Lexical Summary parapikrainó: To provoke, to embitter, to exasperate Original Word: παραπικραίνω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance provoke. From para and pikraino; to embitter alongside, i.e. (figuratively) to exasperate -- provoke. see GREEK para see GREEK pikraino NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom para and pikrainó Definition to embitter, provoke NASB Translation provoked (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3893: παραπικραίνωπαραπικραίνω: 1 aorist παρεπίκρανα; (see παρά, IV. 3); the Sept. chiefly for מָרָה, הִמְרָה, to be rebellious, contumacious, refractory; also for סָרַר, הִכְעִיס, etc.; to provoke, exasperate; to rouse to indignation: absolutely, (yet so that God is thought of as the one provoked), Hebrews 3:16. as in Psalm 105:7 Topical Lexicon Textual SettingThe sole New Testament appearance of the verb occurs in Hebrews 3:16, where the writer asks, “For who were those who heard and rebelled?” (Berean Standard Bible). The word identifies the generation that left Egypt under Moses yet responded to God’s voice with provocation instead of faith. By choosing this rare verb the epistle deliberately reaches back to the Greek of Psalm 95:8 in the Septuagint, fusing Israel’s historical defiance with the present danger of Christian apostasy. Old Testament Backdrop Psalm 95 recalls the incidents at Massah and Meribah (Exodus 17:1-7; Numbers 20:1-13) where thirst-stricken Israel “tested” the LORD. The Septuagint twice employs the cognate noun to label that day “of provocation.” Later rebellion at Kadesh-barnea (Numbers 14) climaxed in refusal to enter Canaan, provoking forty years of wandering. The Greek verb therefore carries the flavor of prolonged, willful embitterment toward God rather than a single impulsive lapse. Theological Weight in Hebrews 1. Unbelieving Disobedience The writer links the wilderness provocation with “an evil, unbelieving heart” (Hebrews 3:12). Hearing God’s voice without combining it with faith (Hebrews 4:2) produces a settled stance of resistance that offends His holiness. 2. Loss of Rest As provocation forfeited entry into the land for Israel, so a hardened heart forfeits the eschatological “Sabbath rest” promised to believers (Hebrews 4:9-11). The unique verb underscores the seriousness of neglecting so great a salvation. 3. Continuity of God’s Dealings By quoting Psalm 95 in present tense—“Today, if you hear His voice” (Hebrews 3:7, 15)—the author shows that the moral character of God and the consequences of rebellion are unaltered from Old to New Covenant. Historical Reception Early Christian writers such as Clement of Rome (1 Clement 45) invoked the same wilderness narratives to warn the church at Corinth, demonstrating that the theology of provocation shaped Christian exhortation from the first generation onward. The patristic consensus read the episode typologically: Israel’s journey prefigures the church’s pilgrimage, and provocation serves as a perennial caution. Ministry Application • Exhort One Another Daily Hebrews 3:13 prescribes mutual encouragement “so that none of you may be hardened.” Pastoral ministry should cultivate communities where sin is confronted early, preventing the slow embitterment captured by the verb. • Guard Corporate Memory Teaching must rehearse salvation history. Forgetfulness of God’s past works paved the way for Israel’s provocation; remembrance fortifies contemporary faith (Psalm 106:7). • Maintain a Tender Conscience The Spirit still speaks “Today.” Quick, humble responsiveness to Scripture and providence keeps the heart pliable and worshipful. Practical Warnings and Promises – Provocation is not merely emotional irritation toward God but an entrenched posture that, if unchecked, culminates in exclusion from promised rest. – Yet the very citation of “Today” signals that repentance remains open; the same God who swore in wrath also extends mercy to the contrite (Psalm 95:11; Hebrews 4:16). Summary Though occurring only once in the New Testament, the verb in Hebrews 3:16 gathers the whole weight of Israel’s wilderness rebellion into a single word. It warns that unbelief can mature into hardened provocation, jeopardizing entrance into God’s rest. By holding Israel’s history before the church, the Spirit urges vigilant faith, communal exhortation, and unwavering confidence in the sufficiency of Christ. Forms and Transliterations παραπικραίνοντα παραπικραίνοντας παραπικραίνοντάς παραπικραίνοντες παραπικραίνουσα παραπικραίνουσί παραπικραίνων παραπικράναι παραπικράναί παρεπίκρανα παρεπικραναν παρεπίκραναν παρεπίκρανάν παρεπίκρανας παρεπίκρανε parepikranan parepíkrananLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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