Lexical Summary rhéma: Word, saying, utterance, matter Original Word: ῥῆμα Strong's Exhaustive Concordance saying, word. From rheo; an utterance (individually, collectively or specially),; by implication, a matter or topic (especially of narration, command or dispute); with a negative naught whatever -- + evil, + nothing, saying, word. see GREEK rheo HELPS Word-studies 4487 rhḗma (from 4483 /rhéō, "to speak") – a spoken word, made "by the living voice" (J. Thayer). 4487 /rhḗma ("spoken-word") is commonly used in the NT (and in LXX) for the Lord speaking His dynamic, living word in a believer to inbirth faith ("His inwrought persuasion"). Ro 10:17: "So faith proceeds from (spiritual) hearing; moreover this hearing (is consummated) through a rhēma-word (4487 /rhḗma) from Christ" (Gk text). [See also Gal 3:2,5 which refers to "the hearing of faith" (Gk text) – i.e. a spiritual hearing that goes with the divine inbirthing of faith.] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom a modified form of ereó Definition a word, by impl. a matter NASB Translation charge (1), discourse (1), fact (2), matters (1), message (2), nothing* (1), remark (1), say (1), say say (1), saying (1), sayings (3), statement (6), thing (2), things (4), word (18), words (22). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4487: ῤῆμαῤῆμα, ῤήματος, τό (from Ρ᾽ΑΩ, perfect passive ἐίρημαι), from Theognis, Herodotus, Pindar down; the Sept. chiefly for דָּבָר; also for אֹמֶר, מִלָּה, פֶּה, אִמְרָה, etc.; 1. properly, that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word (cf. ἔπος, also λόγος, I. 1); i. e. a. any sound produced by the voice and having a definite meaning: Matthew 27:14; ῤῆμα γλώσσης, Sir. 4:24; φωνή ῤημάτων, a sound of words, Hebrews 12:19; ῤήματα ἄρρητα (unspeakable words), 2 Corinthians 12:4. b. Plural, τά ῤήματα, speech, discourse (because it consists of words either few or many (cf. Philo, leg. alleg. 3, 61 τό δέ ῤῆμα μέρος λόγου)): Luke 7:1; Acts 2:14; words, sayings, John 8:20; John 10:21; Acts ( c. a series of words joined together into a sentence (a declaration of one's mind made in words); α. universally, an utterance, declaration (German eine Aeusserung).: Matthew 26:75; Mark 9:32; Mark 14:72; Luke 2:50; Luke 9:45; Luke 18:34; Luke 20:26; Acts 11:16; Acts 28:25; with adjectives, ῤῆμα ἀργόν, Matthew 12:36; εἰπεῖν πονηρόν ῤῆμα κατά τίνος, to assail one with abuse, Matthew 5:11 (R G; others omit ῤῆμα). β. a saying of any sort, as a message, a narrative: concerning some occurrence, λαλεῖν τό ῤῆμα περί τίνος, Luke 2:17; ῤῆμα τῆς πίστεως, the word of faith, i. e. concerning the necessity of putting faith in Christ, Romans 10:8; a promise, Luke 1:38; Luke 2:29; καλόν Θεοῦ ῤῆμα, God's gracious, comforting promise (of salvation), Hebrews 6:5 (see καλός, c.); καθαρίσας ... ἐν ῤήματι, according to promise (properly, on the ground of his word of promise, viz. the promise of the pardon of sins; cf. Mark 16:16), Ephesians 5:26 (others take ῤήματι here as equivalent to 'the gospel,' cf. Ephesians 6:17, Romans 10:8; (see Meyer at the passage)); the word by which something is commanded, directed, enjoined: Matthew 4:4 (cf. Winer's Grammar, 389 (364) n.); Luke 4:4 R G L Tr in brackets; Hebrews 11:3; a command, Luke 5:5; ἐγένετο ῤῆμα Θεοῦ ἐπί τινα, Luke 3:2 (Jeremiah 1:1; πρός τινα, Genesis 15:1; 1 Kings 18:1); plural ῤήματα παρά σου, words from thee, i. e. to be spoken by time, Acts 10:22; ῤῆμα τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ, his omnipotent command, Hebrews 1:3. doctrine, instruction (cf. Winer's Grammar, 123 (117)): (τό) ῤῆμα (τοῦ) Θεοῦ, divine instruction by the preachers of the gospel, Romans 10:17 (R G; but L T Tr WH ῤήματος Χριστοῦ; others give ῤήματος here the sense of command, commission; (cf. Meyer)); saving truth which has God for its author, Ephesians 6:17; also τοῦ κυρίου, 1 Peter 1:25; words of prophecy, prophetic announcement, τά ῤήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ, Revelation 17:17, Rec. (others, οἱ λόγοι τοῦ Θεοῦ). 