ἀπαρχή G0536
Firstfruits: the initial portion of a harvest or group, consecrated to God and representing the whole that follows.
Rooted in the Israelite practice of offering the first portion of the harvest to God as a sign that the entire crop belongs to him, this term becomes a powerful metaphor in Paul's theology. Christ is 'the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep' (1 Cor 15:20, 23) — his resurrection guarantees the harvest of all believers. The Spirit is 'the firstfruits' of the coming redemption (Rom 8:23). A household or region's first converts are called 'firstfruits' (Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:15). And if the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump (Rom 11:16). Spanish 'primicias,' French 'prémices,' and German 'Erstlingsgabe' all preserve the agricultural-sacrificial metaphor.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Firstfruits — the initial, representative portion of a harvest consecrated to God, signifying that the whole belongs to him. Paul applies this agricultural-sacrificial image metaphorically in several directions: Christ as firstfruits of the resurrection guarantees the full harvest of risen believers (1 Cor 15:20, 23); the Holy Spirit as firstfruits of future glory (Rom 8:23); the first converts of a region as firstfruits of a larger ingathering (Rom 16:5; 1 Cor 16:15); and the consecrated dough-offering that sanctifies the whole lump (Rom 11:16). The multilingual renderings (Spanish 'primicias,' French 'prémices,' German 'Erstlingsgabe') all preserve the core metaphor of an initial portion that consecrates and guarantees the rest. 8×
AR["الْبَاكُورَةُ","باكورَةً","باكورَةٌ","باكورَةُ","بَاكُورَةَ","بَاكُورَةُ"]·ben["প্রথম-ফল","প্রথমফল"]·DE["Erstlingsgabe"]·EN["a-firstfruits","firstfruit","firstfruits"]·FR["Erstlingsgabe","prémices"]·heb["בִּכּוּרִים","בִּכּוּרֵי","רֵאשִׁית"]·HI["पहला-फल","पहले-फल","प्रथमफल"]·ID["buah-sulung"]·IT["aparchē","aparchēn","primizia"]·jav["asil-wiwitan","pisungsung-wiwitan"]·KO["처음-열매가","처음-열매로","처음-열매를","처음-익은-열매가","처음-익은-열매라","첫-열매"]·PT["primícias"]·RU["-Духа","-Христа","начатком","начаток","первенец","первенцы","свят"]·ES["primicias"]·SW["malimbuko","mazao-ya-kwanza"]·TR["bir-ilk-meyve","ilk meyve","ilk-meyve","ilk-meyvesine"]·urd["پہلا-پھل","پہلے-پھل"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀπαρχή, ἡ, mostly in plural ἀπαρχαί (compare ἄπαργμα): __1 beginning of a sacrifice, primal offering (of hairs cut from the forehead), ἀπαρχαὶ κόμηςRefs 5th c.BC+; later, a banquet held on this occasion, Refs 1st c.AD+ __2 firstlings for sacrifice or offering, first-fruits, ἁπάντων ἀπαρχαίRefs 5th c.BC+:—so also in singular, λείας ἀ.NT+5th c.BC+ __3 metaphorically, ἀπαρχαὶ τῶν ἐμῶν…