous person |
| בֶּאֱמוּנָתֹ֥ו | אמונה | Noun.fs.Abs + 3ms | by his steadiness |
| יִחְיֶֽה | חיה | Verb.Qal.Impf.3ms | shall live |
NT quotations: ROM 1:17; GAL 3:11; HEB 10:38 - Greek renders emunah as ek pisteos (ἐκ πίστεως = "by/from faith") - The same HAB 2:4 statement is the OT foundation for Paul's "justification by faith" doctrine
Theological note: The 3ms possessive suffix "his" in HAB 2:4 is debated — "his" can refer to God's faithfulness or the righteous person's faithfulness. In either case, the OT principle is that righteous life before God is grounded in emunah (faithfulness/faith), not in works.
H2803 — CHASHAB (counted / imputed / reckoned)¶
Transliteration: chashab (khaw-shab) Part of Speech: verb BLB Count: 124 Definition: properly, to plait or interpenetrate; figuratively, to think, regard, value, compute; (make) account of, conceive, consider, count, esteem, impute, reckon(-ing be made), regard, think
Key occurrence — Genesis 15:6:
Hebrew: וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ (wayyachshebeh-a) — Qal Wayyiqtol 3ms + 3fs suffix = "And He counted IT (his faith) to him"
Parsing detail: - Qal stem = simple active - Wayyiqtol = narrative past (sequential action) - 3ms subject = God (YHWH) doing the reckoning - 3fs object suffix = refers back to the faith/believing (feminine concept) - God counted Abraham's faith as righteousness — an ACCOUNTING term
Other key occurrences: - PSA 32:2 — "the LORD imputeth not iniquity" (quoted by Paul in ROM 4:8) - PSA 106:31 — "it was counted (chashab) to him for righteousness unto all generations" (Phinehas — same vocabulary as GEN 15:6)
NT Equivalent — G3049 LOGIZOMAI: Paul's NT equivalent is λογίζομαι (logizomai) — same concept of crediting/reckoning. Paul uses logizomai 11 times in Romans 4 alone. The argument is built on the Hebrew accounting term chashab being directly translated by the Greek accounting term logizomai.
LXX bridge: The LXX translates chashab in GEN 15:6 as elogisthe (ἐλογίσθη, G3049 passive) — confirming the direct lexical and theological continuity.
H6666 — TSEDAQAH (righteousness)¶
Transliteration: tsedaqah (tsed-aw-kaw) Part of Speech: feminine noun BLB Count: 157 Definition: rightness (abstractly), subjectively rectitude, objectively justice, morally virtue or figuratively prosperity; justice, right(-eous) act, -ly, -ness
Key occurrence — Genesis 15:6:
Hebrew: צְדָקָֽה (tsedaqah) — Noun.fs.Abs = "righteousness" "And he [God] counted it to him for TSEDAQAH"
Other key occurrences: - DEU 6:25 — obedience "counted as tsedaqah" - PSA 71:16; 106:31 — tsedaqah as imputed standing - ISA 45:24; 54:17; 56:1 — eschatological righteousness from God - DAN 9:7,16,18 — Daniel appeals to God's righteousness (not Israel's)
LXX Mapping (H6666 → G1343): - Primary LXX Greek translation: G1343 dikaiosyne (count 129, PMI 6.30, score 30.69) - This is the SAME Greek word Paul uses in ROM 4:3 for "righteousness" - Paul's quotation of GEN 15:6 in ROM 4:3 uses dikaiosyne — the direct LXX equivalent of tsedaqah - This lexical bridge confirms Paul is not importing a new concept but citing the OT's own language
Parsing note (GEN 15:6 complete clause):
| Hebrew | Lemma | Parsing | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| וְהֶאֱמִ֖ן | אמן | Verb.Hiphil.Perf.3ms | believed |
| בַּֽיהוָ֑ה | יהוה | PropN | in YHWH |
| וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ | חשׁב | Verb.Qal.Wayq.3ms + 3fs | he counted it |
| לֹּ֖ו | ל | Prep + 3ms | to him |
| צְדָקָֽה | צדקה | Noun.fs.Abs | righteousness |
H3444 — YESHUAH (salvation)¶
Transliteration: yeshuah (yesh-oo-aw) Part of Speech: feminine noun BLB Count: 78 Definition: feminine passive participle of yasha; something saved, deliverance; hence, aid, victory, prosperity — deliverance, health, help(-ing), salvation, save, saving (health), welfare
Key occurrences: - PSA 3:3; 9:15; 13:6; 20:6; 35:9; 62:2; 67:3; 68:20 - ISA 12:2,3; 25:9; 26:1; 33:2; 49:6; 51:6,8; 52:7,10; 56:1
Etymological note: This word is etymologically related to the name Yeshua (Jesus) — the personal name of Christ literally means "YHWH is salvation." The same word-root that describes OT salvation (yeshuah) IS the name of the OT's Savior when he came in the NT.
