Ματθίας
Matthías
G3159 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name: Matthias, a male Israelite personal name. In New Testament usage, denotes an individual selected to become an apostle in place of Judas Iscariot. As a proper noun, the designation does not contain semantic or lexical meaning beyond personal identification, but is relevant for its possible translation and etymological background linked to 'gift of Yahweh'.
Semantic Range
Matthias (proper noun, personal name), name of a male Israelite; in context: specifically the apostle selected as a replacement for Judas Iscariot
Root / Etymology
Derived from Ματταθίας (Mattathias), itself a Hellenized form of the Hebrew מַתִּתְיָה (Mattityah), meaning 'gift of Yahweh'. Ματθίας represents a contracted/abbreviated or alternate form of Ματταθίας. Ultimately from the Hebrew root נ-ת-ן (to give) and יָה (Yah, a shortened form of the divine name).
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ματθίας is attested in early Christian literature as the name of the individual selected by lot to replace Judas Iscariot among the twelve apostles (Acts 1:23–26). This name reflects the common practice of adopting Hebrew names into Greek, sometimes with phonetic adjustments according to Greek declension patterns (compare Ματθάθιας, Ματθαῖος, Ματταθίας). The form Ματθίας is rare outside of New Testament usage, with Ματταθίας being more common for earlier periods. Septuagint and later Jewish Greek texts favor Ματταθίας for the ancestral/Israelite name. The English 'Matthias' derives via the Latinization of the Greek. Standard English translations recognize the referent as an individual but do not convey the original theophoric sense retained in the Hebrew source.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
apparently a shortened form of Ματταθίας; Matthias (i.e. Mattithjah), an Israelite:--Matthias.
Root Family
Ματθίας (Matthias) — personal name; gift of Yahweh
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G3159-01 |
Μαθθίαν | maththian | N ACC M SG |
Matthias | Matthias | Matthias | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences