πλήρωμα
fullness, fulfillment, completion
Definition
The Greek word πλήρωμα (plērōma) primarily means 'fullness' or 'that which fills something.' In its literal sense, it can refer to a patch that fills a hole in a garment (Mark 2:21) or the full number of baskets of leftover bread (Mark 8:20). More significantly, it carries a theological sense of 'completion' or 'fulfillment.' In the New Testament, it often denotes the divine fullness—the totality of God's attributes, presence, and grace. For instance, in John 1:16, believers receive grace from Christ's 'fullness,' and in Colossians, it describes Christ as the one in whom 'all the fullness of God dwells bodily' (Colossians 1:19, 2:9), emphasizing His complete divinity.
Biblical Usage
Πλήρωμα is used 17 times in the New Testament across Gospels, Pauline epistles, and Ephesians. In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 9:16, Mark 2:21, 8:20), it appears in literal contexts like patching cloth or counting baskets. In John's Gospel (John 1:16) and Paul's letters, it takes on profound theological weight. Paul uses it to describe the fullness of God in Christ (Colossians 1:19, 2:9), the eventual inclusion of Israel (Romans 11:12, 25), the fulfillment of the law in love (Romans 13:10), and the abundant spiritual blessing he brings to believers (Romans 15:29, Ephesians 1:23, 3:19, 4:13).
Etymology
Πλήρωμα is a noun derived from the verb πληρόω (plēroō, G4137), meaning 'to fill,' 'to fulfill,' or 'to complete.' It is built on the root πλήρης (plērēs), meaning 'full.' The word group conveys the idea of bringing something to its intended or complete state. In secular Greek, πλήρωμα could refer to a ship's crew (its full complement) or a patch. This background of 'completeness' informs its biblical usage, where it expands to encompass spiritual and divine totality.
Semantic Range
Πλήρωμα is a theologically rich term central to understanding Christ's nature and God's plan. It underscores the doctrine of Christ's deity, declaring that the entire fullness of God dwells in Him (Colossians 2:9). It also relates to ecclesiology, describing the church as Christ's 'body, the fullness of him who fills all in all' (Ephesians 1:23). The concept touches on salvation history, referring to the 'fullness of the Gentiles' and 'all Israel' being saved (Romans 11:25). Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by revealing themes of divine completeness, fulfillment of prophecy, and the abundant grace available in Christ.
In the Greco-Roman world, πλήρωμα was used in various domains like sailing (a full crew) and textiles (a patch). Gnostic and philosophical systems later used the term for spiritual 'fullnesses' or divine emanations. Paul's use in Colossians (e.g., 2:9) may directly counter such Gnostic ideas that separated the divine fullness from the material world, asserting instead that the complete deity resides in the physical person of Jesus Christ. This contextual clash highlights the radical Christian claim of God's incarnation.
πληρόω (plēroō, G4137) — the verb meaning 'to fill' or 'to fulfill,' indicating the action. πλήρης (plērēs, G4134) — an adjective meaning 'full,' describing a state. τελείωσις (teleiōsis, G5050) — emphasizes the end goal of 'completion' or 'perfection,' often of a process.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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