Lexical Summary polusplagchnos: Compassionate, tender-hearted, merciful Original Word: πολυσπλαγχνός Strong's Exhaustive Concordance compassionate, pitiful. From polus and splagchnon (figuratively); extremely compassionate -- very pitiful. see GREEK polus see GREEK splagchnon HELPS Word-studies 4184 polýsplagxnos (from 4183 /polýs, "many" and 4698 /splágxnon, "a bowel") – properly, "many-boweled," referring to full affection (intense, visceral feeling), used only in Js 5:11. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom polus and splagchnon Definition very compassionate NASB Translation full of compassion (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4184: πολυεύσπλαγχνοςπολυεύσπλαγχνος, πολυευσπλαγχνον (πολύ and εὔσπλαγχνος), very tender-hearted, extremely full of pity: so a few minuscule manuscripts in James 5:11, where others have πολύσπλαγχνος, which see (Ecclesiastical and Byzantine writings.) STRONGS NT 4184: πολύσπλαγχνοςπολύσπλαγχνος, πολυσπλαγχνον (πολύς, and σπλάγχνον which see), full of pity, very kind: James 5:11; Hebrew חֶסֶד רַב, in the Sept. πολυέλεος. (Theod. Stud., p. 615.) Derived from the compound of πολύς (“much, many”) and σπλάγχνα (“inner organs,” metaphorically “deep feelings, tender mercy”), πολύσπλαγχνος expresses an intensified form of compassionate concern. The imagery moves the seat of mercy from mere sentiment to the deepest recesses of one’s being, presenting compassion as something that stirs the whole person into action. Usage in Scripture James 5:11 employs the adjective uniquely in the New Testament: “The Lord is full of compassion and mercy” (James 5:11). James links the attribute to God’s response toward those who persevere under trial, highlighting that divine pity is not abstract but revealed in decisive, redemptive outcomes—here illustrated by Job’s restoration. By reserving the word for God alone, James preserves its superlative force and invites the church to ground patience in the certainty of God’s deep‐seated mercies. Old Testament Backdrop The thought world of πολύσπλαγχνος echoes the Hebrew רַחֲמִים (rachamim, “tender mercies”). Passages such as Exodus 34:6, “The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious,” and Psalm 103:13, “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him,” establish a covenant pattern of mercy that James assumes. The Septuagint often renders רַחֲמִים with σπλάγχνα, preparing Hellenistic readers to understand God’s pity as visceral, covenantal, and active. Christological Connections The Gospels routinely ascribe σπλαγχνίζομαι (“to be moved with compassion”) to Jesus (Matthew 9:36; 14:14; Mark 1:41). Though the exact form πολύσπλαγχνος does not appear, James’s affirmation coheres with the incarnate ministry of Christ, who embodies the “fullness of deity” and therefore the fullness of divine compassion. Christ’s miracles, parables (e.g., the Good Samaritan, Luke 10:33), and ultimately the cross demonstrate that God’s pity culminates in sacrificial self‐giving. Theological Significance 1. Attribute of Divine Character: πολύσπλαγχνος safeguards the truth that mercy is intrinsic to God, not merely reactive. Historical and Cultural Insight In Greco‐Roman ethics, pity (οἰκτιρμός) was sometimes viewed as weakness; Stoics sought apatheia. By selecting πολύσπλαγχνος, James counters that worldview, teaching a community scattered among the nations (James 1:1) that true strength lies in divine compassion. Jewish tradition likewise elevated mercy (Micah 6:8), but James intensifies it by attaching a superlative exclusively to the Lord. Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Consolation in Affliction: Pastors may assure sufferers that the same Lord who pitied Job sees and will act. Contemporary Relevance In an age marked by cynicism and detachment, πολύσπλαγχνος calls the church to recover a robust theology of mercy that engages both emotion and action. Whether addressing trauma, social injustice, or everyday discouragement, believers imitate their Lord when they move beyond sympathy to sacrificial involvement, thus making visible the compassion that resides in God’s own heart. |
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