NT Equivalent — G4991 SOTERIA: Greek soteria (G4991, 45 occurrences) corresponds to Hebrew yeshuah. Both words are abstract nouns for the state/act of being saved/delivered.
H3722 — KAPHAR (atonement / cover)¶
Transliteration: kaphar (kaw-far) Part of Speech: verb BLB Count: 102 Definition: a primitive root; to cover (specifically with bitumen); figuratively, to expiate or condone, to placate or cancel — appease, make atonement, cleanse, disannul, forgive, be merciful, pacify, pardon, purge (away), put off, (make) reconcile(-liation)
Key occurrences: - GEN 6:14 — "pitch/cover" the ark (same root — waterproofing = covering) - LEV 1:4; 4:20,26; 5:6,10,13,16,18 — sacrificial atonement formulas - LEV 16:6,10,11,16-20,24,27,30,32-34 — Day of Atonement (kaphar 14x in one chapter) - LEV 17:11 — "blood makes atonement for the soul" - DAN 9:24 — "make reconciliation for iniquity" - Total: 102 occurrences across Pentateuch and Prophets
Parsing detail (Leviticus 17:11 key verbs):
| Hebrew | Lemma | Parsing | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| לְכַפֵּ֖ר | כפר | Verb.Piel.InfCon | to make atonement |
| יְכַפֵּֽר | כפר | Verb.Piel.Impf.3ms | maketh atonement |
The Piel stem = intensive/causative: thorough, complete covering/atoning. "The blood IT IS that maketh atonement [yekapper] for the soul" (LEV 17:11)
Cross-testament principle: HEB 9:22 states: "without shedding of blood is no remission." This NT principle directly cites the OT kaphar system — the same blood principle applies in both testaments. The animal blood in the OT pointed forward to Christ's blood; the mechanism (blood atonement) is continuous.
H3727 — KAPPORETH (mercy seat)¶
Transliteration: kapporeth (kap-po-reth) Part of Speech: feminine noun BLB Count: 27 Definition: from kaphar; a lid (used only of the cover of the sacred Ark) — mercy seat
All occurrences: EXO 25:17-22; 26:34; 30:6; 31:7; 35:12; 37:6-9; 39:35; 40:20; LEV 16:2,13,14,15; NUM 7:89; 1CH 28:11
Function: The golden lid of the Ark of the Covenant, where the high priest sprinkled blood on the Day of Atonement (LEV 16:14-15) to make atonement for all Israel.
LXX → NT Bridge (H3727 → G2435): The LXX translates kapporeth as hilasterion (G2435, ἱλαστήριον). Paul uses the SAME Greek word (hilasterion) in ROM 3:25:
"Whom God hath set forth to be a hilasterion [mercy seat/propitiation]."
