Lexical Summary bolé: Throw, cast, stroke, blow Original Word: βολή Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cast. From ballo; a throw (as a measure of distance) -- cast. see GREEK ballo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom balló Definition a throw NASB Translation throw (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1000: βολήβολή, βολης, ἡ (βάλλω), a throw: ὡσεί λίθου βολήν about a stone's throw, as far as a stone can be cast by the hand, Luke 22:41 (ὡσεί τόξου βολήν, Genesis 21:16; μέχρι λίθου καί ἀκοντιου βολης, Thucydides 5, 65; ἐξ ἀκοντιου βολης, Xenophon, Hell. 4, 5, 15). Topical Lexicon Entry: bolē (Strong’s Greek 1000) Cultural Setting Used idiomatically for the space covered by a single cast, bolē functioned as an everyday yardstick for short distances in the Greco-Roman world. The term allowed a writer to picture an object or person as near enough to see and hear, yet outside ordinary reach—ideal for scenes demanding both intimacy and solemn reserve. Luke 22:41 in Focus “And He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, where He knelt down and prayed” (Luke 22:41). Measured Distances in Scripture Genesis 21:16 (“a bowshot away”), Joshua 3:4 (two thousand cubits from the Ark), and 2 Kings 2:6 (“stay here”) employ distance to frame covenant moments. Bolē joins this pattern, signaling reverence at a decisive redemptive juncture. Theological Significance 1. Solitary Mediator: The space reinforces Isaiah 63:3—“I have trodden the winepress alone”—reminding believers that redemption is Christ’s work, not humanity’s collaboration. Historical and Geographic Note A “stone’s throw” likely ranged between thirty and fifty meters—the breadth of a terraced olive grove on the Mount of Olives. Modern excavations of first-century garden plots match Luke’s spatial cue, rooting the Passion narrative in verifiable terrain. Ministry Applications • Leaders emulate Christ by seeking solitary communion yet remaining observable examples (Mark 1:35; 1 Corinthians 11:1). Intertextual Echoes Psalm 22:11 and Isaiah 53:3 resonate beneath Luke’s scene, weaving the measured distance into the tapestry of Messianic prophecy. Such harmony upholds Scripture’s unity, showing that even a spatial idiom serves redemptive disclosure. Christological Reflection The lone biblical appearance of bolē forever ties the word to Jesus’ submission under crushing sorrow. The modest image of a stone lightly cast becomes a signpost to the immeasurable gulf He bridges between a holy God and fallen humanity. Forms and Transliterations βολην βολήν bolen bolēn bolḗnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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