Lexical Summary enubrizó: To insult, to treat shamefully, to outrage Original Word: ἐνυβρίζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance to insult, outrageFrom en and hubrizo; to insult -- do despite unto. see GREEK en see GREEK hubrizo HELPS Word-studies 1796 enybrízō (from 1722 /en, "in," intensifying 5195 /hybrízō, "to insult, injure, showing arrogance") – to insult (outrage), treat despitefully, reproach (used only in Heb 10:29). [The root is also used of the pounding, crushing force of ocean waves.] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom en and hubrizó Definition to insult NASB Translation insulted (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1796: ἐνυβρίζωἐνυβρίζω: 1 aorist participle ἐνυβρίσας; to treat with contumely: Hebrews 10:29. (From Sophocles on.) Topical Lexicon Scope of the TermStrong’s Greek 1796 describes a deliberate, high-handed affront that goes beyond ordinary opposition and rises to insolent contempt. Whereas many biblical words for “insult” or “revile” can be applied to human relationships, this term is employed to portray a direct outrage against God Himself—specifically, against the Holy Spirit. The nuance is not merely verbal abuse but a willful, arrogant trampling of what is sacred. Biblical Occurrence Hebrews 10:29 is the sole New Testament instance: “How much more severely do you think He deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God, treated as unholy the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Berean Standard Bible) The verse forms the climax of a warning passage (Hebrews 10:26-31) that contrasts the sufficiency of Christ’s atoning sacrifice with the fearful prospect of judgment for those who sin “willfully” after receiving knowledge of the truth. The three participles—“trampled,” “treated as unholy,” “insulted”—progress from physical imagery to cultic desecration and finally to spiritual insolence. The final term concentrates the force: to spurn the gracious work of the Spirit is to repudiate the very means of one’s sanctification. Theological Significance 1. Deliberate Apostasy: The writer of Hebrews addresses professing believers tempted to abandon Christ under persecution. The use of this verb underscores that turning away is not religious indifference but conscious irreverence toward the Spirit who applied the benefits of the New Covenant (Hebrews 10:15-18). 2. Parallel to the “Unforgivable Sin”: While Hebrews 10:29 is distinct from the saying of Jesus in Matthew 12:31-32, both passages highlight an ultimate resistance to the Spirit’s witness. In each case the offender rejects divine testimony so decisively that no further sacrifice remains. 3. Covenant Context: Old Testament law made a clear distinction between sins committed in ignorance and the “high-handed” offense (Numbers 15:30-31). Hebrews casts the willful rejection of Christ as the New Covenant counterpart to that presumptuous sin, now intensified because greater revelation has been given. Historical Context in First-Century Judaism and the Early Church Jewish Christians faced social exclusion, confiscation of property (Hebrews 10:34), and official pressure to return to synagogue life. To relieve this pressure some considered renouncing Jesus publicly. The epistle’s author employs ἐνυβρίσας to convey that such a step would not be a neutral retreat but an open insult to the Spirit who authenticated Christ’s priesthood through signs, wonders, and gifts (Hebrews 2:4). Early church fathers echoed this severity: Ignatius urged believers in Smyrna not to deny Christ “lest they become guilty of blaspheming the Spirit.” Pastoral and Ministry Applications 1. Guarding Against Presumption The term warns congregations that habitual, willful sin after full exposure to gospel truth reveals a heart growing contemptuous toward God’s grace. Discipleship must therefore nurture soft-hearted responsiveness to the Spirit’s conviction. 2. Church Discipline When professing believers demonstrate overt scorn for Christ’s atonement, Hebrews 10:29 guides elders in soberly assessing spiritual condition and, when necessary, implementing corrective discipline aimed at repentance (Galatians 6:1). 3. Assurance and Perseverance Genuine believers are encouraged to draw near “in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22). The gravity of ἐνυβρίσας heightens appreciation for the Spirit’s ongoing work of preservation and motivates mutual exhortation (Hebrews 10:24-25). Related Biblical Themes • Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31) Summary Strong’s Greek 1796 captures the extreme of spiritual arrogance: a conscious, contemptuous slight against the Spirit of grace. Its lone appearance amplifies the epistle’s call to steadfast faith, declaring that willful rejection of New Covenant mercy invites a judgment far more severe than any Old Testament sanction. The church today heeds this warning by cherishing the sanctifying work of the Spirit, upholding the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice, and urging one another to persevere in obedient trust. Forms and Transliterations ενυβρισας ενυβρίσας ἐνυβρίσας enubrisas enybrisas enybrísasLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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