This is the strongest lexical bridge between OT and NT atonement: - OT: kapporeth = the place where blood was sprinkled for Israel's sins - NT: Christ = the hilasterion = the antitype of the mercy seat - Therefore: OT worshippers approaching the mercy seat were approaching the SAME atoning reality as NT believers approaching Christ
H2319 — CHADASH (new / renewed)¶
Transliteration: chadash (khaw-dawsh) Part of Speech: adjective BLB Count: 53 Definition: from chadash; new — fresh, new thing
Key occurrences: - JER 31:31 — "new covenant" (berith chadashah) — the defining use for this study - ISA 42:9; 43:19; 65:17; 66:22 — "new things" God is doing - EZK 11:19; 18:31; 36:26 — "new heart/spirit" - LAM 3:23 — mercies "new every morning" (clearly renewal, not creation ex nihilo) - PSA 33:3; 40:4; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1 — "new song"
Parsing detail (Jeremiah 31:31 key words):
| Hebrew | Lemma | Parsing | Gloss |
|---|---|---|---|
| כָרַתִּ֗י | כרת | Verb.Qal.Perf.1s | I will cut |
| בְּרִ֥ית | ברית | Noun.fs.Abs | covenant |
| חֲדָשָֽׁה | חדשׁ | Adj.fs.Abs | new |
Theological note: Chadash can mean "fresh/renewed" as well as "brand new/unprecedented." In LAM 3:23 it refers to mercies that are "new" every morning — clearly renewal, not creation. In JER 31:31, the new covenant features: law internalized (not a new law), universal knowledge of God, forgiveness of sin — but the same God, the same faith-relationship. The "newness" is in administration (Spirit-written law, better promises, universal access) rather than in the fundamental basis of salvation (faith in God's provision for sin).
PART 2 — GREEK WORD STUDIES¶
G4991 — SOTERIA (salvation)¶
Transliteration: soteria (so-tay-ree'-ah) Part of Speech: feminine noun BLB Count: 45 Definition: (abstract) rescue — salvation, deliverance
Key salvation-related occurrences: - ISA 45:17; 49:8 (LXX) — OT occurrences of soteria - LUK 1:69,71,77; 19:9 — Luke's use in historical narrative - ACT 4:12 — "neither is there salvation in any other" - ROM 1:16; 10:1,10; 11:11; 13:11 — Paul's core salvation texts - HEB 1:14; 2:3,10; 5:9; 6:9; 9:28; 11:7 — Hebrews' use (including HEB 11:7 — Noah) - 2TI 3:15 — "able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" - 1PE 1:5,9,10 — "receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls"
Note on 2TI 3:15: Timothy was instructed from the "holy scriptures" (OT) from childhood, and those scriptures were "able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." The OT scriptures themselves point to and produce faith in Christ for salvation.
G4102 — PISTIS (faith)¶
Transliteration: pistis (pis'-tis) Part of Speech: feminine noun BLB Count: 244 Definition: from peitho; persuasion, credence; moral conviction (of religious truth); faith, belief, trust, fidelity
Key occurrences for this study: - ROM 1:17 — "the just shall live by faith" (quoting HAB 2:4) - ROM 3:22,25,26,28,30,31 — justification by faith - ROM 4:5,9,11,14,16 — Abraham's faith; faith = basis of covenant - GAL 3:7,8,9,11,22,23,24 — faith = Abrahamic inheritance - HEB 11:1 — definition of faith (substance, evidence) - HEB 11:3,5,6,7,11,13,17,30,31,33,39 — Hall of Faith (OT saints) - EPH 2:8 — "by grace through faith"
Parsing detail — Hebrews 11:1:
| Greek | Lemma | Strong | Parsing | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| πίστις | πίστις | G4102 | N-NSF | Faith (subject) |
| ὑπόστασις | ὑπόστασις | G5287 | N-NSF | substance/title deed |
| ἔλεγχος | ἔλεγχος | G1650 | N-NSM | evidence/proof (legal term) |
- Hupostasis (G5287) = "underlying reality / title deed" — more than subjective feeling
- Elegchos (G1650) = legal evidence, proof, conviction
- Faith is SUBSTANTIVE EVIDENCE for what is not yet visible
- OT saints had this same faith — substance in the promises, even before fulfillment
Parsing detail — Hebrews 11:13:
| Greek | Lemma | Strong | Parsing | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| κατὰ πίστιν | κατά + πίστις | G2596+G4102 | — | "according to faith" |
| ἀπέθανον | ἀποθνῄσκω | G599 | V-AAI-3P | "they died" |
| κομισάμενοι | κομίζω | G2865 | Aor Mid Ptcp | "having received" |
| ἐπαγγελίας | ἐπαγγελία | G1860 | N-APF | promises |
| ἀσπασάμενοι | ἀσπάζομαι | G782 | Aor Mid Ptcp | "having embraced" |
"They died ACCORDING TO FAITH, not having received the promises, but having seen them from afar and HAVING EMBRACED them." The OT saints died in faith — the same faith (pistis) that saves NT believers — despite not yet receiving the full fulfillment.
