Lexical Summary katasphazó: To slaughter, to slay, to kill violently Original Word: κατασφάζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance slay. From kata and sphazo; to kill down, i.e. Slaughter -- slay. see GREEK kata see GREEK sphazo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kata and sphazó Definition to kill off NASB Translation slay (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2695: κατασφάζωκατασφάζω (or κατασφαττόω): 1 aorist κατεσφαξα; "to kill off (cf. κατά III. 1), to slaughter": Luke 19:27. (the Sept.; Herodotus, Tragg., Xenophon, Josephus, Antiquities 6, 6, 4; Aelian v. h. 13, 2; Herodian, 5, 5, 16 (8 edition, Bekker).) Topical Lexicon Biblical SettingThe single New Testament occurrence stands in Luke 19:27. Within the Parable of the Ten Minas, the newly crowned king commands, “But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them in front of me” (Berean Standard Bible). The verb selected by Luke conveys a public, decisive, and irreversible act of execution. It therefore intensifies the contrast between faithful servants who are rewarded (Luke 19:17, 19) and obstinate rebels who face judgment. Imagery of Royal Judgment By choosing a word that evokes the deliberate slaughter of hostile forces, Luke presents Jesus as more than a storyteller; He is the Messianic King who will vindicate His rule. The scene recalls royal protocols in the ancient Near East where defeated insurgents were executed before the throne, underscoring sovereignty and finality. In prophetic perspective, the image anticipates the Day of the Lord when “He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God” (Revelation 19:15). Continuity with Old Testament Motifs The Septuagint uses cognate vocabulary when describing: • The destruction of Amalek by Samuel’s sword (1 Samuel 15:33). This continuity shows that divine judgment—whether sacrificial, military, or judicial—operates on the same moral principle: holiness demands the removal of persistent evil. Christological Significance Luke’s placement of the parable immediately before the Triumphal Entry (Luke 19:28–40) links the King in the account with Jesus approaching Jerusalem. His first advent provides opportunity for repentance; His second advent brings consummate justice (2 Thessalonians 1:7–9). The sharp imperative “slaughter” reveals both His right to judge and His determination to restore righteousness. Pastoral and Ministry Applications 1. Evangelistic urgency: The weight of ultimate accountability presses believers to proclaim reconciliation “before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes” (Joel 2:31). Homiletical Usage Preachers may employ Luke 19:27 to expose the danger of passive hostility toward Christ—those who “did not want Me to reign over them.” The verse balances invitations of grace (John 3:16) with warnings of judgment (Hebrews 10:26–27), keeping sermons both compassionate and truthful. Eschatological Horizon The verb anticipates the final conquest depicted in Revelation 19:11–21, where the Word of God slays the nations with the sword from His mouth. Luke’s solitary usage thus becomes a lens through which the church views history’s climax: a universal, righteous verdict issued by the enthroned Son. Summary Strong’s Greek 2695 encapsulates the severity of divine retribution reserved for unrepentant rebels against Christ’s sovereignty. Its lone appearance in Luke intensifies Jesus’ call to faithful service, affirms the certainty of a coming judgment, and undergirds the church’s mission to urge every person to surrender to the rightful King before the day of decisive, public reckoning arrives. Forms and Transliterations κατασφαξατε κατασφάξατε κατασφάξουσί κατέσφαζον katasphaxate kataspháxateLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
    |