STRONGS NT 1435a: δωροφορίαδωροφορία, δωροφοριας, ἡ (δωροφόρος, bringing gifts), the offering of a gift or of gifts: Romans 15:31 L Tr marginal reading, cf. διακονία, 3. (Alciphron 1, 6; Pollux 4, 47 (p. 371, Hemst. edition); several times in ecclesiastical writings.)

Strong’s Greek 1435 speaks of a tangible “gift” or “offering” presented to God or to another person in acknowledgement of honor, need, covenant, or worship. Across nineteen New Testament occurrences it ranges from humble coins in the temple to the saving grace of God, always highlighting the spiritual principle that genuine giving is an act of the heart that recognizes divine authority and generosity.

Old Testament Background

The Septuagint regularly translates Hebrew minchah (“tribute,” “grain offering”) with 1435, rooting the word in Israel’s sacrificial system (Genesis 4:4; Leviticus 2). Such offerings underscored gratitude, atonement, and covenant loyalty. When the New Testament writers employ 1435, they tie present‐day discipleship to this long trajectory of worship.

Gifts in the Life and Teaching of Jesus

• Worshipful homage: “They opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts—gold and frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11). The Magi’s costly dōra announce Messiah’s royal and priestly identity.
• Reconciled relationships: Jesus instructs, “If you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and first be reconciled” (Matthew 5:23-24). A heart right with others is prerequisite to a gift acceptable to God.
• Cleansing testimony: After healing the leper, Jesus orders, “Show yourself to the priest and present the offering Moses commanded” (Matthew 8:4). The gift validates restored fellowship within the covenant community.
• Misused tradition: The “Corban” loophole declared money “a gift to God” so parents could be neglected (Matthew 15:5; Mark 7:11). Jesus condemns any ritual gift that nullifies the moral law of love.
• Hypocritical sanctity: Swearing “by the gift” on the altar (Matthew 23:18-19) exemplifies legalistic manipulation, contrasting with wholehearted devotion.

Sacrificial and Priestly Frame in Hebrews

The Epistle to the Hebrews uses 1435 seven times, always plural (dōra), to expound Christ’s superior priesthood:
• Aaronic priests “offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins” (Hebrews 5:1; 8:3-4).
• Such offerings were “unable to perfect the worshiper’s conscience” (Hebrews 9:9), preparing for the once-for-all self-offering of Christ.

The word therefore becomes a foil that magnifies the sufficiency of the cross and the new covenant’s access to God.

Salvation as God’s Gift

Ephesians 2:8 culminates the theology of grace: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God.” Here 1435 moves from human offerings to the Father’s unfathomable offering of salvation, reinforcing that redemption cannot be earned.

Faith’s Acceptable Offering

“By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain… and through his gifts he still speaks” (Hebrews 11:4). The verse unites Old Testament narrative and New Testament teaching: faith turns a material gift into a lasting testimony.

Generosity and Stewardship

The widow’s two small coins were counted among the “gifts” (Luke 21:1-4). Jesus commends her because she “out of her poverty put in all she had to live on,” illustrating that divine accounting weighs motive over amount. For believers today, giving remains an expression of total trust in God’s provision.

Eschatological and Missional Dimensions

After the two witnesses are slain, earth-dwellers “will send gifts to one another” in morbid celebration (Revelation 11:10). Even the language of offering can be twisted into rebellion, yet the scene also anticipates God’s final vindication of faithful testimony.

Summary of New Testament Occurrences

• Worship and homage: Matthew 2:11; 5:23-24; 8:4; 23:18-19
• Temple treasury: Luke 21:1-4
• Tradition vs. commandment: Matthew 15:5; Mark 7:11
• Priestly context: Hebrews 5:1; 8:3-4; 9:9
• Faith’s offering: Hebrews 11:4
• Salvation gift: Ephesians 2:8
• Eschatological irony: Revelation 11:10

Practical Ministry Applications

1. Offerings flow from a reconciled heart; unresolved conflict nullifies worship.
2. Generosity is measured by sacrifice, not surplus.
3. Vows or traditions that excuse disobedience must be rejected.
4. Every act of giving anticipates and reflects God’s ultimate gift in Christ.
5. Church leaders should model priestly integrity, recognizing that material gifts symbolize spiritual surrender.

A life shaped by 1435 is one in which giving—whether finance, service, or self—becomes a continual act of worship grounded in the once-for-all gift of God’s Son.