Hebrew Equivalent — H0530 EMUNAH: Greek pistis directly corresponds to Hebrew emunah (H530, faithfulness/faith). Both words describe trusting reliance on God that constitutes righteous standing before him.
G1343 — DIKAIOSYNE (righteousness)¶
Transliteration: dikaiosyne (dik-ah-yos-oo'-nay) Part of Speech: feminine noun BLB Count: 92 Definition: from dikaios; equity of character or act; specially (Christian) justification — righteousness
Key occurrences: - ROM 1:17; 3:5,21,22,25 — righteousness from/by faith - ROM 4:3,5,6,9,11,13,22 — righteousness COUNTED to Abraham by faith - GAL 2:21; 3:6,21 — righteousness not from law - HEB 11:7,33 — OT saints obtained righteousness through faith - PHP 3:9 — "not having mine own righteousness...but that which is through the faith of Christ"
Hebrew Equivalent: Primary LXX translation of H6666 tsedaqah (score 30.69, count 129). When Paul quotes GEN 15:6 — "counted for tsedaqah" (Hebrew) / "counted for dikaiosyne" (Paul's Greek) — he is using the SAME word the LXX used, confirming lexical continuity.
Parsing detail — Romans 4:3:
| Greek | Lemma | Strong | Parsing | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἐπίστευσεν | πιστεύω | G4100 | V-AAI-3S | "he believed" (completed act) |
| ἐλογίσθη | λογίζομαι | G3049 | V-API-3S | "it was reckoned" (GOD reckoned, passive) |
| εἰς δικαιοσύνην | εἰς + G1343 | — | — | "for/unto righteousness" |
The PASSIVE voice of elogisthe is critical: God (not Abraham) did the reckoning. This is a divine declaratory act, not a human achievement.
G1344 — DIKAIOO (to justify / declare righteous)¶
Transliteration: dikaioo (dik-ah-yoh'-o) Part of Speech: verb Definition: from dikaios; to render (i.e. show or regard as) just or innocent — free, justify(-ier), be righteous
Parsing detail — Galatians 3:8:
| Greek | Lemma | Strong | Parsing | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| προϊδοῦσα | προοράω | G4308 | V-2AAP-NSF | "having foreseen" (Scripture personified) |
| δικαιοῖ | δικαιόω | G1344 | V-PAI-3S | "justifies" (present tense = ongoing reality) |
| προευηγγελίσατο | προευαγγελίζομαι | G4283 | V-ADI-3S | "preached before the gospel" |
Key: the present tense "justifies" (dikaioi) = God's justification of the Gentiles by faith is an ongoing, timeless reality — not something that began at Pentecost.
