Lexical Summary klinó: To incline, to bow, to lay down, to turn aside Original Word: κλίνω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cause to bow down, bend, wear away. A primary verb; to slant or slope, i.e. Incline or recline (literally or figuratively) -- bow (down), be far spent, lay, turn to flight, wear away. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. verb Definition to cause to bend NASB Translation bowed (2), ending (1), lay (2), nearly over (1), put to flight (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2827: κλίνωκλίνω; 1 aorist ἔκλινα; perfect κέκλικα; 1. transitive, a. to incline, bow: τήν κεφαλήν, of one dying, John 19:30; τό πρόσωπον εἰς τήν γῆν, of the terrified, Luke 24:5. b. equivalent to to cause to fall back: παρεμβολάς, Latininclinare acies, i. e. to turn to flight, Hebrews 11:34 (μάχην, Homer, Iliad 14, 510; Τρῳάς, 5, 37; Ἀχαιους, Odyssey 9, 59). c. to recline: τήν κεφαλήν, in a place for repose (A. V. lay one's head), Matthew 8:20; Luke 9:58. 2. intransitive, to incline oneself (cf. Buttmann, 145 (127); Winers Grammar, § 38, 1): of the declining day (A. V. wear away, be far spent), Luke 9:12; Luke 24:29; Jeremiah 6:4; ἅμα τῷ κλῖναι τό τρίτον μέρος τῆς νικτος, Polybius 3, 93, 7; ἐγκλινατος τοῦ ἡλίου ἐς ἑσπέραν, Arrian anab. 3, 4, 2. (Compare: ἀνακλίνω, ἐκκλίνω, κατακλίνω, προσκλίνω.) The verb κλίνω portrays an intentional movement from a position of uprightness toward one of inclination, bowing, or downward turning. Whether applied to a person, an army, or the passing of daylight, it consistently signals transition—either voluntary (humble submission, rest) or providential (the fading of the day, the routing of enemies). Humility and the Cost of Discipleship (Matthew 8:20; Luke 9:58) When a scribe pledges to follow Jesus “wherever” He goes, the Lord answers: “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head” (Matthew 8:20). κλίνω underscores the physical act of laying one’s head, yet the statement exposes the deeper spiritual cost of following Christ. Earth’s creatures can recline in their appointed habitats, but the Redeemer chooses homelessness to fulfill the Father’s will. Luke 9:58 reiterates the same truth—discipleship involves relinquishing earthly securities before one may ever “incline” the head in lasting rest. Passion Narrative and the Victory of Submission (John 19:30) John records the climactic moment of the crucifixion: “When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished.’ And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit” (John 19:30). The bowing is not an act of defeat but of sovereign completion. κλίνω here marks the deliberate, authoritative surrender of life. The eternal Son inclines His head only after declaring the redemptive work accomplished, revealing both His obedience and His dominion over death (John 10:18). Worshipful Awe before Resurrection Glory (Luke 24:5) At the empty tomb the women, confronted by heavenly messengers, “bowed their faces to the ground.” κλίνω depicts worshipful reverence prompted by resurrection reality. Their inclined posture mirrors the heart’s submission to revelation: when confronted with the risen Lord’s triumph, the appropriate response is humble prostration, not perplexity or doubt. The Declining Day and Messianic Fellowship (Luke 9:12; Luke 24:29) κλίνω also pictures the sun’s descent. Luke 9:12 observes, “As the day began to decline, the twelve came to Him and said, ‘Dismiss the crowd…’”. The verb sets the scene for the feeding of the five thousand, an event revealing Christ’s sufficiency at the hour of human limitation. Later, on the Emmaus road, the disciples plead, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over” (Luke 24:29). The physical dimming of daylight presses them into intimate communion with the resurrected Christ, culminating in opened eyes and burning hearts. The declining day thus becomes an occasion for fuller revelation. Divine Triumph through Weakness (Hebrews 11:34) “Quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, became mighty in battle, and put foreign armies to flight” (Hebrews 11:34). κλίνω captures how faith-empowered saints turned enemy hosts to retreat. The verb shifts from personal bowing to martial reversal: hostile forces are the ones forced to ‘incline’—to bend away in flight. The same God who receives humble submission from His people causes adversaries to yield before them. Historical and Pastoral Reflections 1. Posture of the Servant-King: From manger to cross, Jesus’ life is marked by voluntary inclination—He bows not merely His head but His entire will. Ministry patterned after His example resists self-exaltation and embraces downward mobility for the sake of the gospel. Application for Contemporary Ministry • Cultivate practices—both liturgical and personal—that express humble inclination before God, reminding congregations that surrender precedes empowerment. κλίνω thus weaves through Scripture a unified testimony: those who willingly incline themselves before the Lord will see kingdoms bend, darkness recede, and the final Sabbath rest secured by the One who bowed His head and finished the work. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 8:20 V-PSA-3SGRK: τὴν κεφαλὴν κλίνῃ NAS: has nowhere to lay His head. KJV: not where to lay [his] head. INT: the head he might lay Luke 9:12 V-PNA Luke 9:58 V-PSA-3S Luke 24:5 V-PPA-GFP Luke 24:29 V-RIA-3S John 19:30 V-APA-NMS Hebrews 11:34 V-AIA-3P Strong's Greek 2827 |
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