Lexical Summary deró: To beat, to strike, to scourge Original Word: δέρω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance beat, smite. A primary verb; properly, to flay, i.e. (by implication) to scourge, or (by analogy) to thrash -- beat, smite. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. verb Definition to skin, to thrash NASB Translation beat (5), beaten (1), beating (3), flogged (2), hits (1), receive (1), receive...lashes (1), strike (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1194: δέρωδέρω; 1 aorist ἔδειρα; 2 future passive δαρήσομαι; 1. to flay, skin: Homer, Iliad 1, 459; 23, 167, etc. 2. to beat, throb, smite (cf. German durchgerben (low English hide)), so sometimes in secular authors from Aristophanes ran. 619 (cf. vesp. 485) down: τινα, Matthew 21:35; Mark 12:3, 5; Luke 20:10; Luke 22:63; John 18:23; Acts 5:40; Acts 16:37; Acts 22:19; εἰς πρόσωπον δέρειν τινα, 2 Corinthians 11:20; ἀέρα δέρειν (see ἀήρ), 1 Corinthians 9:26; passive: Mark 13:9; Luke 12:47 (δαρήσεται πολλάς, namely, πληγάς, will be beaten with many stripes); Luke 12:48 (ὀλίγας, cf. Xenophon, an. 5, 8, 12 παίειν ὀλίγας, Sophocles El. 1415 παίειν διπλην, Aristophanes nub. 968 (972) τύπτεσθαι πολλάς, Plato, legg. 8, p. 845 a. μαστιγουσθαι πληγάς; cf. (Winers Grammar, 589 (548)); Buttmann, (82 (72)); § 134, 6). Strong’s Greek 1194 portrays deliberate physical striking, usually with rods or fists. In Scripture it functions as a barometer of human hostility toward divine authority, a symbol of corrective discipline, and an image Paul adapts for athletic self-control. From Christ’s Passion to the church’s earliest missionary journeys, the verb traces the cost of bearing witness to the gospel and exposes the hardness of those who reject God’s messengers. Synoptic Prophecies of Persecution Mark 13:9 opens the missionary age with an unmistakable forecast: “Be on your guard; they will hand you over to councils and you will be beaten in the synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings on account of Me, as a testimony to them”. The beating of disciples in Jewish assemblies foreshadows the larger clash between the old order and the new covenant. The warning reminds every generation that gospel proclamation invites coercive resistance. Parables of the Wicked Tenants Matthew 21:35; Mark 12:3, 5; Luke 20:10-11 employ the verb in Jesus’ vineyard parable. Each assault on a servant heightens Israel’s culpability for rejecting prophetic calls to repentance. The escalation from beating to murder forecasts the cross, while simultaneously reassuring faithful workers that God sees every blow and will vindicate His servants. Judgment and Stewardship In Luke 12:47-48 Jesus contrasts two negligent servants: one receives “many blows,” the other “few.” The language is judicial, reflecting synagogue practice (cf. Deuteronomy 25:2-3). Divine recompense is perfectly measured; punishment is neither arbitrary nor excessive, yet it is tangible and sobering. The passage safeguards against presumptuous delay in obeying revealed will. Christ’s Passion Luke 22:63 records that “the men who were holding Jesus began to mock Him and beat Him.” John 18:23 adds His dignified protest: “If I spoke wrongly, testify to the wrong; but if I spoke rightly, why do you strike Me?”. The Servant endures the violence prophesied in Isaiah 50:6 without retaliation, fulfilling the redemptive pattern that disciples later emulate. Acts: The Church Under the Rod • Acts 5:40: after apostolic preaching in Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin “had them flogged” before releasing them. The apostles rejoice, counting themselves worthy to suffer. These narratives illustrate both the inevitability of persecution and the varied, Spirit-led responses—rejoicing, public protest, or legal appeal—each aimed at further gospel advance. Pauline Usage: Face and Air 2 Corinthians 11:20 rebukes the Corinthians for tolerating leaders who “strike you in the face,” a literal humiliation that mirrors the spiritual abuse of false apostles. In 1 Corinthians 9:26 Paul shifts to metaphor: “I do not fight like I am beating the air.” Here δέρω frames disciplined self-denial; the apostle inflicts rigorous training on his own body to keep from spiritual disqualification. The same verb that depicts unjust persecution now depicts voluntary mastery for the sake of others’ salvation. Historical Background Jewish law limited synagogue flogging to forty lashes minus one (Deuteronomy 25:3; 2 Corinthians 11:24). Roman magistrates could administer beating with rods (Acts 16:22). Both systems appear in the New Testament, demonstrating that Christ’s followers faced opposition from religious and civil spheres alike. Theological Themes • Suffering is not an aberration but an anticipated feature of obedient witness. Pastoral and Ministry Implications 1. Prepare congregations for potential hostility; remind them that faithful proclamation may invite literal or figurative blows. Eschatological Warning and Hope The same verb that predicts persecution (Mark 13:9) also warns of future judgment (Luke 12:47-48). Those who refuse God’s messengers may escape earthly accountability but will face the righteous Judge. Conversely, every servant beaten for Christ’s sake will receive eternal commendation. Thus δέρω stands as both a sober caution to the rebellious and a badge of honor for the faithful. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 21:35 V-AIA-3PGRK: ὃν μὲν ἔδειραν ὃν δὲ NAS: his slaves and beat one, KJV: his servants, and beat one, INT: one indeed they beat one moreover Mark 12:3 V-AIA-3P Mark 12:5 V-PPA-NMP Mark 13:9 V-FIP-2P Luke 12:47 V-FIP-3S Luke 12:48 V-FIP-3S Luke 20:10 V-APA-NMP Luke 20:11 V-APA-NMP Luke 22:63 V-PPA-NMP John 18:23 V-PIA-2S Acts 5:40 V-APA-NMP Acts 16:37 V-APA-NMP Acts 22:19 V-PPA-NMS 1 Corinthians 9:26 V-PPA-NMS 2 Corinthians 11:20 V-PIA-3S Strong's Greek 1194 |
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