### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek verb κατιόω (katióō), Strong's `{{G2728}}`, is a compound word derived from the preposition κατά (kata), which often denotes intensity, completion, or a downward motion, and the noun ἰός (ios) `{{G2447}}`, meaning "rust," "poison," or "venom." Therefore, its core meaning is "to rust down," "to corrode thoroughly," or "to consume by rust." The presence of κατά intensifies the action, implying a complete and destructive process of decay, rather than mere superficial tarnishing. It describes a destructive deterioration, particularly of metals, where the substance is eaten away and rendered useless. The KJV translation "canker" aptly conveys this sense of a spreading, destructive blight or consumption.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term κατιόω (katióō) appears only once in the New Testament, found in the Epistle of James:
* [[James 5:3]]: "Your gold and silver are corroded (κατιόω), and their corrosion (ἰός) will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire."
In this passage, James issues a severe indictment against the wealthy who have unjustly accumulated and hoarded their riches. The verb κατιόω is used metaphorically to describe the state of their ill-gotten and unused wealth. The physical corrosion of their precious metals, gold and silver, serves as a powerful and visible sign of their spiritual decay and impending divine judgment. The rust (ἰός), the product of this corrosion, is not merely passive but is depicted as an active agent that will "eat" (φάγεται) their flesh "like fire," intensifying the imagery of consuming judgment and personal destruction. The context emphasizes the transience and ultimate worthlessness of material possessions when they are prioritized over righteousness, justice, and compassion for the poor.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **ἰός (ios) `{{G2447}}`**: The root noun from which κατιόω is derived. It appears in [[James 5:3]] as the "corrosion" itself, the destructive agent. ἰός also means "poison" or "venom" in other contexts (e.g., [[Romans 3:13]], [[James 3:8]]), consistently carrying a connotation of something destructive, corrupting, or deadly.
* **σής (sēs) `{{G4590}}`**: Moth. This word is frequently paired with "rust" (βρῶσις `{{G1036}}` or ἰός) in discussions about the perishability of earthly treasures, as seen in [[Matthew 6:19-20]] and [[Luke 12:33]]. Both moths and rust represent agents of decay that consume and destroy material possessions.
* **ἀφανίζω (aphanizō) `{{G853}}`**: To cause to disappear, to destroy, to make unseen. Used in [[Matthew 6:19-20]] in relation to how moths and rust destroy treasures. This broader term encompasses the destructive effect implied by κατιόω.
* **βρῶσις (brōsis) `{{G1036}}`**: Eating, consumption; also, metaphorically, rust as that which "eats" away. Found in [[Matthew 6:19-20]] in the phrase "moth and rust destroy." This term highlights the consuming nature of decay.
* **φθείρω (phtheirō) `{{G5351}}`**: To corrupt, spoil, destroy. A more general term for decay, ruin, or moral corruption, but conceptually related to the destructive action of κατιόω.
### Theological Significance
The singular use of κατιόω in [[James 5:3]] carries profound theological implications, serving as a powerful warning against the dangers of materialism and social injustice.
* **Divine Judgment and Condemnation:** The corroding gold and silver are not merely symbols of neglect but active agents of condemnation. The "rust" becomes a "witness" (εἰς μαρτύριον) against the rich, signifying that their own ill-gotten and hoarded wealth will stand as evidence of their sin before God. This speaks to the certainty and severity of divine judgment for those who exploit others and cling to earthly treasures.
* **Futility of Earthly Riches:** The verb κατιόω underscores the inherent transience and ultimate worthlessness of material wealth when it is amassed unjustly or hoarded. Earthly treasures are subject to decay and cannot provide lasting security, true satisfaction, or salvation. Their very deterioration testifies to their temporal nature and spiritual emptiness.
* **Spiritual Corrosion:** The physical decay of metal serves as a vivid metaphor for the spiritual decay of the soul consumed by greed and self-indulgence. Just as rust eats away at metal, covetousness and unrighteous accumulation eat away at one's spiritual vitality, moral character, and relationship with God. The passage suggests that such wealth, far from bringing blessing, brings a destructive spiritual blight upon its possessor.
* **Call to Righteous Stewardship:** Implicit in James's rebuke is a call for responsible and righteous stewardship of resources. Wealth is meant to be used for God's glory, to meet the needs of others, and to advance justice, rather than being hoarded or used for selfish gain. Wealth that is not put to righteous use becomes a source of spiritual corruption and condemnation.
### Summary
κατιόω (katióō) `{{G2728}}` is a potent Greek verb meaning "to rust down" or "to corrode completely," emphasizing a thorough and destructive process of decay. Its sole New Testament occurrence in [[James 5:3]] serves as a stark metaphor for the spiritual peril of unjustly acquired and hoarded wealth. In this context, the physical corrosion of gold and silver symbolizes the spiritual decay of those consumed by greed, with the "rust" itself acting as a condemning witness and a consuming fire against them. This vivid imagery, reinforced by related terms like ἰός `{{G2447}}` (rust/poison) and σής `{{G4590}}` (moth), underscores the futility of earthly treasures and the destructive nature of covetousness. Theologically, κατιόω highlights the certainty of divine judgment against materialism, the transient nature of wealth, and the imperative for righteous stewardship, warning that unrighteous gain leads to spiritual corrosion and ultimate condemnation.
TRV