Lexical Summary Nineuités: Ninevite Original Word: Νινευίτης Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of Nineve, Ninevite. From Nineui; a Ninevite, i.e. Inhabitant of Nineveh -- of Nineve, Ninevite. see GREEK Nineui NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom Nineui Definition a Ninevite, an inhab. of Ninevah NASB Translation Nineveh (2), Ninevites (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3536: Νινευίτης[Νινευίτης R G (so Tr in Luke 11:32), or] Νινευίτης (L (so Tr in Luke 11:30)) or νινευειτης T WH (SO Tr in Matthew 12:41) (see εἰ, ἰ and Tdf. Proleg., p. 86; WH's Appendix, p. 154b), Νινευιτου, ὁ, (Νινευι<, which see), equivalent to Νινιος in Herodotus and Strabo; a Ninevite, an inhabitant of Nineveh: Matthew 12:41; Luke 11:30, and L T Tr WH in 32. The term refers to the inhabitants of ancient Nineveh, the capital of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. Situated on the east bank of the Tigris River, Nineveh was renowned for its military prowess, vast wealth, and imposing walls. Scripture first mentions the city in Genesis 10:11-12 as part of Nimrod’s expansion, and later portrays it as a dominant yet morally corrupt metropolis brought to repentance through the preaching of Jonah (Jonah 3:5-10). Occurrence in the New Testament Νινευῖται/Νινευίταις appears three times, all on the lips of Jesus Christ: Matthew 12:41; Luke 11:30, 32. In each instance the Ninevites are invoked as witnesses against the unbelief of Jesus’ contemporaries. The recurring theme is: repentance received, judgment postponed. Old Testament Foundations 1. Nineveh’s wickedness prompted Jonah’s prophetic commission (Jonah 1:2). Themes of Repentance and Judgment Jesus leverages Nineveh’s historical repentance to underscore Israel’s accountability. “The men of Nineveh will stand at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now One greater than Jonah is here” (Matthew 12:41). The argument moves from the lesser to the greater: if pagans responded to a reluctant prophet after a single message, how much more should covenant people respond to the incarnate Word accompanied by signs and wonders. Christological Significance: The Sign of Jonah “As Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation” (Luke 11:30). Jonah’s three days in the great fish prefigured Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (Matthew 12:40). The Ninevites serve as historical proof that the sign of Jonah (resurrection after three days) carries inherent power to provoke repentance among those who heed it. Gospel and Mission Implications 1. Universal Scope: The Ninevites exemplify Gentile inclusion. Their acceptance of God’s message foreshadows the gospel’s reach “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Exhortations for Contemporary Ministry • Preach repentance plainly; God honors humble response over heritage or ritual. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 12:41 N-NMPGRK: ἄνδρες Νινευῖται ἀναστήσονται ἐν NAS: The men of Nineveh will stand KJV: The men of Nineveh shall rise in INT: the men of nineveh will stand up in Luke 11:30 N-DMP Luke 11:32 N-NMP Strong's Greek 3536 |
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