Sacrilege
Culture & SocietyWhat is the meaning of Sacrilege in the Bible?
The verb sak'-ri-lej refers to committing sacrilege, which is more accurately translated as 'rob temples' in Ro 2:22 and Ac 19:37. The noun occurs in 2 Macc 4:39.
SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding this concept clarifies the severity of offenses against religious authority in the ancient world, helping readers grasp why temple robbery was treated as a capital crime in both Jewish and Greco-Roman contexts.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
Ancient Cultural Lens: Avoid applying 21st-century Western assumptions to Sacrilege. Examine how first-century or Near Eastern listeners understood this practice within their daily social dynamics.
Bible Study Reflection Prompts:
- Why did the biblical author mention Sacrilege in this passage?
- What cultural or historical assumption does Sacrilege clarify?
Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.
How to Cite This Entry
"Sacrilege." Ancient Context Dictionary. Accessed 2026. https://ancientcontext.com/context/sacrilege/