STRONGS NT 821: ἀτιμόωἀτιμόω, ἀτίμω: (perfect passive participle ἠτιμωμένος); (ἄτιμος); from Aeschylus down; to dishonor, mark with disgrace: Mark 12:4 R G, see ἀτιμάω (and ἀτιμάζω).

ἀτιμόω describes the active inflicting of dishonor, disesteem, or public shame upon a person or object. It accents not merely the absence of honor but a proactive removal of esteem. The verb is cognate with ἄτιμος (“without honor”) and sits alongside ἀτιμάζω, the form that appears in the Greek New Testament.

Literary and Cultural Background

In classical Greek literature the term is found in legal contexts where a citizen is stripped of privileges, in military records where defeated enemies are humiliated, and in philosophical writings where disgrace is viewed as the antithesis of true virtue. This background highlights two ideas vital for biblical theology: (1) honor and shame are communal realities, and (2) to dishonor someone is to diminish his standing before both society and the gods—or, in biblical thought, before the living God.

Old Testament (Septuagint) Witness

While ἀτιμόω itself is relatively rare, its stem appears in many Septuagint passages that contrast God-given honor with human contempt:
• 1 Samuel 2:30 – “for those who honor Me I will honor, but those who despise Me will be disdained.”
• Isaiah 53:3 – Messiah is “despised and rejected by men.”
• Malachi 1:6 – Priests are indicted for “despising” the divine name by offering blemished sacrifices.

These texts establish a covenant pattern: honoring God brings blessing; dishonoring Him (or His messengers) invites judgment.

Intertestamental and Greco-Roman Usage

In the Second Temple period, ἀτιμόω is used in Jewish literature for social shaming through slander (Sirach 22:3), for the expulsion of the unfaithful from the covenant community (1 Maccabees 15:4), and for the humiliation of foreign oppressors whom God will ultimately disgrace (Wisdom of Solomon 3:10). Greco-Roman inscriptions employ the term for the stripping of civic rights—illustrating how potent “dishonor” was in a world driven by public reputation.

Relationship to New Testament Vocabulary

Although ἀτιμόω itself is not used in the Greek New Testament, its twin ἀτιμάζω is. The semantic overlap allows every ἀτιμάζω occurrence to illuminate the theology of dishonor:
• Romans 1:24 – God “gave them over in the desires of their hearts to impurity, for the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves.”
• 1 Corinthians 12:23 – The Church is exhorted to treat the “less honorable” members with special modesty.
• 1 Peter 2:6-7 – Christ is the chosen cornerstone; believers find honor, but unbelievers meet shame.

The Gospel turns the world’s honor code on its head: true honor is found in Christ and bestowed on all who believe (Romans 2:10).

Theological Themes

1. Covenant Faithfulness: Scripture consistently links honoring the Lord with covenant blessing and dishonoring Him with covenant curse (Jeremiah 2:26-27).
2. Christological Reversal: Jesus willingly embraced dishonor—“He endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Hebrews 12:2)—to clothe His people with glory.
3. Ecclesial Ethics: In the body of Christ, no member is dispensable, and deliberate shaming contradicts the Gospel (James 2:1-6).
4. Eschatological Vindication: God will publicly reverse unjust shame. “Whoever believes in Him will never be put to shame” (Romans 10:11).

Ministry Implications

• Preaching and Teaching: Stress how the cross absorbs the believer’s shame, liberating disciples from the world’s honor-shame treadmill.
• Pastoral Care: Address cultural or family dishonor suffered by converts; restore dignity through identity in Christ.
• Church Discipline: Guard against practices that humiliate; restorative correction seeks repentance without stripping God-given worth.
• Missions: In honor-shame cultures, frame the Gospel as God’s offer of eternal honor through union with the dishonored yet resurrected Messiah.

Homiletical and Discipleship Pathways

1. Honor the Lord above all (Proverbs 3:9).
2. Avoid partiality that disgraces the poor (James 2:6).
3. Follow Christ’s example of patient endurance when shamed (1 Peter 2:23).
4. Anticipate final vindication: “If we endure, we will also reign with Him” (2 Timothy 2:12).

Summary

ἀτιμόω captures the gravity of dishonor in biblical thought. Whether found in the Septuagint, mirrored by ἀτιμάζω in the New Testament, or illustrated in Greco-Roman life, the verb calls God’s people to honor Him, to protect the dignity of others, and to trust that every unjust shame will be overturned in the victorious return of Christ.