[Greek] καθαίρω (kathairō), [Latin] purgare: to cleanse, to prune, to expiate, to purge, to make clean; Jn. 15:2, Mt. 23:25, Lk. 11:41, Mt. 5:8, 1Pet.1:22, Heb. 9:13, Jn. 13:10
Delos Island, birthplace of Apollos, was so sacred that no one was allowed to be buried here. Mortal childbirth was not even allowed on this island.
Background Information:
Greek Hellenism: Essentially, this term can mean to clean, to cleanse, to prune, to purify, and to clarify. Interestingly, this term is found in a cultic sense, agricultural sense, a moral sense, and a philosophical sense. In the ancient world, farmers cleanse their vines by pruning. It was important to cleanse (purify) oneself in order to approach the gods. Delos Island was considered so sacred that no one was allowed near Apollos’ Temple. Epictetus, Plato, and Aristotle believed it was important to provide clarification (purity) of thought in difficult issues of natural philosophy.
Old Testament: This Greek term is related to the Hebrew term taher, which is found over two hundred times. Taher can mean to be clean, to be clean ceremonially, to be clean morally, to purify, to pronounce clean, to perform the ceremony of cleansing, and to purify one self. Uncleanliness is a power which defiles. Anything associated with a foreign cult or hostile to Yahweh is unclean. The Law works out a series of regulations and purification practices to provide the necessary state of holiness necessary to encounter God. A burnt offering is provided in the event of a severe impurity. The impurity may be transmitted to an animal which takes it away. On the other hand, the prophets advocated ethical purity, rather than cultic purity. I will sprinkle clean water over you to make you clean (Ezek. 36:25). Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will heal, and you will be clean (2 Kgs. 5:10). It must be immersed in water and remain unclean until evening, when it again becomes clean (Lev.11:32). The rest of the oil in his hand the priest shall put on the head of the one being purified (Lev. 14:18). When a man with a discharge becomes clean of his discharge, he shall count seven days for his purification (Lev.15:13).
New Testament: The older ritual concept of purity is both transcended and rejected as unnecessary and inadequate. Religious and moral purity replaces ritual and cultural purity. Jesus opposed this older view of cleanness. What is physically clean is fit and adapted for sacred use and interaction with God. The righteous may eat any kind of food. The purification of the righteousness is not through rituals, but through faith in the sphere of personal life. The purity of the heart is far above more important than the cleanness of the hands. Christ’s death accomplishes this cleansing of sins.
Purgatory: The Catholic perspective of purgatory comes from the notion that one cannot enter heaven (being in the presence of God) with sin. Purgatory provides the means for this process by which souls can “burn off” sins. One can only speculate if purgatory is a place. Perhaps, purgatory is more likely a state of being. Those souls, who find themselves in purgatory, will eventually enter into heaven. Essentially, purgatory exemplifies God’s mercy. Scriptural support for purgatory comes from 1Cor.3:15 (purifying fire), 2Macc.12:45 (praying for the dead), and Rev.21:27 (nothing unclean will enter God’s presence).
Scripture:
“He takes away every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does He prunes so that it bears more fruit.” Jn. 15:2
Like a farmer, God prunes the dead branches which cannot grow.
“Woe, to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse outside the cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence.” Mt. 23:52
Jesus claims that the external cultic practices are not important. What is more important is what comes from within. The scribes and Pharisees were more concerned with physical appearances.
“Jesus said to him, ‘Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.’” Jn. 13:10
Jesus claims that we are made clean by the Word. The disciples are made clean by their association with Jesus.
Conclusion:
Catharsis, cathartic, purge, Katherine (Catherine), Kathy (Cathy), Purgatory
In the ancient Greco-Roman culture, it was interesting to discover some of the nuanced uses of this term. Philosophers often sought to live a more refined (purified) moral life and to provide clarity of thought regarding natural philosophy. It was very apparent that cultic purity and separation were very necessary regarding encounter of the gods and their sacred grounds.
It was also interesting to learn that the Old Testament prophets were prophetic in stressing ethical purity rather than cultic purity. Perhaps, the prophets were given a prophetic “heads up” from God about what will later occur when Jesus enters the scene. Sounds like a prophetic thing to do!
It is significant (but really not surprising) that Jesus causes a new paradigm shift, emphasizing ethical purity rather than cultic purity. In other words, Jesus states what comes from inside a person is much more important than rituals that determine what goes inside a person.
Although not specifically stated in the bible, purgatory provides the means to remove sin before one can enter into heaven. Granted, not every Christian accepts this teaching. But one has to acknowledge that sin cannot be present in God’s domain (heaven). Heaven is a sin-free zone.
The names Catherine and Cathy mean innocent, clear, and pure.