Lexical Summary euthunó: To make straight, to guide, to direct Original Word: εὐθύνω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance make straight. From euthus; to straighten (level); technically, to steer -- governor, make straight. see GREEK euthus HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 2116 euthýnō – make straight, i.e. do immediately, without deviation or unnecessary delay. See 2117 (euthys). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom euthus Definition to make straight NASB Translation make straight (1), pilot (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2116: εὐθύνωεὐθύνω; 1 aorist imperative 2 person plural εὐθύνατε; (εὐθύς); a. to make straight, level, plain: τήν ὁδόν, John 1:23 (Sir. 2:6 Sir. 37:15). b. to lead or guide straight, to keep straight, to direct, (often so in Greek writings): ὁ ἐυθυνων, the steersman, helmsman of a ship, James 3:4. (Euripides, Cycl. 15; of a charioteer, Numbers 22:23; Isocrates, p. 9; others) (Compare: κατευθύνω.) At its heart, the word portrays the action of bringing something into a correct, direct line—either literally (to straighten a path) or figuratively (to guide a course). It pictures intervention that removes obstacles, aligns what is crooked, and sets a sure heading toward a desired goal. Old Testament Background In Isaiah 40:3 the herald commands, “Prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” The Septuagint renders “make straight” with this same verb, anchoring the thought in eschatological hope: when the path is leveled, the glory of the LORD is revealed. Thus the term already carried the twin ideas of (1) preparing for divine visitation and (2) moral-spiritual rectitude. Prophets repeatedly summoned Israel to “straighten” her ways so that covenant blessing might flow unhindered (for example, Proverbs 3:6; Isaiah 45:2). New Testament Usage John the Baptist adopts Isaiah’s call: “Make straight the way for the Lord”. His use announces that the long-awaited visitation of God has arrived in Jesus the Messiah. “Straightening” is therefore repentant readiness—hearts levelled by confession and lives realigned to the coming King. By echoing Isaiah, John casts his baptizing work as an immediate fulfillment of the prophetic highway imagery. James applies the same verb to the pilot who “steers” a vast ship: though winds rage, a small rudder “is steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot is inclined”. The picture shifts from preparing a roadway to directing a vessel, but the underlying idea remains—bringing something massive under disciplined guidance. James uses the illustration to stress mastery of the tongue; just as a rudder can determine a ship’s destiny, so speech can shape a believer’s entire course. Theological Themes 1. Divine Preparation and Human Repentance The straight highway motif proclaims that God’s redemptive advance meets prepared hearts. Repentance is not self-help moralism; it is the necessary alignment for receiving grace. The verb underscores that God’s coming demands changed direction before it brings comfort. 2. Sovereign Guidance Versus Human Autonomy James highlights the striking disproportion between rudder and ship. Likewise, a surrendered tongue—though small—can keep a life on course under the Master’s hand. The word therefore affirms God-given capacity to direct powerful forces toward His purposes. 3. Continuity of Revelation From Isaiah to John to James, Scripture presents one coherent message: the Lord straightens what is crooked and calls His people to embody that straightness. The occurrences show how a single term binds prophetic expectation, gospel inauguration, and pastoral exhortation into a unified biblical theology. Historical Reception Early Christian writers often linked John 1:23 with baptismal catechesis, urging converts to “straighten” their lives before Easter baptism. Patristic homilies on James 3:4 turned the steering image into counsel for church leaders: the bishop, like a pilot, must keep the community on a true doctrinal course. Throughout monastic literature, the verb signified the disciplined life—prayer, fasting, and obedience as means of aligning the soul. Ministry Implications Today • Evangelism and Discipleship: Presenting the gospel involves calling listeners to clear the debris of sin so that Christ may enter unhindered. Summary Strong’s Greek 2116 encapsulates the biblical movement from crookedness to straightness, from aimless drift to purposeful direction. Whether preparing a desert highway for the Lord or steering a wind-tossed ship toward safe harbor, the term summons God’s people to active alignment with His redemptive path. Englishman's Concordance John 1:23 V-AMA-2PGRK: τῇ ἐρήμῳ Εὐθύνατε τὴν ὁδὸν NAS: IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY KJV: the wilderness, Make straight the way INT: the wilderness Make straight the way James 3:4 V-PPA-GMS Strong's Greek 2116 |
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