### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek verb ἑτεροζυγέω (heterozygéō, `{{G2086}}`) is a compound word derived from ἕτερος (heteros, `{{G2087}}`), meaning "other" or "different," and ζυγός (zygos, `{{G2218}}`), meaning "yoke." Literally, it signifies "to be yoked with something different" or "to yoke up differently." The agricultural imagery is foundational: a yoke is a wooden bar used to join two animals, typically oxen, together for plowing or pulling a load. The literal sense implies an incompatibility in the yoking, where the two entities are not suited to work together effectively due to inherent differences in species, strength, or temperament.
Figuratively, as defined, ἑτεροζυγέω means "to associate discordantly" or "to be unequally yoked together with." This extends the concept beyond literal animals to human relationships and partnerships. The semantic range thus encompasses notions of disparity, incongruity, disharmony, and unsuitability for a common purpose or shared burden. It carries a strong connotation of an improper or damaging union that hinders effective cooperation and potentially compromises the integrity of one or both parties.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The word ἑτεροζυγέω (heterozygéō, `{{G2086}}`) appears only once in the New Testament, in [[2 Corinthians 6:14]]: "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?"
The context of this solitary occurrence is a powerful exhortation from the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian believers regarding their associations. The command, "Do not be unequally yoked" (μὴ γίνεσθε ἑτεροζυγοῦντες), is a strong prohibition. Paul draws upon Old Testament agricultural prohibitions, such as that found in [[Deuteronomy 22:10]], which forbids plowing with an ox and a donkey together. Such a pairing is impractical and cruel, as the animals are of different sizes, strengths, and gaits, making efficient and harmonious work impossible.
In [[2 Corinthians 6:14]], the "yoke" symbolizes a deep, binding partnership, a shared endeavor, or an intimate association. The "unbelievers" (ἀπίστοις) are contrasted sharply with believers, highlighting a fundamental spiritual disparity. Paul immediately follows the prohibition with a series of rhetorical questions in [[2 Corinthians 6:14b-16]] that amplify the inherent incompatibility:
* "What partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?"
* "Or what fellowship has light with darkness?"
* "What accord has Christ with Belial?"
* "Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?"
* "What agreement has the temple of God with idols?"
These antithetical pairings underscore the absolute spiritual chasm between those who belong to God and those who do not. The context is broad, encompassing any significant relationship—whether marriage, business partnership, social alliance, or religious collaboration—where fundamental spiritual values and purposes could be compromised by an alliance with those who do not share a commitment to Christ. The passage emphasizes the need for believers to maintain their distinctiveness, holiness, and purity, avoiding any compromise that would undermine their identity as followers of Christ and the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.
### Related Words & Concepts
The conceptual roots of ἑτεροζυγέω (heterozygéō, `{{G2086}}`) are deeply embedded in Old Testament law and wisdom.
* **Etymological Roots:**
* ἕτερος (heteros, `{{G2087}}`): Emphasizes difference, otherness, and distinctness, highlighting the dissimilarity between the parties being yoked.
* ζυγός (zygos, `{{G2218}}`): Refers to a literal yoke, but also figuratively to a burden or a bond/union. Jesus' "easy yoke" ([[Matthew 11:29-30]]) contrasts sharply with the burdensome yokes of legalism, yet both refer to a form of submission or partnership.
* **Old Testament Parallels:** The prohibition in [[2 Corinthians 6:14]] echoes the Mosaic Law's injunctions against mixing diverse kinds:
* [[Leviticus 19:19]]: "You shall not let your cattle breed with a different kind."
* [[Deuteronomy 22:9]]: "You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed."
* [[Deuteronomy 22:10]]: "You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together." This last passage is the most direct conceptual parallel, vividly illustrating the practical impossibility and inefficiency of yoking disparate entities. These laws taught Israel the principle of holiness—being set apart—and the importance of maintaining distinctiveness in their practices as God's chosen people.
* **Related New Testament Concepts:**
* **Separation/Holiness** (ἁγιασμός, hagiasmos, `{{G38}}`): The call to be set apart for God's purposes, distinct from the world's values and practices.
* **Purity** (καθαρότης, katharotēs, `{{G2513}}`): The necessity of avoiding moral and spiritual defilement through unholy alliances.
* **Fellowship** (κοινωνία, koinōnia, `{{G2842}}`): The nature of true Christian partnership, which is based on shared faith and purpose, and the impossibility of true κοινωνία between light and darkness.
* **Idolatry** (εἰδωλολατρία, eidōlolatria, `{{G1495}}`): The ultimate incompatibility between serving the living God and serving idols, a theme explicitly mentioned in [[2 Corinthians 6:16]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of ἑτεροζυγέω (heterozygéō, `{{G2086}}`) is profound and multi-faceted, stemming from the very nature of God and His relationship with His people.
1. **Divine Holiness and Separation:** The prohibition against being "unequally yoked" stems from God's own character as holy and distinct. He calls His people to reflect His holiness by being set apart from the world's systems, values, and spiritual allegiances. This separation is not isolation, but a distinctiveness that preserves their identity as God's own.
2. **Integrity of the Christian Walk:** The Christian life is a journey with a specific direction and purpose—to glorify God and live according to His will. Yoking with unbelievers implies a divergence of path and purpose, leading to spiritual compromise, hindered progress, and potential defilement. It underscores that one cannot serve two masters ([[Matthew 6:24]]).
3. **Preservation of Truth and Purity:** The command safeguards the integrity of the gospel message and the purity of the Christian community. Compromising core beliefs or practices through unholy alliances can dilute the truth, corrupt worship, and hinder evangelistic witness.
4. **The Church as God's Temple:** The passage culminates in the declaration that believers collectively are the "temple of the living God" ([[2 Corinthians 6:16]]), with God dwelling among them. This emphasizes the sacredness of the Christian community and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, which must not be defiled or dishonored by unholy connections.
5. **Practical Application and Discernment:** While often applied to marriage (a particularly intimate and binding "yoke"), the broader context of [[2 Corinthians 6]] implies that the principle extends to any deep, binding partnership or association (business, social, religious) where fundamental spiritual values and purposes are at stake. It calls for believers to exercise discernment and courage in choosing their closest associations, ensuring that their devotion to Christ remains unhindered and undefiled, living out the call to "come out from among them and be separate" ([[2 Corinthians 6:17]]).
### Summary
The Greek word ἑτεροζυγέω (heterozygéō, `{{G2086}}`), literally meaning "to be yoked differently," is used figuratively and exclusively in [[2 Corinthians 6:14]] to prohibit believers from being "unequally yoked" with unbelievers. Drawing upon the Old Testament imagery of yoking disparate animals (e.g., [[Deuteronomy 22:10]]), the term highlights the inherent incompatibility, disharmony, and practical inefficiency that arise when those with fundamentally different spiritual natures, values, and ultimate purposes attempt to share a common path or intimate partnership. The prohibition underscores the divine call to holiness and separation for God's people, emphasizing the absolute impossibility of true fellowship between righteousness and lawlessness, light and darkness, or Christ and Belial. The theological significance lies in the preservation of the Church's purity and distinctiveness as the temple of the living God, urging believers to maintain spiritual integrity and discernment in all their significant associations to ensure unhindered devotion to Christ.
TRV