876. aphros
Lexical Summary
aphros: Foam

Original Word: ἄφρος
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: aphros
Pronunciation: af-ros'
Phonetic Spelling: (af-ros')
KJV: foaming
NASB: foaming
Word Origin: [apparently a primary word]

1. froth, i.e. drool

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
foaming.

Apparently a primary word; froth, i.e. Slaver -- foaming.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. word.
Definition
foam
NASB Translation
foaming (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 876: ἀφρός

ἀφρός, ἀφροῦ, , foam: Luke 9:39. (Homer, Iliad 20, 168; (others).)

Topical Lexicon
Word Family and Literary Background

Ἀφροῦ (ἀφρός) belongs to a small cluster of Greek words built on the root ἀφρ- that describe froth or foam. Cognates include ἀφρίζω “to foam” (Mark 9:18; Mark 9:20) and ἐπαφρίζω “to foam up” (Jude 1:13). In secular Greek the imagery ranges from sea spray to the saliva of a rabid animal; in Scripture it is consistently linked to turmoil and disorder.

Biblical Occurrence: Luke 9:39

“A spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth; it scarcely ever leaves him, bruising him as it departs.” (Luke 9:39)

The single New Testament instance of ἀφρός underscores the violent manifestation of demonic oppression in the boy brought to Jesus. The foam is not mere medical detail; it dramatizes the spiritual bondage from which only Christ can deliver.

Foaming as a Mark of Demonic Affliction

Mark’s parallel account uses the verb form: “He foams at the mouth” (Mark 9:18, 20). The physical froth is the outward sign of an inward tyrant. By recording it, the evangelists portray the stark contrast between the destructive chaos of evil spirits and the restoring authority of the Son of God.

Foam Imagery in Scripture

Hosea 10:7 speaks of a doomed king who “will perish like foam on the surface of the water,” highlighting the fleeting, weightless nature of human power opposed to God.
Jude 1:13 condemns false teachers as “wild waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame,” linking moral corruption with turbulent waters.

Across both Testaments, foam symbolizes instability, brevity, and shame—qualities that stand in opposition to the steadfastness of the Lord.

Theology of Chaos versus Christ’s Authority

Foam appears where violence churns water or where a demon ravages a body. In Luke 9 the Savior’s rebuke of the unclean spirit restores calm just as surely as His word once stilled Galilee’s storm. Whether sea or soul, turmoil yields to the Creator’s command. The episode therefore functions as a living parable of Psalm 65:7: the Lord “stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves.”

Historical and Cultural Insights

Ancient physicians knew that severe seizures could produce frothing, yet first-century Judaism also recognized spiritual causes (compare Matthew 4:24). Luke, the beloved physician, notes the symptom without discrediting the supernatural diagnosis, showing that medical observation and spiritual reality need not be at odds.

Pastoral and Ministry Considerations

1. Discernment: Physical symptoms may mask spiritual bondage; prayerful evaluation is essential.
2. Compassion: As Jesus required the boy to be brought to Him, caregivers today must move sufferers toward Christ, not away from fellowship.
3. Authority in Christ: Authentic ministry confronts evil in His name, expecting real liberation (Luke 10:17).

Doctrinal Reflection

The foam of Luke 9:39 is a vivid reminder that human brokenness—whether physiological, psychological, or spiritual—finds its ultimate remedy in Christ alone. The Lord’s triumph over the demon anticipates the cross and resurrection, where every chaotic power meets decisive defeat.

Key Takeaways for the Church Today

• External turbulence often signals deeper spiritual conflict.
• Christ’s word still dispels disorder, whether in a body, a congregation, or a culture.
• The ephemerality of foam contrasts with the permanence of the kingdom; invest in what endures.

Forms and Transliterations
αφρου αφρού ἀφροῦ aphrou aphroû
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Luke 9:39 N-GMS
GRK: αὐτὸν μετὰ ἀφροῦ καὶ μόγις
NAS: and it throws him into a convulsion with foaming [at the mouth]; and only with difficulty
KJV: him that he foameth again,
INT: him with foaming and with difficulty

Strong's Greek 876
1 Occurrence


ἀφροῦ — 1 Occ.

875
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