G2435 — HILASTERION (propitiation / mercy seat)¶
Transliteration: hilasterion (hil-as-tay'-ree-on) Part of Speech: neuter noun BLB Count: 2 (NT); plus LXX uses Definition: neuter of a derivative of hilaskomai; an expiatory place or thing — atoning victim, or the lid of the Ark (mercy seat)
NT Occurrences: ROM 3:25 and HEB 9:5 (only two NT uses)
LXX Occurrences: EXO 25:17,18; 37:6; 38:7; LEV 16:2 — translating H3727 kapporeth
Parsing detail — Romans 3:25:
| Greek | Lemma | Strong | Parsing | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὃν προέθετο | προτίθημι | G4388 | V-2AMI-3S | God "set forth/purposed" |
| ἱλαστήριον | ἱλαστήριος | G2435 | N-ASN | propitiation/mercy seat |
| πάρεσιν | πάρεσις | G3929 | N-ASF | passing over / deferring |
| προγεγονότων | προγίνομαι | G4266 | V-2RAP-GPN | "of sins having previously occurred" |
| ἁμαρτημάτων | ἁμάρτημα | G265 | N-GPN | sins (individual acts) |
Significance: Paul says God set Christ forth as "a hilasterion" — the SAME word the LXX uses for the kapporeth (mercy seat). This explicitly identifies Christ as the antitype of the OT mercy seat.
The phrase "for the remission of PAST SINS" (paresin ton progegonoton hamartematon) explicitly covers OT-era sins. "Progegonoton" = Perfect Active Participle = "sins having previously occurred" — referring to sins committed under the Old Covenant, before Christ's death.
G5485 — CHARIS (grace)¶
Transliteration: charis (khar'-ece) Part of Speech: feminine noun BLB Count: 156 Definition: from chairo; graciousness, divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life — grace, favor
Key salvation-related occurrences: - ROM 3:24 — "justified freely by his grace" - ROM 4:4,16 — grace vs. debt; promise secured by grace - ROM 5:2,15,17,20,21 — grace abounds - EPH 2:5,7,8 — "by grace ye have been saved" (EPH 2:8 = by grace through faith) - 2TI 1:9 — "grace given us in Christ Jesus before eternal ages" - TIT 2:11 — "the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men" - HEB 4:16 — "come boldly to the throne of GRACE"
GEN 15:6 appears in Nave's GRACE OF GOD entry — Abraham's justification is explicitly categorized by Nave as an instance of divine grace, not human merit.
G4283 — PROEUANGELIZOMAI (preached before the gospel)¶
Transliteration: proeuangelizomai (pro-yoo-ang-ghel-id'-zom-ahee) Part of Speech: verb BLB Count: 1 — appears ONLY ONCE in the entire NT Definition: middle voice from pro + euangelizo; to announce glad news in advance
Only occurrence: GAL 3:8 exclusively
Parsing detail — Galatians 3:8:
| Greek | Lemma | Strong | Parsing | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| προευηγγελίσατο | προευαγγελίζομαι | G4283 | V-ADI-3S Aor Mid Ind 3rd | "it preached before the gospel" |
This is a unique compound word: pro (before) + euangelizo (preach the gospel). Paul states: "the scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, PREACHED BEFORE THE GOSPEL unto Abraham."
Significance: - The gospel was PROACTIVELY proclaimed to Abraham BEFORE Christ came - Abraham received the SAME gospel — the good news of justification by faith — that Paul preaches - The mechanisms are identical; only the timing differs - This word exists only here because the concept it describes is unique: the gospel pre-announced
G463 — ANOCHE (forbearance)¶
Transliteration: anoche (an-okh'-ay) Part of Speech: feminine noun BLB Count: 2 (only two uses in the NT) Definition: from anecho; self-restraint, tolerance — forbearance
NT Occurrences: - ROM 2:4 — "the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering" - ROM 3:25-26 — "for the remission of sins that are past, through the FORBEARANCE of God"
Parsing detail — Romans 3:25 (context):
ἐν τῇ ἀνοχῇ τοῦ θεοῦ = "in/through the forbearance of God"
Significance (the two anoche passages together): In ROM 2:4, God's forbearance is his patience with sinners who resist repentance. In ROM 3:25, God's forbearance is his holding of OT sins in suspension — not ignoring them, but restraining final judgment until Christ provided the actual atonement.
