Bible Dictionary
APPROVE
To approve means either to regard favorably or, in New Testament usage, to test and prove something genuine. A person or work that stands the test is described as approved before God.
Definition
To approve ordinarily means to regard favorably, but its biblical and archaic sense is stronger: to test, prove, and accept as genuine after examination. The related idea is that what withstands testing is approved, while what fails is rejected or reprobate.
Biblical Usage
The New Testament speaks of persons approved in Christ, believers who are approved, presenting oneself approved to God, and those approved after testing. The word is also used of proving what is acceptable and of tested faithfulness.
Historical Background
The underlying term was commonly used for testing ores. Its meaning includes both the examination and the favorable verdict that follows when the object stands the test.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>a-proov': This word, as ordinarily used, means "to entertain a favorable opinion concerning" (Ps 49:13; La 3:36). Its Biblical and archaic use conveys a much stronger meaning and is equivalent to its use in legal formalities of today, "to approve a bill," i.e. by some act, generally a signature, to express approval. In New Testament, a number of times, for Greek dokimazo, "to test, try, make proof of," and its derivative, dokimos, "tested," "tried." The word will, in almost every ease, imply that the proof is victoriously demonstrated, the proved is also approved, just as in English we speak of "tried men" (Trench, Greek Synonyms of New Testament). It is the word most frequently used for the testing of ores. That which does not stand the test is adokimos, "reprobate." Compare Jer 6:30 King James Version: "reprobate silver." That which stands the test is dokimos, "approved." "Salute Apelles the approved in Christ" (Ro 16:10); "they that are approved" (1Co 11:19); "Present thyself approved unto God" (2Ti 2:15); when he hath been "approved" (Jas 1:12). See also Ro 14:18,22; 1Th 2:4.</p><p>H. E. Jacobs</p>