δάνειον

a loan, debt

Definition

The Greek word δάνειον (daneion) specifically refers to a sum of money lent or borrowed, a loan, or a debt. In its singular New Testament occurrence in Matthew 18:27, it describes the financial debt of a servant to his master, which the master forgives. The term focuses on the financial transaction itself, the principal of the loan, rather than the interest (which would be τόκος, tokos). While used only once, its meaning is clear and concrete, denoting an obligation to repay borrowed money.

Biblical Usage

δάνειον is used only once in the New Testament, in Matthew 18:27, within Jesus's Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. The context is a financial debt owed by a servant to a king. The word is used to quantify the massive, unpayable sum ('ten thousand talents') that the servant owes, setting the stage for the king's act of mercy in canceling the debt. Its usage is purely literal, describing a concrete financial obligation.

Etymology

Derived from the verb δανείζω (daneizō, G1155), meaning 'to lend' or 'to borrow.' The noun δάνειον refers to the thing that is lent—the loan itself. It is related to the concept of debt (ὀφείλημα, opheilēma, G3783), but δάνειον emphasizes the transaction of lending, while ὀφείληma can refer more broadly to any kind of debt or obligation.

Semantic Range

Though a common financial term, δάνειον gains profound theological significance in its sole biblical context. In Matthew 18:27, the forgiven 'loan' becomes a powerful metaphor for sin and divine forgiveness. The parable uses this financial imagery to illustrate the immense, unpayable debt of sin we owe to God and the staggering grace of His forgiveness through Christ. Understanding this concrete term enriches the parable, highlighting that forgiveness is not a minor oversight but the cancellation of an impossible obligation, which should then transform how we treat others (Matthew 18:28-35).

In the first-century Greco-Roman world, loans and debts were a common part of economic life, often leading to slavery or imprisonment for non-payment, as reflected in the parable (Matthew 18:30). The amount specified ('ten thousand talents') is astronomically high, intentionally hyperbolic to represent an utterly unpayable sum, far beyond a lifetime's wages. This contrasts with a modern understanding of manageable consumer debt, emphasizing the hopelessness of the servant's situation without the master's intervention.

ὀφείλημα (opheilēma, G3783) — a broader term for a debt, what is owed, or an obligation; can be financial or moral. χρέος (chreos, G3781) — also means a debt or that which is owed, used in both financial and moral/obligatory senses (e.g., Romans 13:8).

Word Details

Scripture References