Piety

by Wayne Blank

The English word piety is derived from the Latin word pietas which is used to describe either profound respect for parents, or reverence for God (it's a rather strange quirk of Latin that piety and pity not only originated from the same word, but originally were the same word - today, they are surely regarded as opposites, not equivalents). The Holy Bible (see By The Book) was of course however not originally written in Latin, the language of the historical and prophetic "beast," the Roman empire (see World War 3 In Prophecy) and the Roman empire's Church of Rome (see The Bishops of Rome and Who Is The Woman Riding The Beast?); the Holy Scriptures were written in Hebrew (the so-called "Old" Testament - see The Older Testament) and Greek (the New Testament). The Greek word that is translated as "piety" is (pronounced) yoo-seeb-ee-oh; it's found only twice in the Holy Scriptures, as quoted below.

"Let them learn first to show piety at home"

The apostle Paul (see Paul's Ministry) used the original Greek word (pronounced) yoo-seeb-ee-oh twice in the Scriptures, the only appearance of the word in the Holy Bible. It is translated into English once as "piety" and once as "worship."

The Ten Commandments In using the Greek word to describe due "piety" for righteous parents, and righteous elders, Paul was actually applying the Fifth Commandment in its fuller meaning (see the Fact Finder question below). Piety did not apply to unrighteous parents, and unrighteous elders, people who lived not according to God's Word e.g. "she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth":

"Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity."
"Honour widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to show piety [i.e. the Greek word yoo-seeb-ee-oh is what Paul originally wrote] at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel." (1 Timothy 5:1-8 KJV)

Paul also used the original Greek word yoo-seeb-ee-oh to describe the worship of God. Ironically, he used the word in reference to the pagan philosophers in their groping in the dark attempts to find the true God through their own reasoning, their own word, rather than the Word of God.

"Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship [i.e. yoo-seeb-ee-oh, also translated as "piety"], Him declare I unto you."
"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though He needed any thing, seeing He giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek The Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us: For in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also His offspring."
"Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God [see Spiritual Adoption and Spiritual Conception], we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world [see When Will You Be Judged?] in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead." (Acts 17:22-31 KJV)

Fact Finder: (a) How does the Fifth Commandment apply not only to physical parents, but to our Spiritual Parent as well? (b) How does the Seventh Commandment apply not only to physical faithfullness, but to spiritual faithfullness as well?
(a) See Fifth Commandment
(b) See Seventh Commandment

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