ἁγιάζω

ἁγιάζω — hagiázō

ἁγιάζω; 1 aorist ἡγίασα; passive (present ἁγιάζομαι; perfect ἡγίασμαι; 1 aorist ἡγιάσθην; a word for which the greeks use ἁγίζειν, but very frequent in Biblical (as equivalent to קִדַשׁ, הִקְדִישׁ) and ecclesiastical writings; "to make ἅγιον, render or declare sacred or holy, consecrate". Hence, it denotes:

1. to render or acknowledge to be venerable, to hallow: τό ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ, Mat 6:9 (so of god, Isa 29:23; Eze 20:41; Eze 38:23; Sir 33:4 (Sir 36:4)); (Luk 11:2); τόν Χριστόν, 1Pe 3:15 (R g Θεόν). Since the stamp of sacredness passes over from the holiness of god to whatever has any connection with god, ἁγιάζειν denotes

2. to separate from things profane and dedicate to god, to consecrate and so render inviolable;

a. things (πᾶν πρωτότοκον, τά ἀρσενικά, Deu 15:19; ἡμέραν, Exo 20:8; οἶκον, 2Ch 7:16, etc.): τόν χρυσόν, Mat 23:17; τό δῶρον, Mat 23:19; σκεῦος, 2Ti 2:21.

b. persons. So Christ is said by undergoing death to consecrate himself to god, whose will he in that way fulfills, Joh 17:19; god is said ἁγιάσαι Christ, i. e. to have selected him for his service (cf. ἀφορίζειν, Gal 1:15) by having committed to him the office of Messiah, Joh 10:36, cf. Jer 1:5; Sir 36:12 (ἐξ αὐτῶν ἡγίασε, καί πρός αὐτόν ἤγγισεν, of his selection of men for the priesthood); Sir 45:4 Sir 49:7. Since only what is pure and without blemish can be devoted and offered to god (Lev 22:20; Deu 15:21; Deu 17:1), ἁγιάζω signifies

3. to purify (ἀπό τῶν ἀκαθαρσιῶν is added in Lev 16:19; 2Sa 11:4); and

a. to cleanse externally (πρός τήν τῆς σαρκός καθαρότητα), to purify levitically: Heb 9:13; 1Ti 4:5.

b. to purify by expiation, free from the guilt of sin: 1Co 6:11; Eph 5:26; Heb 10:10; Heb 10:14; Heb 10:29; Heb 13:12; Heb 2:11 (equivalent to כִּפֶר, Exo 29:33; Exo 29:36); cf. Pfleiderer, Paulinismus, p. 340ff (English translation 2:68f).

c. to purify internally by reformation of soul: Joh 17:17; Joh 17:19 (through knowledge of the truth, cf. Joh 8:32); 1Th 5:23; 1Co 1:2 (ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ in the fellowship of Christ, the Holy One); Rom 15:16 (ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ imbued with the Holy Spirit, the divine source of holiness); Jud 1:1 (L T Tr WH ἠγαπημένοις (which see)); Rev 22:11. In general, Christians are called ἡγιασμένοι (cf. Deu 33:3), as those who, freed from the impurity of wickedness, have been brought near to god by their faith and sanctity, Act 20:32; Act 26:18. In 1Co 7:14 ἁγιάζεσθαι is used in a peculiar sense of those who, although not Christians themselves, are yet, by marriage with a Christian, withdrawn from the contamination of heathen impiety and brought under the saving influence of the Holy Spirit displaying itself among Christians; cf. Neander at the passage.