Lexical Summary echidna: Viper, serpent Original Word: ἔχιδνα Strong's Exhaustive Concordance viper. Of uncertain origin; an adder or other poisonous snake (literally or figuratively) -- viper. HELPS Word-studies 2191 é NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom echis (a viper, adder) Definition a viper NASB Translation viper (1), vipers (4). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2191: ἔχιδναἔχιδνα, ἐχιδνης, ἡ, a viper: Acts 28:3 (Hesiod, Herodotus, Tragg., Aristophanes, Plato, others); γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν offspring of vipers (anguigenae, Ovid, metam. 3,531), addressed to cunning, malignant, wicked men: Matthew 3:7; Matthew 12:34; Matthew 23:33; Luke 3:7. Topical Lexicon Natural Background and Symbolism The viper was well known in the lands of Scripture as a small but deadly desert snake whose bite injected swift-acting venom. Because it often hid beneath sand or debris, the creature embodied treachery, hidden danger, and mortal threat. Within the Old Testament, serpents already stood as emblems of deception (Genesis 3:1-5) and of divine judgment (Numbers 21:6). Against that backdrop, the New Testament writers invoke the viper to sharpen prophetic warnings, expose hypocrisy, and highlight God’s sovereign protection of His servants. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Matthew 3:7 John the Baptist’s Call to True Repentance Both Matthew 3:7 and Luke 3:7 record John confronting religious leaders: “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his place of baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?’” (Matthew 3:7). The imagery pierces the façade of piety by likening mere ritualistic attendance to a den of venomous snakes escaping a brushfire. John demands fruit in keeping with repentance, insisting that lineage to Abraham offers no immunity from divine wrath. The viper, therefore, becomes a mirror exposing hearts that cling to ancestral privilege while remaining spiritually poisonous. Jesus’ Exposure of Religious Hypocrisy Jesus intensifies the metaphor in Matthew 12:34 and Matthew 23:33: “You brood of vipers! How can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 12:34) “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape the sentence of hell?” (Matthew 23:33) Here the Lord links venomous speech to a corrupt heart, indicting leaders whose outward appearance cloaks inward rebellion. The parallel to Satan, the ancient serpent, is unmistakable; their false teaching spreads death just as real venom courses through a victim’s bloodstream. Christ’s words thereby uphold the moral unity of Scripture: hypocrisy is never a minor flaw but evidence of alignment with the serpent’s seed (Genesis 3:15; John 8:44). Apostolic Encounter and Divine Protection Acts 28:3 shifts the image from indictment to deliverance. “Paul gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he laid them on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand.” Islanders expected Paul to swell up and die, yet he “suffered no harm” (Acts 28:5). The incident validates Jesus’ promise that nothing shall ultimately harm those sent in His name (Mark 16:18). Where the viper once symbolized mortal peril, its impotent bite now testifies to the Gospel’s triumph over the curse. Theological Themes • Depravity Exposed: The viper metaphor unmasks self-righteousness, stressing that external religion apart from new birth is lethal. Applications for Contemporary Discipleship 1. Examine Speech: Venomous words betray a venomous heart; believers must cultivate speech seasoned with grace (Colossians 4:6). Forms and Transliterations εχιδνα έχιδνα ἔχιδνα εχιδνων εχιδνών ἐχιδνῶν εχίνοι εχίνος εχίνους echidna échidna echidnon echidnôn echidnōn echidnō̂nLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 3:7 N-GFPGRK: αὐτοῖς Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν τίς ὑπέδειξεν NAS: to them, You brood of vipers, who KJV: O generation of vipers, who INT: to them Brood of vipers who forewarned Matthew 12:34 N-GFP Matthew 23:33 N-GFP Luke 3:7 N-GFP Acts 28:3 N-NFS Strong's Greek 2191 |
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