Lexical Summary phortion: Burden, load Original Word: φορτίον Strong's Exhaustive Concordance burden. Diminutive of phortos; an invoice (as part of freight), i.e. (figuratively) a task or service -- burden. see GREEK phortos HELPS Word-studies 5413 phortíon – properly, a burden which must be carried by the individual, i.e. as something personal and hence is not transferrable, i.e. it cannot "be shifted" to someone else. 5413 (phortion) in Galatians 6:5 Gal 6:5: "For each one will bear his own load (5413 /phortíon)" (NASU). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origindim. of phortos (load, cargo); from pheró Definition a burden NASB Translation burden (1), burdens (3), cargo (1), load (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5413: φορτίονφορτίον, φορτίου, τό (diminutive of φόρτος, but diminutive only in form not in significance; cf. Alexander Buttmann (1873) Ausf. Spr. ii; p. 440; (Winers Grammar, § 2, 1 d. at the end)), from Hesiod down, the Sept. for מַשָׂא, a burden, load: of the freight or lading of a ship (often so in Greek writings from Hesiod, Works, 645, 695 down), Acts 27:10 G L T Tr WH. Metaphorically: of burdensome rites, plural (Matthew 23:4); Luke 11:46; of the obligations Christ lays upon his followers, and styles a 'burden' by way of contrast to the precepts of the Pharisees the observance of which was most oppressive, Matthew 11:30 (αὐτός μόνος δύναται βαστάσαι Ζηνωνος φορτίον, (Diogenes Laërtius 7, 5, 4 (171); see ζυγός, 1 b.); of faults, the consciousness of which oppresses the soul, Galatians 6:5 (yet cf. Lightfoot at the passage Synonym: see ὄγκος, at the end.) Topical Lexicon Scriptural PortraitThe noun “φορτίον” appears six times in the New Testament (Matthew 11:30; Matthew 23:4; Luke 11:46 twice; Acts 27:10; Galatians 6:5). It denotes a “load” that can be either literal cargo or a figurative burden. The range of usage moves from the weight of maritime freight to the weight of moral and spiritual obligation. Pharisaic Legalism versus Christ’s Invitation Matthew 23:4 and Luke 11:46 place the term on the lips of Jesus when rebuking religious leaders: “They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger” (Matthew 23:4). Here “φορτία” refers to man-made additions to God’s law that crush rather than liberate. Immediately opposite is Christ’s invitation: “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). The contrast is intentional: human religiosity manufactures oppressive cargo; the Messiah offers rest through grace. Personal Responsibility and Mutual Care Paul employs the singular in Galatians 6:5: “For each one should carry his own load”. Placed beside Galatians 6:2—“Carry one another’s burdens”—the apostle distinguishes between inevitable personal obligations (“φορτίον”) and extraordinary weights (βάρos) that call for communal assistance. The Spirit-filled church is to avoid two extremes: shirking what God assigns to each believer and ignoring the crushing blows others cannot bear alone. Maritime Commerce and Literal Cargo In Acts 27:10, Paul warns the ship’s crew of impending disaster to ship, lives, and “the cargo” (“φορτίου”). The scene reminds modern readers that Scripture’s vocabulary of burden comes from everyday Greco-Roman trade. Grain ships traversing the Mediterranean carried literal loads whose loss could ruin merchants and imperil sailors. The inspired writer seamlessly adopts that commercial term for spiritual reality. Historical Background In classical and Koine usage, “φορτίον” commonly designated: Jewish rabbis sometimes spoke of the “yoke of the Torah,” yet by the first century many had multiplied regulations far beyond the written Law. Jesus’ reprimand in Matthew 23:4 exposes this evolution and calls Israel back to covenant purity. Theological Implications 1. Authority of Christ: By declaring His own burden “light,” Jesus identifies Himself as the true lawgiver whose commandments are life-giving rather than crushing. Practical Ministry Applications • Preaching and Teaching: Emphasize that faithful exposition should lift undue weight, not add to it. Summary Strong’s Greek 5413 portrays a spectrum of loads—from grain in a storm-tossed vessel to the crushing regulations of legalism, from the light and life-giving call of Christ to the personal assignments each believer must bear. Its occurrences combine to reveal God’s consistent message: He opposes oppressive religion, offers rest through His Son, calls for balanced responsibility within the church, and sovereignly governs every literal and figurative burden His people encounter. Forms and Transliterations φορτια φορτία φορτιοις φορτίοις φορτιον φορτίον φορτιου φορτίου phortia phortía phortiois phortíois phortion phortíon phortiou phortíouLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 11:30 N-NNSGRK: καὶ τὸ φορτίον μου ἐλαφρόν NAS: is easy and My burden is light. KJV: and my burden is light. INT: and the burden of me light Matthew 23:4 N-ANP Luke 11:46 N-ANP Luke 11:46 N-DNP Acts 27:10 N-GNS Galatians 6:5 N-ANS Strong's Greek 5413 |
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