Lexical Summary hulé: Wood, forest, material Original Word: ὕλη Strong's Exhaustive Concordance a forest, wood, timberPerhaps akin to xulon; a forest, i.e. (by implication) fuel -- matter. see GREEK xulon NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition wood, timber, forest NASB Translation forest (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5208: ὕληὕλη, ὕλης, ἡ, a forest, a wood; felled wood, fuel: James 3:5. (From Homer down; the Sept..) Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek 5208, ὕλη, appears once in the Greek New Testament, in James 3:5, where it denotes a “forest” or mass of combustible material. The single occurrence magnifies the word’s force, concentrating a rich vein of biblical imagery—particularly that of fire consuming wood—into James’s warning about the destructive potential of the human tongue. Scriptural Context in James 3:5 “In the same way, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it boasts of great things. Consider how small a spark sets a great forest ablaze.” (James 3:5) James employs ὕλη to craft a vivid picture: one careless spark can ignite an entire forest, just as one careless word can ignite strife in the body of Christ. The analogy underscores the disproportionate influence of speech, echoing earlier admonitions about guarding one’s mouth (Proverbs 13:3; Psalm 39:1). Old Testament and Septuagint Background In the Septuagint, ὕλη frequently translates Hebrew terms for “forest,” “wood,” or “timber” (e.g., Isaiah 10:19; Jeremiah 21:14). These passages often associate forests with large-scale judgment: James draws on this prophetic tradition, evoking an image his Jewish-Christian readers would immediately recognize: fire devastating a seemingly indestructible stand of timber. Theological Themes 1. Disproportionate effect: A small element (spark/tongue) produces far-reaching consequences. Scripture often places moral weight on seemingly minor acts (Ecclesiastes 10:1; Matthew 12:36–37). Historical and Cultural Setting In the first-century Mediterranean world, extensive woodlands supplied construction lumber, fuel, and pasture shade. Wildfires, often sparked by lightning or human negligence, could wipe out economic lifelines. James leverages a familiar natural hazard to communicate spiritual peril. His audience, many of whom relied on agriculture, would have known that a burned forest meant years of lost income and grazing—a tangible metaphor for the relational and spiritual devastation wrought by an unbridled tongue. Intertestamental and Rabbinic Parallels Second Temple literature compares harmful speech to fire (Sirach 28:10–12). Rabbinic tradition likewise warns that lashon haraʿ (“evil speech”) kills three: the speaker, the listener, and the subject (Arakhin 15b). James stands within this broader Jewish moral teaching, yet anchors it in the inaugurated kingdom ethic of Christ. Pastoral and Ministry Significance • Worship and teaching: Leaders must weigh words carefully, for doctrinal error or divisive rhetoric can spread like wildfire through a congregation (James 3:1). Christological Considerations Jesus embodies perfect speech—gracious, truthful, and life-giving (Luke 4:22; John 7:46). In Him the destructive cycle of the tongue is broken. Believers, indwelt by the Spirit of Christ, are empowered to turn potential conflagration into words that heal and build up (Isaiah 50:4). Conclusion Though ὕλη appears only once in the New Testament, its strategic placement in James 3:5 fuses Old Testament judgment motifs, wisdom literature, and contemporary pastoral concern into a single, memorable warning. The metaphor challenges every generation to steward speech as carefully as one would guard against a spark in a tinder-dry forest, lest the blaze of careless words consume communities that God intends to flourish. Forms and Transliterations ύλαις ύλη υλην ύλην ὕλην υλώδης hylen hylēn hýlen hýlēn ulen ulēnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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