Apostasy

The Greek term aphistēmi has a broad linguistics field. However, the English term “apostasy” is derived from this word and tends to limit its usage to modern readers. As always, context is the key, not a preset definition.

This is a compound word from the preposition apo, which means “from” or “away from” and histēmi, “to sit,” “to stand,” or “to fix.”

A falling away, defection, apostasy, from the true religion: Act 21:21; 2Th 2:3; (Josh 22:22; 2Ch 29:19; 2Ch 33:19); Jer 2:19; Jer 36:29, 32 (Septuagint).

Aphistēmi used in (non-theological) sense:

  1. to remove physically
    1. from the Temple — Lk 2:37
    2. from a house — Mk 13:34
    3. from a person — Mk 12:12; 14:50; Acts 5:38
    4. from all things — Mt 19:27,29
  2. to remove politically — Acts 5:37
  3. to remove relationally — Acts 5:38; 15:38; 19:9; 22:29
  4. to remove legally (divorce) — Dt 24:1,3 (Septuagint) and NT, Mt 5:31; 19:7; Mk 10:4; 1Cor 7:11
  5. to remove a debt — Mt 18:24
  6. to show unconcern by leaving — Mt 4:20; Jn 4:28; 16:32
  7. to show concern by not leaving — Jn 8:29; 14:18
  8. to allow or permit — Mt 13:30; 19:14; Mk 14:6; Lk 13:8

In a theological sense the verb also has a wide usage:

  1. to cancel, pardon, remit the guilt of sin, Ex 32:32 (Septuagint); Num 14:19; Job 42:10 and NT, Mt 6:12,14-15; Mk 11:25-26
  2. to refrain from sin — 2Tim 2:19
  3. to neglect by moving away from
    1. the Law — Mt 23:23; Acts 21:21
    2. the faith — Ezek 20:8 (Septuagint); Lk 8:13; 2Th 2:3; 1Tim 4:1; Heb 3:12

Modern believers ask many theological questions that the NT writers would have never thought about. One of these would relate to the modern tendency to separate faith (justification) from faithfulness (sanctification).

There are persons in the Bible who are involved in the people of God and something happens to cause them to leave.

  1. Old Testament
    1. Those who heard the twelve (ten) spies’ report — Num 14 (cf. Heb 3:16-19)
    2. Korah — Num 16
    3. Eli’s sons — 1Sam 2, 4
    4. Saul — 1Sam 11-31
    5. False prophets (examples)
      1. Dt 13:1-5 18:19-22 (ways to know a false prophet)
      2. Jer 28
      3. Ezek 13:1-7
    6. False prophetesses
      1. Ezek 13:17
      2. Neh 6:14
    7. Evil leaders of Israel (examples)
      1. Jer 5:30-31; 8:1-2; 23:1-4
      2. Ezek 22:23-31
      3. Mic 3:5-12
  2. New Testament
    1. This Greek term is literally “to apostasize.” The Old and New Testaments both confirm an intensification of evil and false teaching before the Second Coming (cf. Mt 24:24; Mk 13:22; Acts 20:29,30; 2Th 2:9-12; 2Tim 4:4).
      This Greek term may reflect Jesus’ words in the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13; Mark 4; and Luke 8. These false teachers are obviously not Christians, but they came from within (cf. Acts 20:29-30; 1Jn 2:19); however, they are able to seduce and capture immature believers (cf. Heb 3:12).
      The theological question is, were the false teachers ever believers? This is difficult to answer because there were false teachers in the local churches (cf. 1Jn 2:18-19). Often our theological or denominational traditions answer this question without reference to specific Bible texts (except the proof-text method of quoting a verse out of context to supposedly prove one’s bias).
    2. Apparent faith
      1. Judas — Jn 17:12
      2. Simon Magnus — Acts 8
      3. Those spoken of in Mt 7:13-23
      4. Those spoken of in Matthew 13; Mark 4; Luke 8
      5. The Jews of John 8:31-59
      6. Alexander and Hymenaeus — 1Tim 1:19-20
      7. Those of 1Tim 6:21
      8. Hymenaeus and Philetus — 2Tim 2:16-18
      9. Demas — 2Tim 4:10
      10. False teachers — 2Pet 2:19-22; Jude 1:12-19
      11. antichrists — 1Jn 2:18-19
    3. Fruitless faith — 1Cor 3:10-15; 2Pet 1:8-11