Lexical Summary apagchó: To hang oneself, to strangle Original Word: ἀπάγχω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance hang himself. From apo and agcho (to choke; akin to the base of agkale); to strangle oneself off (i.e. To death) -- hang himself. see GREEK apo see GREEK agkale NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom apo and agchó (to press, strangle) Definition to strangle, hang oneself NASB Translation hanged (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 519: ἀπάγχωἀπάγχω (cf. Latinangustus,anxius, English anguish, etc.; Curtius, § 166): 1 aorist middle ἀπηγξαμην; to throttle, strangle, in order to put out of the way (ἀπό away, cf. ἀποκτείνω to kill off), Homer, Odyssey 19, 230; middle to hang oneself, to end one's life by hanging: Matthew 27:5. (2 Samuel 17:23; Tobit 3:10; in Attic from Aeschylus down.) Topical Lexicon Narrative Context The single New Testament appearance of ἀπήγξατο (Middle Aorist of Strong’s 519) occurs in Matthew 27:5: “So Judas threw the silver into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself” (Berean Standard Bible). The verb stands at the climax of Judas Iscariot’s betrayal narrative. Having acknowledged “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood” (Matthew 27:4), Judas receives no absolution from the chief priests. His self-execution therefore functions literarily as the tragic resolution of unrepentant remorse in contrast to the restoration of Peter (John 21:15-19). Theological Implications 1. Finality of Rejecting Christ: Judas’ hanging seals his rejection of the only One who could bear his guilt. Matthew’s deliberate placement of the suicide between the condemnation of Jesus and the purchase of the “Field of Blood” (Matthew 27:6-8) underscores the sterility of human solutions to sin. Judas’ Despair Versus Godly Repentance • Remorse (metamelētheis, Matthew 27:3) is an emotional reaction to consequences; repentance (metanoia) is a Spirit-wrought change of mind that turns to God. Prophetic Resonance and Old Testament Echoes • Psalm 41:9; Psalm 55:12-14—intimate friend’s betrayal foreshadowed. Matthew’s incorporation of these texts frames Judas as the culmination of a biblical pattern in which betrayal ends in self-destruction, validating Scriptural unity. Suicide in Biblical Perspective Scripture records five suicides (Judges 9:54; 1 Samuel 31:4-5; 2 Samuel 17:23; 1 Kings 16:18; Matthew 27:5; Acts 16:27 is aborted). None are commended, none portray suicide as an acceptable escape, and all occur in contexts of defeat or divine judgment. Human life remains God’s possession (Genesis 9:5-6). The biblical answer to despair is refuge in the Lord (Psalm 34:18), not self-termination. Ministry Application • Preach Christ as sufficient to cleanse even the gravest sin. Judas’ account warns against hopeless guilt while pointing to the Savior Judas refused. Mission and Discipleship Significance The lone occurrence of Strong’s 519 stands as a solemn footnote to the passion narrative, reminding disciples that proximity to Jesus and participation in ministry (Matthew 10:1-4) do not guarantee saving faith. True discipleship perseveres in humble dependence on grace, whereas counterfeit allegiance may collapse under the weight of unconfessed sin. Forms and Transliterations απηγξατο απήγξατο ἀπήγξατο apenxato apēnxato apḗnxatoLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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