2. In imitation of the Hebrew דָּבָר, the subject matter of speech, thing spoken of, thing; and that a. so far forth as it is a matter of narration: Luke 2:15; Acts 10:37; plural, Luke 1:65; Luke 2:19, 51; Acts 5:32; Acts 13:42. b. in so far as it is matter of command: Luke 1:37 (see ἀδυνατέω, b.) (Genesis 18:14; Deuteronomy 17:8). c. a matter of dispute, case at law: Matthew 18:16; 2 Corinthians 13:1 (A. V. retains 'word' here and in the preceding passage) (Deuteronomy 19:15). Rhēma focuses on a specific utterance—spoken, remembered, or freshly quickened by the Spirit—whereas logos embraces the broader, comprehensive message. Rhēma highlights immediacy, particularity, and personal address. The New Testament applies the term to: Old Testament Precedent In the Septuagint rhēma frequently renders Hebrew dabar (“word, matter, event”), preparing readers to see divine speech as both revelation and reality-shaping power (Genesis 15:1; 1 Kings 17:24). This heritage lies behind the New Testament stress on the reliability of every rhēma that proceeds from God’s mouth. Rhēma in the Life and Teaching of Jesus • Spiritual sustenance: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Rhēma and Personal Revelation Luke intertwines rhēma with the infancy narratives: – Gabriel: “For nothing will be impossible with God” (Luke 1:37). – Mary: “May it be to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). – Shepherds: “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened” (Luke 2:15). – Mary’s meditation: “Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke 2:19, 51). The term frames divine promise, human assent, and contemplative faith. Rhēma and Apostolic Witness Acts presents rhēma as the preached gospel that the Spirit endorses: – Pentecost exposition (Acts 2:14). – Angelic command: “Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the whole message of this life” (Acts 5:20). – Cornelius’ household: while Peter “was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell” (Acts 10:44). – Future salvation tied to spoken words (Acts 11:14). The pattern confirms that God accompanies the proclaimed rhēma with convicting power and saving effect. Rhēma in the Pauline Epistles • Nearness of salvation: “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (Romans 10:8). Paul consistently links rhēma with conversion, sanctification, and defense against evil. Rhēma and Faith Formation Romans 10:17 places rhēma at the fountainhead of saving faith. The audible, intelligible proclamation of Christ drives the response of trust. The priority of hearing underscores public preaching, parental instruction, and personal witness as ordained means for birthing and nurturing faith. Rhēma in Cosmic and Eschatological Perspective Hebrews widens the scope: – Preservation: Christ “upholds all things by His powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3). – Creation: “The universe was formed at God’s command” (Hebrews 11:3). – Sinai terror: those who heard the “sound of words” begged no further message (Hebrews 12:19). Peter and Jude exhort believers to remember the “words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior” (2 Peter 3:2; Jude 17), asserting that eschatological hope rests on trustworthy rhēmata. Pastoral and Practical Implications 1. Nourishment: Daily dependence on God’s spoken promises (Matthew 4:4). Summary of Key Themes • Divine Speech—creative, sustaining, revelatory, and immutable. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 4:4 N-DNSGRK: ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ NAS: BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS KJV: by every word that proceedeth out of INT: by every word coming out of Matthew 12:36 N-NNS Matthew 18:16 N-NNS Matthew 26:75 N-GNS Matthew 27:14 N-ANS Mark 9:32 N-ANS Mark 14:72 N-ANS Luke 1:37 N-NNS Luke 1:38 N-ANS Luke 1:65 N-NNP Luke 2:15 N-ANS Luke 2:17 N-GNS Luke 2:19 N-ANP Luke 2:29 N-ANS Luke 2:50 N-ANS Luke 2:51 N-ANP Luke 3:2 N-NNS Luke 4:4 Noun-DNS Luke 5:5 N-DNS Luke 7:1 N-ANP Luke 9:45 N-ANS Luke 9:45 N-GNS Luke 18:34 N-NNS Luke 20:26 N-GNS Luke 22:61 N-GNS Strong's Greek 4487 |
    |