### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **katióō**, represented by `{{G2728}}`, means to **canker**, rust down, or corrode. It appears only **1 time** in the Bible, in **1 unique verse**, making its single usage highly significant. The word specifically describes the process of corrosion affecting metals, used metaphorically to illustrate the decay of ill-gotten or hoarded wealth.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{G2728}}` is in a warning against the rich who have accumulated wealth unjustly. In [[James 5:3]], the text states, "Your gold and silver is **cankered**." This corrosion is not merely a sign of neglect but serves as an active agent of judgment. The verse continues by explaining that the resulting rust will act as a witness against them and will consume their flesh as if by fire, directly linking the decay of their material possessions to their own future destruction in the last days.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help build the potent imagery surrounding `{{G2728}}`:
* `{{G2447}}` **iós** (rust... also venom...): This is the "rust" that comes from the cankered metal. Its dual meaning, also translated as "poison" in contexts like [[James 3:8]], highlights the toxic and deadly nature of the corrupted wealth.
* `{{G5557}}` **chrysós** (gold) and `{{G696}}` **árgyros** (silver): These are the specific forms of wealth, **gold** and **silver**, that are subject to being **cankered** [[James 5:3]], representing the pinnacle of earthly riches.
* `{{G2343}}` **thēsaurízō** (to amass or reserve... lay up (treasure)...): This is the action that leads to the judgment. The verse condemns those who "have heaped treasure together for the last days" [[James 5:3]], linking the act of hoarding to the resulting corrosion.
* `{{G5315}}` **phágō** (to eat...): This verb describes the consequence of the canker, as the rust will "eat" the flesh of the wealthy [[James 5:3]], transforming a chemical process into a vivid metaphor for divine judgment.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G2728}}` is focused on the danger of materialism.
* **Decay as Judgment:** The act of being **cankered** illustrates that hoarded wealth, which should be a blessing, instead corrupts and decays. This physical decay is a direct reflection of spiritual and moral corruption.
* **Wealth as a Witness:** The rust from the cankered gold and silver becomes a **witness** (`{{G3142}} martýrion`) against its owners [[James 5:3]]. Their possessions testify to their misplaced trust and greed.
* **Self-Destructive Nature of Greed:** The corrosion turns back on the owner, consuming their **flesh** (`{{G4561}} sárx`) like **fire** (`{{G4442}} pŷr`). This shows that the consequence of hoarding wealth is not just loss of property but a painful, self-inflicted destruction.
### Summary
In summary, while **katióō** `{{G2728}}` is used only once, it provides a powerful and unforgettable image. It teaches that wealth accumulated for its own sake is not only perishable but becomes an active instrument of judgment. The word serves as a stark warning, illustrating how misplaced material attachments will ultimately corrupt, testify against, and consume a person.
TRV