The Greek word apóblētos, represented by G579, is defined as something cast off or to be rejected. Derived from ἀποβάλλω, it is used figuratively to mean that which should be refused. It is a rare term, appearing only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the entire Bible.
The single use of G579 is found in 1 Timothy 4:4, which states, "For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving." This declaration directly addresses a teaching mentioned in the preceding verse, which commands believers "to abstain from meats" 1 Timothy 4:3. The word G579 is therefore used to counter the idea that certain foods or created things should be rejected as a rule, establishing a principle of acceptance.
Several related words from its context in 1 Timothy 4:4 illuminate its meaning:
- G2938 ktísma: This word means creature or "an original formation." The verse affirms that every G2938 from God is good, setting the stage for why nothing He made is G579. In Revelation 5:13, it is used to describe every created thing in heaven and on earth giving praise to God.
- G2570 kalós: Defined as good, valuable, or virtuous, this term describes the inherent quality of God's creation. This quality is the reason nothing is to be refused. The word is also used to describe the "good fight of faith" 1 Timothy 6:12.
- G2983 lambánō: Meaning to take or receive, this word provides the condition for not refusing something. Things are not G579 when they are "received with thanksgiving." This same word is used for receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost Acts 2:38.
- G2169 eucharistía: This word for thanksgiving or "grateful language (to God, as an act of worship)" is the proper response when receiving God's creation. It is presented as the antidote to wrongly refusing what God has provided. This attitude of thanksgiving is also encouraged in prayer Philippians 4:6.
The theological significance of G579 is concentrated in its single appearance.
- Goodness of Creation: The use of G579 is in the negative ("nothing to be refused") to affirm a positive truth: everything God created is good. It refutes any doctrine that would label parts of the physical world as inherently evil or unfit for use by believers.
- The Power of Thanksgiving: The conditional nature of the statement in 1 Timothy 4:4 elevates thanksgiving from a simple expression of gratitude to a key spiritual act. Receiving things with G2169 thanksgiving is what sanctifies them for use, distinguishing them from things that are G579 or refused.
- Rejection of False Asceticism: The context concerns those "commanding to abstain from meats" 1 Timothy 4:3. The statement that nothing is G579 serves as a direct rebuttal to man-made religious rules that restrict believers from partaking in what God has declared good.
In summary, while G579 is used only once, its meaning as "to be refused" plays a crucial role in a key biblical passage. It functions to uphold the goodness of God's creation against teachings that would arbitrarily reject it. The term underscores that the proper Christian response to God's provisions is not refusal, but rather grateful reception marked by thanksgiving.
TRV