This explains the OT sacrificial system: the animal sacrifices did not actually remove sins (HEB 10:4 — "it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins"), but God "passed over" (pariemi/paresin) those sins through forbearance, grounded in Christ's future atoning work. OT believers were justified by looking forward to what Christ would do, as NT believers are justified by looking back at what Christ did.
PART 3 — LXX BRIDGE MAPPINGS¶
The Septuagint (LXX) is the Greek translation of the OT that NT writers quoted. These lexical bridges confirm the direct vocabulary continuity between testaments.
H6666 Tsedaqah → G1343 Dikaiosyne¶
| Feature | Hebrew | Greek |
|---|---|---|
| Word | tsedaqah (H6666) | dikaiosyne (G1343) |
| Meaning | righteousness, rightness | righteousness, justification |
| Key text | GEN 15:6 (counted for tsedaqah) | ROM 4:3 (counted for dikaiosyne) |
| LXX count | 157 Hebrew occurrences | 129 LXX translation equivalences |
| LXX score | PMI 6.30, score 30.69 | (primary translation) |
Paul's argument in ROM 4 is built entirely on this bridge: the OT word for righteousness (tsedaqah) counted to Abraham is the SAME word Paul uses in his NT argument (dikaiosyne). There is no vocabulary gap — Paul is using the OT's own terms.
H3727 Kapporeth → G2435 Hilasterion¶
| Feature | Hebrew | Greek |
|---|---|---|
| Word | kapporeth (H3727) | hilasterion (G2435) |
| Meaning | mercy seat (Ark cover) | mercy seat / propitiation |
| Key OT texts | LEV 16:2,13,14,15 (Day of Atonement) | EXO 25:17,18; 37:6 (LXX) |
| NT text | — | ROM 3:25 (Christ as hilasterion) |
The LXX translates kapporeth as hilasterion; Paul uses hilasterion in ROM 3:25 for Christ. Christ IS the kapporeth — the antitype of the place of atonement. OT worshippers approaching the mercy seat with blood were engaging with the same atoning reality as NT believers in Christ.
H0530 Emunah → G4102 Pistis¶
| Feature | Hebrew | Greek |
|---|---|---|
| Word | emunah (H530) | pistis (G4102) |
| Meaning | faithfulness, steadiness, fidelity | faith, trust, belief |
| Key text | HAB 2:4 (live by his emunah) | ROM 1:17; GAL 3:11; HEB 10:38 |
Paul's three quotations of HAB 2:4 are translated with "ek pisteos" (from faith) — the Greek pistis renders the Hebrew emunah. The OT principle of living by faith (emunah) is the same principle Paul proclaims as justification by faith (pistis).
H2803 Chashab → G3049 Logizomai¶
| Feature | Hebrew | Greek |
|---|---|---|
| Word | chashab (H2803) | logizomai (G3049) |
| Meaning | reckon, count, impute, account | reckon, count, credit, impute |
| Key text | GEN 15:6 (it was chashab to him) | ROM 4:3 (it was logizomai to him) |
| Uses in context | PSA 32:2; 106:31 | ROM 4 — used 11 times |
Both words are accounting terms: to credit an amount to an account. God CREDITED Abraham's faith as righteousness — the same divine accounting mechanism operates in both testaments under the same terms.
PART 4 — HEBREWS 11:26 — MOSES AND THE REPROACH OF CHRIST¶
This single verse requires special attention because it identifies OT content with specific NT vocabulary in a remarkable way.
