Lexical Summary kuma: Wave Original Word: κῦμα Strong's Exhaustive Concordance wave. From kuo (to swell (with young), i.e. Bend, curve); a billow (as bursting or toppling) -- wave. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kuó (to be pregnant, swell) Definition a wave NASB Translation waves (4). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2949: κῦμακῦμα, κυματος, τό (from κυέῶ to swell; Curtius, § 79; from Homer down), a wave (cf. English swell), especially of the sea or of a lake: Matthew 8:24; Matthew 14:24; Mark 4:37; Acts 27:41 (R G Tr text brackets); κύματα ἄγρια, properly, Wis. 14:1; with θαλάσσης added, of impulsive and restless men, tossed to and fro by their raging passions, Jude 1:13. (Synonym: cf. κλύδων.) Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek 2949 pictures literal waves surging on open water and, by extension, figurative surges of moral and spiritual unrest. Although the term appears only five times in the Greek New Testament, each context draws on rich Old Testament backgrounds and contributes to a whole-Bible theology in which God alone can still the storm—whether natural, emotional, or doctrinal. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Matthew 8:24 – the disciples’ boat is “engulfed by the waves,” revealing their helplessness apart from Christ. Historical and Cultural Background First-century Jews and Gentiles regarded the sea as both a trade route and a threat. Fishermen on the Sea of Galilee could be overwhelmed in minutes when cool eastern winds collided with warm air rising from the water. Mediterranean sailors likewise dreaded sudden squalls that could dash a vessel onto shoals, as in Acts 27. Thus the New Testament writers use 2949 to evoke terror, power, and unpredictability—forces only the Creator can master. Symbolism of Waves in Scripture • Chaos opposed to divine order (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 93:3-4). These strands converge so that every Gospel storm narrative becomes a miniature creation account: the Lord speaks, chaos yields, and faith is called forth. Christ’s Authority Over Creation The three Synoptic storm scenes center on Jesus’ supremacy: The waves dramatize human vulnerability, but more importantly they showcase the incarnate Word restoring order with the same divine voice that spoke in Genesis. Waves as Metaphor for Human Restlessness and False Teaching Jude 1:13 shifts from physical danger to doctrinal peril: “wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame.” Here uncontrolled motion pictures those who reject apostolic truth. Like surf that deposits debris on the shore, their teaching leaves moral ruin. The imagery warns the church that untamed rhetoric and counterfeit grace inevitably expose themselves under the searching light of Scripture. Ministry Lessons from Acts 27 Paul’s wreck off Malta reveals: Mission therefore advances not by avoidance of storms but by confidence in the Lord who rules them. Practical Applications 1. Trust Christ amid literal or figurative tempests; His past mastery guarantees present help (Hebrews 13:8). Related Old Testament Parallels Job 38:8-11 and Psalm 107:23-30 foreshadow the Gospel accounts; both portray the Lord setting boundaries for the sea and rescuing sailors who “cry out to the Lord in their trouble.” These texts connect Israel’s covenant God with Jesus of Nazareth, affirming scriptural continuity. Conclusion Strong’s 2949, though numerically sparse, forms a thematic thread binding creation, redemption, judgment, and perseverance. Whether describing Galilean squalls, Mediterranean shipwrecks, or the turbulent speech of heretics, the waves ultimately highlight the unassailable lordship of Christ and call every believer to steadfast, discerning faith. Forms and Transliterations κύμα κυμαίνουσα κυμαινούσης κυμαίνουσιν κύμασιν κυματα κύματα κύματά κυμάτια κυμάτιον κυματων κυμάτων κυμβαλίζοντες kumata kumaton kumatōn kymata kýmata kymaton kymatōn kymáton kymátōnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 8:24 N-GNPGRK: ὑπὸ τῶν κυμάτων αὐτὸς δὲ NAS: was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself KJV: was covered with the waves: but he INT: by the waves he himself however Matthew 14:24 N-GNP Mark 4:37 N-NNP Acts 27:41 Noun-GNP Jude 1:13 N-NNP Strong's Greek 2949 |
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