Word Studies¶
telos (G5056) -- The Core Word Under Study¶
Greek: telos Transliteration: telos Part of Speech: neuter noun Definition: From primary tello (to set out for a definite point or goal); properly the point aimed at as a limit; the conclusion of an act or state; result; purpose; toll/tax. NT occurrences: 39 (lexicon says 42 but some are variant readings) KJV translations: "end" (14x), "the end" (13x), "custom" (3x), "shall the end" (2x), "an end" (2x), "Finally" (1x), "the uttermost" (1x), "ends" (1x), "the ending" (1x), "her continual" (1x)
Semantic Range Distribution (all 39 NT uses)¶
| Sense | Count | Percentage | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eschatological end | 8 | 20.5% | Mat 24:6,14; 1Co 15:24; 1Pe 4:7,17 |
| Perseverance ("unto the end") | 9 | 23.1% | Mat 10:22; 24:13; Jhn 13:1; Heb 3:6,14 |
| Outcome/result | 8 | 20.5% | Rom 6:21-22; Php 3:19; 1Pe 1:9; Jas 5:11 |
| Cosmic Alpha-Omega | 3 | 7.7% | Rev 1:8; 21:6; 22:13 |
| Tax/custom | 3 | 7.7% | Mat 17:25; Rom 13:7(x2) |
| Cessation (clear) | 2-3 | 5-8% | Mar 3:26; Luk 1:33 (negated); Heb 7:3 (negated) |
| Goal/purpose | 1-2 | 2.5-5% | 1Ti 1:5 (certain); Rev 2:26 (possible) |
| Spatial/extent | 3 | 7.7% | 1Th 2:16; 1Co 10:11; Luk 18:5 |
| Disputed | 2 | 5% | Rom 10:4; 2Co 3:13 |
Key observation: The clear cessation sense accounts for only 5-8% of telos NT usage, and even those cases (Mar 3:26, Satan's kingdom ends; Luk 1:33 and Heb 7:3, both negated "no end") are quite different from Rom 10:4.
Paul's Own Uses of telos¶
| Ref | Text | Sense |
|---|---|---|
| Rom 6:21 | "the end of those things is death" | Outcome: sin produces death |
| Rom 6:22 | "the end everlasting life" | Outcome: holiness produces life |
| Rom 10:4 | "Christ [is] the end of the law for righteousness" | DISPUTED |
| Rom 13:7 | "custom to whom custom" (x2) | Tax/toll |
| 1Co 1:8 | "confirm you unto the end" | Perseverance |
| 1Co 10:11 | "the ends of the world" | Spatial/temporal extent |
| 1Co 15:24 | "Then cometh the end" | Eschatological consummation |
| 2Co 1:13 | "acknowledge even to the end" | Perseverance |
| 2Co 3:13 | "the end of that which is abolished" | Disputed (goal or cessation of the fading glory) |
| 2Co 11:15 | "whose end shall be according to their works" | Outcome/judgment |
| Php 3:19 | "Whose end [is] destruction" | Outcome |
| 1Th 2:16 | "the wrath...to the uttermost" | Extent |
| 1Ti 1:5 | "the end of the commandment is charity" | Goal/purpose (undisputed) |
Paul's Romans usage: In the same epistle, Rom 6:21-22 uses telos as outcome/result. Neither sin nor holiness is "terminated" by its telos; the telos is what the path produces.
pleroo (G4137) -- Jesus's Word in Matthew 5:17¶
Greek: pleroo Transliteration: pleroo Part of Speech: verb Definition: To make replete; to fill up; to accomplish, complete, fulfill NT occurrences: 72+ (90 including LXX/variant) KJV translations: "fulfilled" and variants (dominant: ~50x), "filled" (4x), "complete" (2x), "full" (2x), various other
Usage Pattern in Matthew¶
Matthew uses pleroo predominantly for prophecy fulfillment: - "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet" -- Mat 1:22; 2:15,17,23; 4:14; 8:17; 12:17; 13:35; 21:4; 26:56; 27:9,35 - Mat 3:15 -- "to fulfil all righteousness" - Mat 5:17 -- "not to destroy, but to fulfil [the law]" - Mat 13:48 -- "when it was full" (literal filling)
Usage Pattern in Paul¶
Paul uses pleroo for: - Rom 8:4 -- "the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us" - Rom 13:8 -- "he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law" - Gal 5:14 -- "all the law is fulfilled in one word...Thou shalt love thy neighbour" - Rom 15:13,19 -- "filled with joy/peace"; "fully preached the gospel" - Eph 1:23; 3:19; 4:10 -- filling, fullness - Php 2:2 -- "fulfil my joy" - Col 1:25; 4:17 -- "fulfil the ministry/word of God"
The telos-pleroo Connection¶
| Paul (Rom 10:4) | Jesus (Mat 5:17) | |
|---|---|---|
| Word | telos (G5056) | pleroo (G4137) |
| Object | the law (nomos) | the law (nomos) |
| Subject | Christ (Christos) | "I" (Jesus) |
| Construction | Christ IS the telos of the law | I came to pleroo the law |
| If telos = goal: | Christ is the goal of the law | I came to fill up/complete the law |
| If telos = termination: | Christ terminated the law | I came to ??? the law |
Note: pleroo NEVER means "terminate" in any NT use. It means "fill up, make full, bring to completion." If telos = "goal" then both say "Christ/I am what the law aimed at." If telos = "termination" then Paul says "Christ ended the law" while Jesus says "I came to fill up the law" -- creating a contradiction in vocabulary if not in substance.
kataluo (G2647) -- What Jesus Did NOT Come to Do¶
Greek: kataluo Transliteration: kataluo Definition: To demolish, destroy, dissolve, throw down Matthew 5:17 usage: Jesus uses kataluo TWICE in the negative: "I am not come to kataluo the law" and "not to kataluo" (emphatic double denial) Galatians 2:18 usage: Paul uses kataluo positively: "if I build again the things which I destroyed [kataluo]" -- referring to the law-for-justification system he dismantled
Greek Parsing Comparison¶
Romans 10:4: telos gar nomou Christos eis dikaiosynen panti to pisteuonti - telos: Nom Sg Neuter (predicate nominative) - nomou: Gen Sg Masculine (possessive/objective genitive -- "of the law") - Christos: Nom Sg Masculine (subject) - eis dikaiosynen: purpose clause ("for/unto righteousness") - panti to pisteuonti: dative participle ("to every one believing")
1 Timothy 1:5: to de telos tes paraggelias estin agape... - telos: Nom Sg Neuter (subject with article to) - tes paraggelias: Gen Sg Feminine ("of the commandment") - estin: verb "is" (present active indicative) - agape: Nom Sg Feminine (predicate nominative -- "love")
IDENTICAL CONSTRUCTION: telos + genitive of law/commandment + predicate nominative. Same author (Paul). Same semantic domain. In 1Ti 1:5, the meaning is unambiguously "goal" (the commandment's telos is love -- love is what the commandment aims at, not what terminates the commandment).
Matthew 5:17: Me nomisete hoti elthon katalusai ton nomon e tous prophetas; ouk elthon katalusai alla plerosai - Me nomisete: Aorist Active Subjunctive -- "Do not think" (prohibition) - katalusai: Aorist Active Infinitive -- "to destroy/demolish" - plerosai: Aorist Active Infinitive -- "to fulfill/fill up" - Antithesis: not katalusai but plerosai (not destroy but fulfil)