[Greek] ἀλλάσσω (allassō), [Latin] mutare, [French] changer, [French] deplacer: to change, to make different, to alter, to transform; Acts 6:14, Rom.1:23, 1Cor.15:51-52, Gal.4:20, Heb.1:12
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to change, to alter, to exchange, to repay, to alternate, to leave, and to quit.
Euripides’ Alcestis 660: “For I have always shown you respect. And now this is the repayment you have made to me.”
Euripides’ Electra 103: “And now, dawn is lifting up her bright eye, let us step aside from this path.”
Antiphon’s On the Murder of Herodes 5.79: “They exchanged great prosperity for great misery.”
Euripides’ Phoennisae 74: “They made an agreement that Polyneices should first leave the land, while Eteodes should stay, and then change places yearly.”
Euripides’ Medea 878: “What has come over me?”
Old Testament: This term means to turn, to overturn, to pass on, to change, to exchange, to renew, to ransom, to redeem, and to alter.
New Testament: This term means to change and to exchange.
Acts 6:14: “For we have heard him [Stephen] claim that this Jesus the Nazorean will destroy this place and change the customs that Moses handed down to us.” (Stephen was martyred because he elevated Jesus’ status above Moses. Stephen makes reference to Jesus’ destroying the temple of God and rebuilding it. The Jews were troubled by Stephen claiming that Jesus was changing the customs handed down by Moses.)
Rom.1:22-23: “While claiming to wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or four-legged animals or snakes.”
Punishment of idolators:
- God’s wrath is being revealed against every impiety and wickedness by those who suppress the truth.
- God’s wrath goes into action at each present moment in human history.
- There is a close association with idolatry and immorality.
- Man’s values changed as they “offered worship” to man and other idols.
- Romans expressed abhorrence over devotion to animals.
- God permitted (handed over) these idolaters to their impurities, self-indulgence, unnatural relations, lusts, and passions.
- They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil, greed, hard-heartedness, and malice.