UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: to make clean, to cleanse, to clean

Semantic entry: 79.49

Semantic domains: Features of Objects

Subdomains: Clean, Dirty

Definition: to cause something to become clean

Sense 2: to cleanse, to purify

Semantic entry: 53.28

Semantic domains: Religious Activities

Subdomains: Purify, Cleanse

Definition: to cleanse from ritual contamination or impurity

Notes: The set of terms having the stem καθαρ appears to focus upon the elimination of ritual impurities. From an anthropological standpoint, this means the elimination of ritual contamination, or, in other words, negative taboo. This series of terms with the stem καθαρ appears to contrast with ἁγνίζω[a] and ἁγνισμός[a], ἁγιασμός [source selector 000001][b], and ἅγιος [source selector 000001][b] (53.44: ἁγιάζω / 53.44: ἁγιασμός, 53.45: ἁγιωσύνη / 53.45: ὁσιότης, 53.46: ἅγιος / 53.46: ὅσιος) focus upon a positive state of consecration and dedication to God and may be regarded as reflecting the acquisition of so-called positive taboo, that is to say, a state of holiness.|In RV ACT 10:15 · LV ACT 10:15 · Read together ACT 10:15 the cleansing obviously involves not physical cleansing, but ritual cleansing, that is to say, the elimination of so-called negative taboo or ritual defilement.|ἐκαθαρίσθη αὐτοῦ ἡ λέπρα ‘his leprosy was cleansed’ RV MAT 8:3 · LV MAT 8:3 · Read together MAT 8:3: The cleansing or healing of leprosy involved religious, physiological, and sociological implications. Since leprosy was regarded as a defilement and hence made a person ritually unacceptable, it also meant excommunication from normal social life. The removal of leprosy was regarded as an important religious matter, and the healing had to be verified by the priests before an individual was regarded as ritually cleansed. In a number of languages, however, it is quite impossible to speak of ‘cleansing a leper,’ for this would mean only ‘giving a bath to a leper.’ Accordingly, it may be essential to say ‘to heal a leper’ or ‘to cure a leper’ or even ‘to make a person’s leprosy disappear.’ In such instances it is usually essential to have some kind of marginal note or glossary explanation so as to indicate the religious implications of leprosy and the resulting ritual defilement.

Sense 3: to heal and make ritually pure, to heal and to make ritually acceptable

Semantic entry: 23.137

Semantic domains: Physiological Processes and States

Subdomains: Health, Vigor, Strength

Definition: to heal a person of a disease which has caused ceremonial uncleanness

Notes: Since καθαρίζω[c] implies two changes of state, (1) the healing of a disease and (2) the making of a person ritually pure or acceptable, it may be necessary in some languages, and particularly in certain contexts, to render καθαρίζω[c] in a relatively explicit manner, namely, ‘to heal and to make ritually acceptable’ or ‘… ceremonially clean.’