Lexical Summary analiskó: To consume, to spend, to use up Original Word: ἀναλίσκω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance consume, destroy.From ana and a form of the alternate of haireomai; properly, to use up, i.e. Destroy -- consume. see GREEK ana see GREEK haireomai NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ana and haliskó (to conquer) Definition to expend, consume NASB Translation consume (1), consumed (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 355: ἀναλίσκωἀναλίσκω: from the present ἀναλόω (3 person singular ἀναλοι, 2 Thessalonians 2:8 WH marginal reading) come the future ἀναλώσω; 1 aorist ἀνήλωσα and ἀναλωσα (see Veitch); 1 aorist passive ἀνηλωθην; (the simple verb is found only in the passive ἁλίσκομαι to be taken; but ἆ in ἁλίσκομαι is short, in ἀναλίσκω long; cf. Alexander Buttmann (1873) Ausf. Spr. ii., p. 113; (Veitch, see under the words; "the different quantity, the active form, the transitive sense of the perfect, and above all the difference of sense, indicate a different origin for the two verbs." Liddell and Scott)); (from Pindar down); 1. to expend; to consume, e. g. χρήματα (to spend money; very often in Xenophon). 2. to consume, use up, destroy: Luke 9:54; Galatians 5:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:8 R G WH marginal reading (the Sept. Jeremiah 27:7 STRONGS NT 355: ἀναλόω [ἀναλόω, see ἀναλίσκω.] Strong’s Greek 355 appears only twice in the New Testament, yet its imagery of “being consumed” forms a vivid reminder of how quickly zeal or conflict can destroy what God intends for blessing. The verb portrays complete expenditure—whether of lives by divine judgment or of relationships through unchecked strife. Occurrences in Scripture • Luke 9:54 – James and John, angered by Samaritan rejection, ask, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”. Themes of Divine Judgment and Human Vengeance Luke 9:54 recalls 2 Kings 1:10-12, where Elijah twice calls down fire that “consumed” hostile captains. The disciples assume that messianic authority legitimizes similar retribution. Jesus immediately rebukes them (Luke 9:55-56), revealing a new covenant ethos: salvation rather than destruction (John 3:17). The passage contrasts impulsive human retaliation with the measured righteousness of God, who reserves judgment for Himself (Romans 12:19). Warning Against Destructive Intra-Community Behavior Galatians 5:15 transposes the same verb from physical ruin to relational ruin. Paul pictures the church body devouring itself through rivalry, a reversal of the Spirit-produced fruit listed moments later (Galatians 5:22-23). The warning fits the broader “one another” ethic (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13). Where the flesh reigns, mutual consumption replaces mutual edification (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Historical and Intertestamental Background Jewish tradition prized divine justice against oppressors (Psalm 97:3; Sirach 48:1). First-century messianic expectations often included catastrophic judgment on the ungodly. Luke 9 captures disciples shaped by that milieu. Paul, writing to Galatians steeped in factionalism, appropriates the same consuming metaphor familiar from Hellenistic moralists who described civil strife as wild beasts devouring one another. Relation to Old Testament Motifs Fire as an agent of total consumption appears from Genesis 19:24 to Malachi 4:1. Yet the Lord also identifies Himself in a consuming capacity for purifying ends (Deuteronomy 4:24). The New Testament balances these motifs: while final judgment remains (Hebrews 12:29; Revelation 20:9), believers are called to embody mercy that rescues others from fiery ruin (Jude 23). Use in Early Christian Teaching Early patristic writers cited Galatians 5:15 when addressing schism. Ignatius of Antioch warned the Magnesians that jealousy “consumes” the soul; Cyprian viewed internal discord as a greater threat than external persecution. The term thus became shorthand for spiritual cannibalism dismantling ecclesial witness. Practical Ministry Insights 1. Discern Zeal: Passion for righteousness must be yoked to Christ’s redemptive purpose, not personal offense. Related Biblical Imagery • Devouring fire – Exodus 24:17; Isaiah 33:14 Summary Strong’s Greek 355 serves as a concise biblical picture of total expenditure—either by divine act or by human hostility. Luke 9:54 reveals Christ’s refusal to employ destructive power against sinners in the present age, while Galatians 5:15 warns that unchecked fleshly behavior will dismantle Christian community from within. Together they call believers to exchange consuming wrath for Spirit-led love, thereby reflecting the Lord who “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish” (2 Peter 3:9). Englishman's Concordance Luke 9:54 V-ANAGRK: οὐρανοῦ καὶ ἀναλῶσαι αὐτούς NAS: from heaven and consume them? KJV: heaven, and consume them, even INT: heaven and consume them Galatians 5:15 V-ASP-2P Strong's Greek 355 |
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