Lexical Summary agrios: Wild, savage Original Word: ἄγριος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance wild, savageFrom agros; wild (as pertaining to the country), literally (natural) or figuratively (fierce) -- wild, raging. see GREEK agros NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom agros Definition living in the fields, wild, savage, fierce NASB Translation wild (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 66: ἄγριοςἄγριος, , (ἀγρός) (from Homer down); 1. living or growing in the fields or the woods, used of animals in a state of nature, and of plants which grow without culture: μέλι ἄγριον wild honey, either that which is deposited by bees in hollow trees, clefts of rocks, on the bare ground (1 Samuel 14:25 (cf. 1 Samuel 14:26)), etc., or more correctly that which distils from certain trees, and is gathered when it has become hard (Diodorus Siculus 19, 94 at the end, speaking of the Nabathaean Arabians says φύεται παῥ αὐτοῖς μέλι πολύ τό καλούμενον ἄγριον, ᾧ χρῶνται πότῳ μεθ' ὕδατος; cf. Suidas and especially Suicer under the word ἀκρίς): Matthew 3:4; Mark 1:6. 2. fierce, untamed: κύματα θαλάσσης, Jude 1:13 (Wis. 14:1). Strong’s Greek 66 (ἄγριος, agrios) characterizes that which is untamed, uncultivated, or uncontrolled. While the adjective can modify vegetation, animals, or natural forces, its three New Testament uses broaden the field to food, creation, and moral behavior. Collectively they underscore the contrast between what is ordered by God and what resists submission to Him. Canonical Occurrences Matthew 3:4 and Mark 1:6 describe John the Baptist’s fare as “locusts and wild honey,” highlighting a prophet whose lifestyle stands outside conventional society yet remains God-ordained. Jude 1:13 speaks of deceivers as “wild waves of the sea,” a vivid picture of destructive turbulence. Each context links agrios to spiritual authenticity or its absence. Background in Scripture 1. Old Testament imagery. The Septuagint frequently employs agrios for “wild” animals or land (e.g., Genesis 16:12; Exodus 23:11). Wildness often denotes the sphere outside covenant blessing or human cultivation, a realm awaiting God’s redemptive order (Psalm 107:35–36). Theological Significance • Sovereign Provision. John’s sustenance from “wild honey” (Matthew 3:4) reveals creation as God’s pantry; even untamed resources serve His servants. Ministry Applications 1. Prophetic Calling. God may place His messengers outside cultural expectations. Believers are free to embrace unconventional obedience when it magnifies Christ rather than self. Related Concepts • Wilderness (erēmos) – the physical setting accompanying many revelations. Conclusion Agrios threads through Scripture as a reminder that God rules both the cultivated and the untamed. He feeds His prophet with wild honey, exposes deceivers as wild waves, and promises to subdue all creation under Christ’s lordship. Where human control falters, divine sovereignty stands. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 3:4 Adj-NNSGRK: καὶ μέλι ἄγριον NAS: was locusts and wild honey. KJV: locusts and wild honey. INT: and honey wild Mark 1:6 Adj-ANS Jude 1:13 Adj-NNP |
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