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X. Sanctification
A. THE SCRIPTURAL TERMS FOR SANCTIFICATION AND HOLINESS.
1. THE OLD TESTAMENT TERMS.
The Old Testament word for ‘to sanctify’ is qadash, a verb that
is used in the niphal, piel, hiphil, and hithpa’el species. The corresponding noun is qodesh, while
the adjective is qadosh. The verbal forms are derived from the nominal and adjectival forms.
The original meaning of these words is uncertain. Some are of the opinion that the word
qadash is related to chadash, meaning ‘to shine.’ This would be in harmony with the qualitative
aspect of the Biblical idea of holiness, namely, that of purity. Others, with a greater degree of
probability, derive the word from the root qad, meaning ‘to cut.’ This would make the idea of
separation the original idea. The word would then point to aloofness, separateness, or majesty.
Though this meaning of the words ‘sanctification’ and ‘holiness’ may seem unusual to us, it is in
all probability the fundamental idea expressed by them. Says Girdlestone: “The terms
‘sanctification’ and ‘holiness’ are now used so frequently to represent moral and spiritual
qualities, that they hardly convey to the reader the idea of position or relationship as existing
between God and some person or thing consecrated to Him; yet this appears to be the real
meaning of the word.”[Old Testament Synonyms, p. 283.] Similarly, Cremer-Koegel calls
attention to the fact that the idea of separation is fundamental to that of holiness. “Heiligkeit
ist ein verhaeltnisbegriff.” At the same time it is admitted that the two ideas of holiness and
separation do not merge, are not absorbed in each other, but that the former in a measure
serves to qualify the latter.[Biblisch-Theologisches Woerterbuch (10th ed.) p. 41.]
2. THE NEW TESTAMENT TERMS.
a. The verb hagiazo and its various meanings.
The verb hagiazo is a derivative of hagios, which
like the Hebrew qadosh expresses primarily the idea of separation. It is used in several different
senses, however, in the New Testament. We may distinguish the following: (1) It is used in a
mental sense of persons or things, Matt. 6:9; Luke 11:2; I Pet. 3:15. In such cases it means “to
regard an object as holy,” “to ascribe holiness to it,” or “to acknowledge its holiness by word or
deed.” (2) It is also employed occasionally in a ritual sense, that is, in the sense of “separating
from ordinary for sacred purposes,” or of “setting aside for a certain office,” Matt. 23:17,19;
John 10:36; II Tim. 2:21. (3) Again it is used to denote that operation of God by which He,
especially through His Spirit, works in man the subjective quality of holiness, John 17:17; Acts
20:32; 26:18; I Cor. 1:2; I Thess. 5:23. (4) Finally, in the Epistle to the Hebrews it seems to be
used in an expiatory sense, and also in the related sense of the Pauline dikaio-o, Heb. 9:13;
10:10,29; 13:12.[Cf. Denney, The Death of Christ, p. 220; Kennedy, The Theology of the Epistles,
p. 214.]