Lexical Summary harpax: Rapacious, ravenous, extortioner, robber Original Word: ἅρπαξ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance ravenousFrom harpazo; rapacious -- extortion, ravening. see GREEK harpazo HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 727 hárpaks – properly, seizing; a sudden snatching (like in a robbery). See 726 (harpazō). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom harpazó Definition rapacious NASB Translation ravenous (1), swindler (1), swindlers (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 727: ἅρπαξἅρπαξ, ἁρπαγος, ὁ, adjective, rapacious, ravenous: Matthew 7:15; Luke 18:11; as a substantive, a robber, an extortioner: 1 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 6:10. (In both uses from (Aristophanes), Xenophon down.) Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scope Strong’s Greek 727 portrays a person who seizes what is not his—an extortioner, pillager, or rapacious swindler. The idea moves beyond petty theft to a predatory heart that will violate righteousness, justice, and compassion in order to satisfy selfish appetite. In Scripture the word is morally weighted; it exposes a posture opposed to the character of God, whose law protects the weak, vindicates the oppressed, and requires honest dealings (Leviticus 19:35-36; Deuteronomy 24:14-15). Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Matthew 7:15 – “Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” Narrative Function in the Gospels In Matthew, “ravenous” illustrates the danger of disguised evil. False prophets do not merely mislead; they devour. The word paints a wolf tearing prey, warning disciples that doctrinal error often rides on the back of predatory self-interest. Luke records the Pharisee’s self-righteous prayer. By contrasting himself with “swindlers,” he unwittingly exposes his own pride, proving that moral comparison cannot justify anyone before God (cf. Romans 3:23). Pauline Emphasis in 1 Corinthians Writing to a fragmented congregation surrounded by vice, Paul twice lists “swindlers” among sins that necessitate church discipline (1 Corinthians 5:10-11) and once among vices that bar entrance to the kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:10). Three themes emerge: Historical and Cultural Background In the first-century Roman world, economic abuse thrived under tax farming, patronage, and corrupt magistrates. Jewish tradition equally despised such behavior: prophets decried those who “trample on the poor” (Amos 2:7) and “devour widows’ houses” (Isaiah 10:2). Against that backdrop, the New Testament word evokes both Roman legal alarms and Hebrew prophetic outrage, calling believers to embody the justice of the kingdom. Theological Significance 1. Holiness – God’s nature is generous and just; predatory greed contradicts His holiness and profanes His people (Leviticus 19:2). Pastoral and Disciplinary Application • Church leadership must guard the flock from financial predators, whether in pulpit, pew, or parachurch enterprise. Warning Against Spiritual Predation Matthew 7:15 links false prophecy with rapacity. Doctrine and ethics are inseparable; teachers who distort truth often exploit people. Testing spirits (1 John 4:1), examining fruit (Matthew 7:16), and holding leaders to high standards (Titus 1:7) protect the church from wolves. Hope of Redemption The Corinthian correspondence shows that even extortioners can become saints. “You were washed… you were sanctified… you were justified” (1 Corinthians 6:11). Zacchaeus stands as a living parable: once a chief tax collector, he pledged fourfold restitution, and Jesus declared, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9). Grace not only forgives but transforms predators into benefactors. Contemporary Relevance Modern swindling may appear in predatory lending, embezzlement, fraudulent ministry fundraising, or exploitation of vulnerable laborers. The biblical prohibition remains urgent: followers of Christ must resist systems and personal practices that seize rather than serve. Missional integrity demands a reputation for fiscal transparency and sacrificial generosity, reflecting the Savior who “though He was rich, yet for your sakes became poor” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Summary Strong’s Greek 727 confronts the temptation to enrich self at another’s expense and calls God’s people to honest, generous, protective love. The term slices through outward religiosity to expose the heart, insists on disciplined purity within the church, and magnifies the redeeming power of the gospel that can turn the most rapacious soul into a channel of blessing. Forms and Transliterations αρπαγες άρπαγες ἅρπαγες αρπαξ άρπαξ ἅρπαξ αρπαξιν άρπαξιν ἅρπαξιν arpages arpax arpaxin harpages hárpages harpax hárpax harpaxin hárpaxinLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 7:15 Adj-NMPGRK: εἰσιν λύκοι ἅρπαγες NAS: but inwardly are ravenous wolves. KJV: inwardly they are ravening wolves. INT: they are wolves ravenous Luke 18:11 Adj-NMP 1 Corinthians 5:10 Adj-DMP 1 Corinthians 5:11 Adj-NMS 1 Corinthians 6:10 Adj-NMP Strong's Greek 727 |
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