θεατρίζω
theatrízō
G2301 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To make a public spectacle of, to expose openly for the purpose of shame or ridicule; to display someone or something before an audience as an object of attention, often in a humiliating or dishonorable way. The primary lexical meaning centers on 'exposing to view,' with contextual senses including 'to shame publicly,' 'to treat as an object of contempt before others,' and 'to exhibit for scorn or derision.'
Semantic Range
to make a spectacle of, to display publicly (especially in a humiliating way), to expose to public ridicule or shame, to treat as a public example, to make a gazing stock
Root / Etymology
Derived from θέατρον (theatron, 'theater, a place for viewing'), which is built from the root θεα- ('to see, to view') and the noun suffix -τρον, with the verb-forming suffix -ίζω indicating the action 'to make like' or 'to cause to be.' Thus, θεατρίζω literally means 'to theater-ize,' i.e., 'to make into a spectacle.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
θεατρίζω is attested in post-classical and Koine Greek, particularly in Hellenistic and early Christian literature. It appears in contexts where the act of making someone a public spectacle involves humiliation, such as public punishment, mockery, or disgrace—echoing practices like exposing prisoners or those condemned to public view. Not typically found in Classical Greek, its use in the Septuagint is rare or absent, but in Heb 10:33 it refers to public humiliation and exposure for one's beliefs or status. The English phrase 'make a gazing stock' reflects a translation tradition that may obscure the original sense of theatrical, shameful public exposure. The verb emphasizes the aspect of communal observation and resultant shame more than merely being watched or viewed; it signifies the deliberate staging of someone's degradation or vulnerability before others, drawing on imagery of the theater as a place (θέατρον) where things and people are put on display for communal response, often relating to ridicule or censure. Contrast with similar verbs like παραδειγματίζω (to expose openly, to disgrace), but θεατρίζω has distinct connotations of spectacle and public attention, derived from the theater context.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from θέατρον; to expose as a spectacle:--make a gazing stock.
Root Family
θεατρίζω (theatrizō) — to display, to make into a spectacle, to expose publicly
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2301-01 |
θεατριζόμενοι | theatrizomenoi | V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M PL |
being made a spectacle | being made a spectacle | being made a spectacle | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G2301-01 |
Hebrews 10:33 | θεατριζόμενοι | theatrizomenoi | V PRS PASS PTCP NOM M PL |
being made a spectacle | being made a spectacle | being made a spectacle |