5521. cholé

Lexicon

cholé: Gall, bile

Original Word: χολή
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: cholé
Pronunciation: kho-LAY
Phonetic Spelling: (khol-ay')
Definition: Gall, bile
Meaning: gall, bitter herbs.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

gall.

Feminine of an equivalent perhaps akin to the same as Chloe (from the greenish hue); "gall" or bile, i.e. (by analogy) poison or an anodyne (wormwood, poppy, etc.) -- gall.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. word
Definition
gall (a bitter herb)
NASB Translation
gall (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 5521: χολή

χολή, χολῆς, ἡ (equivalent to χόλος, from χέω to pour out (now thought to be connected with χλόη, χλωρός, etc. 'yellowish green'; cf. Curtius, § 200; Vanicek, p. 247)), first found in Archilochus (8th century B.C.), afterward in Aeschylus and following.

1. bile, gall: Matthew 27:34 (cf. the Sept. Psalm 68:22 ()) (cf. B. D., under the word Gall); Acts 8:23 (on which see πικρία); for מְרֵרָה, Job 16:13.

2. in the O. T. it is also used of other bitter things; for לַעֲנָה, wormwood, Proverbs 5:4; Lamentations 3:15; hence, some understand the word in Matthew 27:34 to mean myrrh, on account of Mark 15:23; but see σμυρνίζω, 2; (B. D. as above).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the Greek word χολάω (cholaō), meaning "to be full of bile" or "to be angry."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent often associated with χολή is מְרוֹרָה (merorah • Strong's Hebrew 4844), which also means "gall" or "bitterness." This term appears in the Old Testament, notably in contexts describing bitterness or suffering, such as in Job 13:26 and Lamentations 3:15.

Usage: The word χολή is used in the New Testament to describe a bitter substance offered to Jesus during His crucifixion. It is also used metaphorically to describe bitterness or harshness.

Context: • Occurrences in the New Testament: The term χολή appears in the New Testament in two significant passages. In Matthew 27:34, it is used to describe the mixture of wine and gall offered to Jesus on the cross: "There they offered Him wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, He refused to drink it." This act fulfilled the prophecy found in Psalm 69:21, which speaks of giving gall for food. The offering of gall to Jesus is symbolic of the bitterness and suffering He endured during His crucifixion.
• Symbolic Meaning: Beyond its literal meaning, χολή carries a symbolic weight in the biblical narrative. It represents the bitterness of sin and the suffering that results from it. The refusal of Jesus to drink the gall can be seen as His acceptance of the full measure of suffering for humanity's redemption, without seeking to dull the pain.
• Cultural Context: In ancient times, gall was known for its extreme bitterness and was sometimes used as a narcotic to dull pain. The offering of gall to Jesus was likely intended as an act of mercy to ease His suffering, yet His refusal underscores His commitment to fully experience the suffering necessary for the atonement of sin.

Forms and Transliterations

χολή χολην χολήν χολὴν χολης χολής χολῆς χόλω χονδριτών cholen cholēn cholḕn choles cholês cholēs cholē̂s

Englishman's Concordance

Matthew 27:34 N-GFS
GRK: οἶνον μετὰ χολῆς μεμιγμένον καὶ
NAS: mixed with gall; and after tasting
KJV: with gall: and
INT: wine with gall mingled and

Acts 8:23 N-AFS
GRK: εἰς γὰρ χολὴν πικρίας καὶ
NAS: For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness
KJV: art in the gall of bitterness, and
INT: in indeed a gall of bitterness and

Strong's Greek 5521
2 Occurrences

χολὴν — 1 Occ.
χολῆς — 1 Occ.