Lexical Summary pharagx: Ravine, Gorge, Valley Original Word: φάραγξ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance valley. Properly, strengthened from the base of peran or rather of rhegnumi; a gap or chasm, i.e. Ravine (winter-torrent) -- valley. see GREEK rhegnumi see GREEK peran NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain origin Definition a chasm, ravine NASB Translation ravine (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5327: φάραγξφάραγξ, φάραγγος, ἡ, a valley shut in by cliffs and precipices; a ravine: Luke 3:5. (Alcman, Euripides, Thucydides, Demosthenes, Polybius, others; the Sept..) Topical Lexicon Descriptive Imagery of RavinesThe single New Testament appearance of φάραγξ (ravine, gorge) occurs in Luke 3:5, where John the Baptist cites Isaiah 40:4. A ravine evokes steep, shadowed, often inaccessible terrain—places cut off from ordinary travel and prone to flash floods. In Scripture such landscape imagery highlights human helplessness and the dramatic intervention of God who alone can carve a safe highway through otherwise impassable depths. Prophetic Resonance in Isaiah 40:4 Luke’s citation draws directly from the Septuagint wording of Isaiah 40:4. In that context a forthcoming highway of salvation is promised for the covenant people returning from exile: “Every ravine will be lifted up, every mountain and hill made low” (par.). The physical geography of the Near East—deep wadis and towering ridge lines—forms a vivid picture of obstacles removed by the Lord’s redemptive power. By incorporating the same language, Luke presents John’s ministry as the inauguration of that ancient promise. Role in John the Baptist’s Preaching (Luke 3:5) John applies the prophecy to the moral and spiritual landscape of Israel. Valleys filled and mountains leveled signify repentant hearts made ready for the Messiah. The evangelist positions this proclamation early in the narrative, so that readers understand every subsequent act of Jesus as the fulfillment of “the way of the Lord” already prepared. Symbolism of Divine Leveling 1. Humbling the proud (mountains lowered) and raising the humble (valleys filled) underscores the impartial righteousness of God (Isaiah 57:15; James 4:6). Thus the ravine is not merely terrain; it is an emblem of every impediment—personal, societal, cosmic—that the coming Christ will address. Intertestamental and Septuagint Usage Although New Testament usage is restricted to Luke 3:5, φάραγξ appears multiple times in the Septuagint: Judges 5:5; 2 Samuel 17:9; Isaiah 40:4; Isaiah 57:5. These contexts consistently portray ravines as hiding places, ambush sites, or inhospitable wilderness. The Lord’s power is displayed when He either protects His people within such depths (1 Kings 18:4) or levels them to facilitate deliverance. John’s echo of this vocabulary signals continuity between the prophetic hope of Israel and its realization in Christ. Eschatological Overtones The comprehensive scope of the leveling imagery—“every” ravine, “every” mountain—anticipates the final renewal of creation (Revelation 21:1-5). Present repentance under the preaching of John and the ministry of Jesus previews a cosmic transformation when all creation will be freed from futility (Romans 8:19-21). Practical Ministry Applications 1. Gospel proclamation should identify and confront “ravines” in human experience: alienation, injustice, ignorance. Homiletical Insights Preaching on Luke 3:5 can: • Illustrate the universality of repentance—no one is too low (valley) or too high (mountain) for divine transformation. Summative Reflection Though φάραγξ appears only once in the New Testament, its vivid imagery unites prophetic expectation, John’s preparatory call, and the Messiah’s redemptive mission. The filled ravine assures believers that the Lord overcomes the deepest separations, forging a straight, smooth road on which “all mankind will see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6). Forms and Transliterations φάραγγα φάραγγας φάραγγάς φάραγγες φάραγγές φάραγγι φάραγγος φαράγγων φαραγξ φάραγξ φάραγξι φάραγξιν pharanx pháranxLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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