Strong’s Greek 1493 designates the physical venue devoted to the veneration of false gods in the Greco-Roman world. The term directs attention not merely to a statue but to the entire cultic complex—altars, dining areas, financial offices and civic meeting rooms—where sacrifices, communal meals and public festivities honored an idol. For first-century believers the word evoked the atmosphere of pervasive polytheism that formed the backdrop against which the gospel advanced.

Occurrence in Scripture

The New Testament employs the term once, in 1 Corinthians 8:10. Paul writes: “For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, who are well informed, eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols?”. The single usage is sufficient to open an extensive discussion on Christian liberty, love and the lingering power of idolatry.

Greco-Roman Religious Environment

Temples to Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis and a host of local deities dotted the streets of Corinth, Ephesus and nearly every major city of the Empire. Meat sacrificed to these gods was commonly sold in adjacent dining halls and nearby markets. Business guilds, family gatherings and civic banquets routinely convened inside such precincts. Participation signaled social acceptance and economic advantage; abstention could invite ridicule or financial loss. Thus, the “idol’s temple” was not a remote shrine but a public hotspot where spiritual and social loyalties collided.

Pauline Pastoral Strategy

In 1 Corinthians 8 and 10 Paul addresses mature believers who grasp that “an idol is nothing in the world” (1 Corinthians 8:4). Yet he publicly warns against conduct that might wound brethren whose consciences remain tender. Paul’s concern extends beyond dietary questions to the formative power of environment: eating within the walls dedicated to a false god could nurture syncretism and mislead observers. His counsel weaves together three priorities:
• Knowledge governed by love (1 Corinthians 8:1, 11-12)
• Personal freedom restrained for the neighbor’s good (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
• Exclusive loyalty to the Lord’s Table (1 Corinthians 10:14-22)

Connection with Old Testament Prohibition of Idolatry

Israel’s prophets repeatedly condemned the high places, Asherah poles and temple complexes of foreign gods (Deuteronomy 12:2-3; 2 Kings 23:4-14; Isaiah 44:9-20). The Spirit’s consistent testimony is that the Lord will not share His glory with another. Paul draws upon this heritage, interpreting pagan sacrifice as fellowship “with demons and not with God” (1 Corinthians 10:20, echoing Deuteronomy 32:17). The single New Testament reference therefore resonates with centuries of biblical polemic against idolatry.

Implications for Christian Liberty and Conscience

The term underscores two complementary truths:

1. Christ frees believers from superstitious fear of lifeless idols.
2. That same freedom must never become a pretext for indifference toward brothers and sisters who could relapse into idolatry.

The careful handling of liberty entails discernment of setting, audience and personal vulnerability. What is lawful in a market stall may be spiritually perilous in an idol’s banquet hall.

Present-Day Ministry Application

Modern disciples face functional equivalents of the “idol’s temple” wherever cultural celebrations, professional networking or entertainment revolve around values opposed to the gospel. Pastors and teachers may fruitfully employ Strong’s 1493 to:
• Warn against compromising alliances (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
• Equip believers to evaluate social events through the lens of conscience and witness.
• Highlight the corporate dimension of holiness, demonstrating that our choices shape the faith of others.

Related Biblical Terms and Concepts

• Idol (1497): the manufactured image itself.
• Sacrifice to idols (1494): the offering presented.
• Table of the Lord versus table of demons (1 Corinthians 10:21): the covenant meals that reveal ultimate allegiance.

Together these expressions present a unified scriptural theology: worship belongs exclusively to the living God, and fellowship with Him excludes participation in rival cults.

Summary

Strong’s Greek 1493 serves as a window into the contested space where Christian conviction, social expectation and spiritual warfare intersect. Its lone appearance crystallizes a timeless lesson: the people of God must navigate their culture with informed minds, loving hearts and unwavering devotion to the One who said, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve” (Matthew 4:10).