[Greek] ἀναιρέω (anaireō), [Latin] demolire, [Latin] adoptare: to take up, to take away, to do away, to put to death, to slay; Mt.2:16, Lk.22:2, Lk.23:32, Acts 2:23, Acts 5:33,36, Acts 7:21,28, Acts 9:23,24,29, Acts 10:39, Acts 12:2, Acts 13:28, Acts 16:27, Acts 22:20, Acts 23:15,21,27, Acts 25:3, Acts 26:10, Heb. 10:9
The Finding of Moses: painting by Lawrence Alma-Tadama (1904)
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to take up, to carry off, to make away with, to appoint, to take up for oneself, to destroy, to annul, to do away with, to take up in one’s arms, to withdraw money, to take upon oneself, to adopt (to accept as ones own), and to cancel. Herodotus’ The Histories 7.16 states “Xerxes said this, but Artabanus would not obey the first command, thinking it was not right for him to sit on the royal throne’ at last he was compelled and did as he was bid.” Aristophanes’ Clouds 531 states “I exposed by offspring (comedy) and another girl took it up, owned it, and generously reared and and educated it.” Plato’s Republic 533c states “Then is not dialectics (investigating the truth) the only process of inquiry that advances in this manner, doing away with hypothesis in order to find confirmation?” Homer’s Iliad 1.449 states “Then Chryses lifted up his hands, and prayed aloud for them.”
Old Testament: This term means to slay, to plunder, to cut off, to ruin, to destroy, to take, to consecrate, to strike, to lift, to take away, to raise, to pour out, and to be lifted. Lord will You slay a nation, though blindness? (Gen.20:4). But you shall utterly destroy them (Deut.20:17). No one who may have been set apart among men shall be ransomed (Lev.27:29). The Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden (Gen.2:15). He drew me out of many waters (Psa.18:16). When the child grew, she brought him to the Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son. She named him Moses (Exo.2:10).
New Testament: This term means to kill, to do away with (reject), and to adopt. The notion of taking up can be viewed in various nuanced ways. The majority of scriptural references pertain to killing or slaying. Acts 7:21 references the infant Moses who was brought and later adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter. Moses was taken up being raised in the Egyptian ways. Jesus takes away (rejects) the Old Testament authority and establishes the New Covenant. The Old Testament sacrifices cannot effectively remit the sins of the people. In following the will of God, Jesus offers His own body for this purpose.
Scripture:
“But when he (Moses) was exposed, Pharaoh’s daughter adopted him and brought up as her own.” Acts 7:21
Moses was taken up adopted into the Egyptian ways
“Then He says, ‘Behold, I come to do your will.” He takes away the first to establish the second.” Heb.10:9
Jesus takes away the authority of the Old Testament in providing salvation for others.
Etymology: The Greek verb anaireo essentially means to take (-haireo) up (ana-). The Greek verb haireo can also mean to choose. Interestingly, this term becomes the foundation for the words heresy, heretic, and heretical. In a sense, one chooses to kill, take up something, or to make a decision.
Conclusion:
Adopt, adoption, demolish, demolition, heretic, heresy, heretical
In the Greek Hellenistic era, this term is used in various and many nuanced ways. For the interests of brevity, I included only a few examples. Some interesting examples include taking up (an animal for a sacrifice), destroying an argument, taking something upon oneself, accept as one’s own, and adopting.
In the Old Testament, this term is also used quite frequently. Not surprisingly, this term frequently references killing. Other interesting uses include dedicating to, devoting to, and being consecrated.
In the New Testament, this term refers to killing, to doing away with, and to adopting. The most important use refers to Jesus taking away the power of the Old Testament law to provide salvation for others.
Update: Later this month, the Supreme Court will take up the election lawsuits involving Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Georgia involving the expansion of mail-in ballots (changing the rules), lacking security measures, machine vote tabulation, and denial of poll watcher access. Why is this happening now instead of before the election? Why weren’t these issues addressed before choosing the next president? Then we have local county officials who are choosing (taking much effort) in pushing back against having a full forensic examination of the votes in Arizona. What conclusions can you take from that?
I really have been taken away– [sorry, couldn’t resist] –by the many meanings associated with this term. So that is my take-away from this post.
The next post I crafted: when we ‘worship’ our own ‘idols’.