Lexical Summary chórion: Place, piece of land, field, property Original Word: χωρίον Strong's Exhaustive Concordance field, land, parcel of groundDiminutive of chora; a spot or plot of ground -- field, land, parcel of ground, place, possession. see GREEK chora HELPS Word-studies 5564 xōríon (the grammatical diminutive of 5561 /xṓra, "a field") – a limited parcel, a part of a larger area; a confined piece of ground; "a definite portion of space that is viewed as enclosed, or complete in itself" (J. Thayer). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origindim. of chóra Definition a place, property NASB Translation field (3), land (3), lands (1), parcel of ground (1), place (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5564: χωρίονχωρίον, χωρίου, τό (diminutive of χῶρος; or χώρα), from Herodotus down; 1. a space, a place; a region, district. 2. a piece of ground, a field, land (Thucydides, Xenophon, Plato, others): Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32; John 4:5 (A. V. parcel of ground); Acts 1:18; Acts 4:34 (plural lands); The term designates a defined parcel of ground—whether garden, farm, estate, or inherited plot. In the ten occurrences it always carries concrete, geographic substance while simultaneously serving a theological function, illuminating themes of prayerful surrender, betrayal, generosity, hypocrisy, covenant inheritance, and providential hospitality. Gethsemane: The Place of Submission (Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32) “Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane…” (Matthew 26:36). The evangelists employ the word to mark the very soil upon which the Son of God agonized. Here the vocabulary underscores that the Incarnation unfolds in real space: salvation history is not abstract but grounded in an identifiable tract of earth. Gethsemane reminds disciples that decisive spiritual victories often occur in ordinary places set apart by obedience. Judas Iscariot and the Field of Blood (Acts 1:18-19) “With the reward of his wickedness Judas bought a field…” The same term now names the terrain that bears lasting witness to apostasy and divine retribution. The “Field of Blood” contrasts sharply with Gethsemane: one parcel sanctified by yielding to the Father, the other defiled by rebellion. Luke’s double mention (χωρίον and Χωρίον) seals the notoriety of the site and affirms the historicity of both the purchase and the prophetic fulfillment (cf. Zechariah 11:13). The Jerusalem Church and Voluntary Generosity (Acts 4:34) “For there were no needy ones among them, because those who owned lands or houses would sell them…” Early believers regard their plots not as ultimate possessions but as resources for kingdom advance. The plural form (χωρίων) highlights multiple owners, testifying to widespread, Spirit-prompted stewardship that met tangible needs without coercion. Ananias and Sapphira: Warning Against Hypocrisy (Acts 5:3, 8) Peter’s probing question—“Is this the price you and your husband got for the land?”—shows that deceit concerned a specific property transaction. The narrative balances the earlier picture of generosity with a sober reminder that God examines motives as closely as deeds. The same word that illustrated sacrificial giving now exposes calculated pretense. Jacob’s Plot at Sychar: Covenant Continuity (John 4:5) Jesus “came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph.” The reference links the Incarnate Messiah with patriarchal promises. By meeting the Samaritan woman on ancestral soil, Jesus demonstrates that the living water transcends ethnic divisions while honoring covenant history rooted in land inheritance. Publius’ Estate on Malta: Providential Hospitality (Acts 28:7) “Nearby stood an estate belonging to Publius…” Luke notes this property to show God’s provision for Paul and his companions after shipwreck. An unnamed parcel becomes the setting for healing, evangelism, and favor with civil authority, illustrating that God can transform any estate into a ministry platform. Theological Reflections on Land and Stewardship 1. Land is a divine trust. Whether ancestral inheritance (John 4:5) or newly purchased field (Acts 1:18), Scripture portrays property as ultimately subject to God’s purposes. Practical Implications for Believers Today • View property—homes, farms, businesses—as stewardship opportunities for prayer, hospitality, and benevolence. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 26:36 N-ANSGRK: Ἰησοῦς εἰς χωρίον λεγόμενον Γεθσημανί NAS: came with them to a place called KJV: them unto a place called Gethsemane, INT: Jesus to a place called Gethsemane Mark 14:32 N-ANS John 4:5 N-GNS Acts 1:18 N-ANS Acts 1:19 N-ANS Acts 1:19 N-ANS Acts 4:34 N-GNP Acts 5:3 N-GNS Acts 5:8 N-ANS Acts 28:7 N-NNP Strong's Greek 5564 |
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