Greek text: τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ Translation: "the reproach OF CHRIST"
| Greek | Lemma | Strong | Parsing | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ὀνειδισμὸν | ὀνειδισμός | G3680 | N-ASM | reproach/insult |
| τοῦ Χριστοῦ | Χριστός | G5547 | N-GSM Gen Sg | "OF CHRIST" |
The author of Hebrews uses the proper name CHRISTOS (the Anointed One, Christ) in reference to Moses' OT context. Moses is said to have esteemed "the reproach OF CHRIST" greater riches than Egypt's treasures.
Implication: Moses consciously connected his suffering with the promised Messiah/Christ. Hebrews 11:26 is a direct statement that OT saints were living with reference to Christ — not merely to an unnamed future hope, but to the Christ whom they knew by faith.
This parallels JHN 8:56 where Jesus says: "Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad."
PART 5 — KEY PARSING SUMMARY TABLE¶
Critical parsed forms and their theological significance:
| Verse | Hebrew/Greek Form | Parsing | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| GEN 15:6 | הֶאֱמִ֖ן (he'emin) | Hiphil Perf 3ms of aman | Abraham "believed/trusted" — foundational OT faith act |
| GEN 15:6 | וַיַּחְשְׁבֶ֥הָ (wayyachshebeh) | Qal Wayq 3ms + 3fs suffix of chashab | God COUNTED it — divine accounting act |
| GEN 15:6 | צְדָקָֽה (tsedaqah) | Noun fs Abs | The OT word = the NT word (dikaiosyne) |
| HAB 2:4 | בֶּאֱמוּנָתֹ֥ו (be'emunato) | Noun fs + 3ms suffix of emunah | "by his faithfulness" = OT basis for "by faith" |
| ISA 53:11 | יַצְדִּ֥יק (yatsdiq) | Hiphil Impf 3ms of tsadak | The Servant "CAUSES TO BE RIGHTEOUS" the many |
| LEV 17:11 | יְכַפֵּֽר (yekapper) | Piel Impf 3ms of kaphar | Blood MAKES ATONEMENT — intensive complete covering |
| JER 31:31 | בְּרִ֥ית חֲדָשָֽׁה | Noun + Adj | "new covenant" — renewal, not replacement |
| ROM 3:25 | ἱλαστήριον (hilasterion) | N-ASN | Christ = the mercy seat (= OT kapporeth) |
| ROM 3:25 | προγεγονότων (progegonoton) | Perf Act Ptcp Gen Pl | "of sins PREVIOUSLY OCCURRING" — OT sins covered |
| ROM 3:25 | πάρεσιν (paresin) | N-ASF | passing over / suspension (temporary deferral) |
| ROM 4:3 | ἐλογίσθη (elogisthe) | V-API-3S of logizomai | GOD RECKONED it (passive = divine act) |
| GAL 3:8 | προευηγγελίσατο | V-ADI-3S of proeuangelizomai | The GOSPEL was preached to Abraham IN ADVANCE |
| GAL 3:8 | δικαιοῖ (dikaioi) | V-PAI-3S of dikaioo | God JUSTIFIES — present tense, timeless act |
| HEB 9:15 | ἀπολύτρωσιν (apolutrosin) | N-ASF | REDEMPTION of transgressions UNDER THE FIRST COVENANT |
| HEB 11:13 | ἀσπασάμενοι (aspasameni) | Aor Mid Ptcp of aspazomai | OT saints "EMBRACED" the promises — genuine faith |
| HEB 11:26 | τοῦ Χριστοῦ | N-GSM | Moses esteemed "the reproach OF CHRIST" |
| 1CO 10:4 | ἦν ὁ Χριστός | Impf of eimi | "the Rock WAS Christ" — imperfect = ongoing past reality |
| 2TI 1:9 | πρὸ χρόνων αἰωνίων | prep phrase | Grace given "BEFORE ETERNAL AGES" — eternally fixed plan |
End of Word Studies