### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek noun τόκος (tókos), Strong's `{{G5110}}`, is derived from the base of the verb τίκτω (tiktō), Strong's `{{G5088}}`, which fundamentally means "to bring forth, give birth, produce." This etymological root is crucial for understanding the semantic range of τόκος. Primarily, τόκος denotes "interest on money loaned," conceived as the "produce" or "offspring" generated by the principal sum. It represents the increase or gain derived from capital. While the English translation "usury" is provided in some definitions, it is important to note that in ancient contexts, "usury" often referred to *any* interest, not necessarily excessive interest, especially when applied to loans within the community. The core sense, therefore, is the "birth" or "yield" of money.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term τόκος appears exclusively in two parallel passages within the New Testament, both found in the parables of Jesus concerning stewardship and accountability:
* [[Matthew 25:27]]: "You ought therefore to have put my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my own with interest (τόκος)."
* [[Luke 19:23]]: "Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest (τόκος)?"
In both instances, τόκος refers to the expected return on an investment or loan. The master in these parables expresses disappointment and condemnation towards the servant who failed to invest the entrusted funds, not even earning the minimal interest available from bankers. The context here is one of commercial enterprise and financial management, where earning a return on capital was a normal and expected practice. The condemnation is not against the act of earning interest itself, but against the idleness and lack of productivity of the servant who buried the money. These parables underscore the principle of maximizing the potential of entrusted resources, whether spiritual gifts, material wealth, or opportunities.
### Related Words & Concepts
The most directly related word is τίκτω (tiktō), Strong's `{{G5088}}`, the verb from which τόκος is derived, meaning "to give birth, to bring forth, to produce." This connection highlights the concept of interest as the "child" or "fruit" of the principal sum. Other related concepts include:
* ἀργύριον (argyrion), Strong's `{{G694}}`: "money" or "silver," the asset from which τόκος is derived.
* δανείζω (daneizō), Strong's `{{G1155}}`: "to lend," the act that generates τόκος.
* τραπεζίτης (trapezitēs), Strong's `{{G5133}}`: "banker" or "moneychanger," the one who facilitates the earning of τόκος.
The concept of interest and usury has deep roots in the Old Testament, where laws often prohibited charging interest to fellow Israelites, especially the poor (e.g., [[Exodus 22:25]], [[Leviticus 25:36-37]], [[Deuteronomy 23:19-20]]). These Old Testament prohibitions were primarily social justice measures to protect the vulnerable. The New Testament's use of τόκος in the parables, however, pertains to commercial investment and the expectation of productivity, not the exploitation of the poor. This distinction is crucial for understanding the theological implications.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of τόκος in the New Testament is primarily tied to the parables in which it appears, emphasizing principles of stewardship, accountability, and productivity within the Kingdom of God.
1. **Stewardship and Investment:** The parables teach that God entrusts His resources (talents, minas, spiritual gifts, opportunities) to His servants with the expectation that they will be actively managed and invested to yield a return. τόκος here symbolizes the fruit or increase that should result from faithful stewardship.
2. **Condemnation of Idleness:** The servant who failed to earn τόκος was condemned not for the practice of earning interest, but for his fear, idleness, and failure to engage with the resources entrusted to him. This highlights a divine expectation for diligence and fruitful engagement with what has been given.
3. **Kingdom Principles:** The parables reflect broader Kingdom principles where resources are meant to be multiplied and used for the Master's purposes, rather than merely preserved or hoarded. The expectation of τόκος illustrates the dynamic and expanding nature of God's Kingdom and the call for believers to participate actively in its growth.
4. **Distinction from Old Testament Usury:** It is vital to distinguish the context of τόκος in the New Testament parables from the Old Testament prohibitions against usury. The Old Testament laws were about compassionate lending to the poor within the covenant community, prohibiting exploitation. The New Testament parables, however, describe commercial investment and the expectation of a return in a business context, which was a common practice. Jesus is not abrogating the Old Testament law but using a familiar economic concept to illustrate spiritual truths about responsibility and fruitfulness.
### Summary
The Greek word τόκος (`{{G5110}}`) literally means "interest," deriving from a root that signifies "to bring forth" or "produce." Its limited but significant appearances in the New Testament, specifically in the parables of the talents and minas ([[Matthew 25:27]], [[Luke 19:23]]), illuminate crucial theological principles. In these contexts, τόκος represents the expected return or yield from an investment, symbolizing the fruitfulness and productivity demanded of those entrusted with the Master's resources. The condemnation in the parables falls upon the servant who failed to generate τόκος due to idleness, not upon the act of earning interest itself. This highlights the biblical emphasis on diligent stewardship, active engagement with divine entrustments, and the expectation of growth and multiplication within the Kingdom of God, distinct from the Old Testament's social justice prohibitions against exploitative lending to the needy.
TRV