Lexical Summary aganakteó: To be indignant, to be greatly displeased, to be grieved Original Word: ἀγανακτέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be greatly displeased, have indignation. From agan (much) and achthos (grief; akin to the base of agkale); to be greatly afflicted, i.e. (figuratively) indignant -- be much (sore) displeased, have (be moved with, with) indignation. see GREEK agkale NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain origin Definition to grieve much, hence to be indignant NASB Translation feel indignant (1), indignant (5), indignantly (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 23: ἀγανακτέωἀγανακτέω, (ῶ; 1 aorist ἠγανάκτησα; (as πλεονεκτέω comes from πλοενέκτης, and this from πλέον and ἔχω, so through a conjectural ἀγανάκτης from ἄγαν and ἄχομαι to feel pain, grieve (others besides)); to be indignant, moved with indignation: Matthew 21:15; Matthew 26:8; Mark 10:14; Mark 14:4; περί τίνος (cf. with § 33 a.), Matthew 20:24; Mark 10:41; followed by ὅτι, Luke 13:14. (From Herodotus down.) Topical Lexicon Overview The verb ἀγανακτέω appears seven times in the Greek New Testament, each occurrence located in the Synoptic Gospels. It describes a strong emotional response—variously rendered “indignant,” “resentful,” or “vexed”—that rises when an action or situation is judged offensive or unjust. The contexts reveal two sharply contrasted kinds of indignation: righteous displeasure embodied by Jesus Christ and self-centered irritation displayed by people whose expectations or priorities are threatened. Occurrences in the Gospel Narratives 1. Mark 10:14 – Jesus is indignant when the disciples hinder children. Righteous Indignation Exemplified by Christ Only once is ἀγανακτέω predicated of Jesus: “When Jesus saw this, He was indignant and told them, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’” (Mark 10:14) His displeasure defends the vulnerable and upholds the Father’s gracious purpose. The incident underscores that indignation, when grounded in divine values and aimed at protecting the weak, can be wholly righteous. Self-Centered Indignation among the Disciples a) Status and Ambition – After the request for seats of honor, “When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.” (Mark 10:41) Their anger flows not from zeal for God’s glory but from wounded pride. b) Misplaced Economy – At Bethany, “But some of them were saying to one another indignantly, ‘Why this waste of perfume?’” (Mark 14:4). The complaint masquerades as stewardship yet betrays failure to value sacrificial devotion to the Lord. Religious Leaders’ Indignation a) Opposition to Praise – “When the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things He did, and the children shouting in the temple courts, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David,’ they were indignant.” (Matthew 21:15) Their displeasure exposes hearts hardened against Messianic revelation. b) Legalistic Scruple – “The synagogue leader, indignant that Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the crowd, ‘There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days and not on the Sabbath.’” (Luke 13:14). Here indignation protects tradition at the expense of mercy. Theological Reflections • Scripture never condemns emotion itself; it weighs the motive and object of that emotion. Pastoral and Ministry Implications 1. Guard the flock: Like Jesus, leaders must be quick to confront attitudes or practices that impede access to the gospel, especially for the weak. Historical Notes First-century Jewish society prized honor, strict Sabbath observance, and prudent use of resources. The recorded outbreaks of indignation therefore reveal cultural fault lines that Jesus consistently challenged: elevating children, redefining greatness as servanthood, prioritizing mercy over ritual, and welcoming extravagant worship. Each episode confronts contemporary assumptions and reorients them toward the kingdom ethic. Practical Application for the Church Today • Evaluate congregational traditions: Do any hinder “little ones” from approaching Christ? In every appearance of ἀγανακτέω, the Spirit-inspired narrative invites readers to align their emotional life with the heart of Christ, who is never indifferent to injustice yet ever patient toward sinners. Forms and Transliterations αγανακτειν αγανακτείν ἀγανακτεῖν αγανακτουντες αγανακτούντες ἀγανακτοῦντες αγανακτων αγανακτών ἀγανακτῶν ηγανακτησαν ηγανάκτησαν ἠγανάκτησαν ηγανακτησεν ηγανάκτησεν ἠγανάκτησεν aganaktein aganakteîn aganakton aganaktôn aganaktōn aganaktō̂n aganaktountes aganaktoûntes eganaktesan eganáktesan ēganaktēsan ēganáktēsan eganaktesen eganáktesen ēganaktēsen ēganáktēsenLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 20:24 V-AIA-3PGRK: οἱ δέκα ἠγανάκτησαν περὶ τῶν NAS: [this], the ten became indignant with the two KJV: heard [it], they were moved with indignation against INT: the ten were indignant about the Matthew 21:15 V-AIA-3P Matthew 26:8 V-AIA-3P Mark 10:14 V-AIA-3S Mark 10:41 V-PNA Mark 14:4 V-PPA-NMP Luke 13:14 V-PPA-NMS Strong's Greek 23 |
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