If it wasn’t for God’s grace, Jesus would have never paid our debt and we would still be on our way to Hell. But thankfully, God is gracious, faithful, and loves His people. So what does the word grace mean in Hebrew and Greek, anyway?
All scriptures are taken from NKJV unless otherwise marked.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.“
– Ephesians 2:8-9
What Does The Word ‘Grace’ Mean In Hebrew?
chen- graciousness; beauty.
As a noun, this word means “favor; grace.” It occurs 69 times in the Old Testament. Its first appearance is in Genesis 6:8:
“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.”
This word can be used to describe something pleasant and agreeable. Also, this word would be used to speak of a “gracious woman.”
However, it can be used in a negative sense. In Proverbs 31:10, it’s translated into “beautiful without sense.”
The verbs used with “favor” can be found in the following ways:
- give favor (Genesis 39:21)
- obtain favor (Exodus 3:21)
- find favor (Genesis 6:8)
techinnah- gracious entreaty.
What Does The Word ‘Grace’ Mean In Greek?
euprepeia- gracefulness.
Euprepia means godly appearance, outward comeliness, shapeliness, and beauty. This term is used to describe the outward appearance of a flower.
“For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.”
– James 1:11
charis- gratitude; benefit given.
Grace indicated thanks on the part of the receiver and favor on the part of the giver.
Charis is related to sins and the attributes of the Lord that they evoke. However, God’s eleos (the free gift for the forgiveness of sins) is related to the misery that sin brings. God’s sense of our misery displays itself in His efforts to lessen and entirely remove it. These efforts are only hindered and defeated by a person’s continued perverseness.
“From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.”
– Acts 14:26
God’s divine favor or grace is free and universal. It’s contrasted to the works of the flesh and trying to obey the law to obey righteousness.
“For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.“
– Romans 6:14
Conclusion
Because of the grace of God and His wonderful gift of salvation, we are free to have an intimate relationship with Him through the Holy Spirit. That’s what the word grace means in Hebrew and Greek.
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