λικμάω

I crush to powder

Definition

The verb λικμάω means to crush something into fine powder or to scatter it like chaff. In its two New Testament occurrences, it vividly describes the complete destruction of an object, reducing it to dust. In Matthew 21:44 and Luke 20:18, it is used metaphorically to depict the fate of those who reject the cornerstone (Jesus), portraying a judgment so total that the person is pulverized and scattered by the falling stone. The imagery emphasizes irreversible and utter ruin.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only twice in the New Testament, in parallel passages in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke (Matthew 21:44 and Luke 20:18). In both contexts, it appears within Jesus's parable of the wicked tenants, specifically in the warning about the 'stone that the builders rejected.' The usage is entirely metaphorical, describing the devastating spiritual consequence of opposing God's chosen Messiah. The pattern is one of judicial destruction.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek noun λίκμα (likma), meaning 'winnowing fan' or 'chaff.' The verb's core idea relates to the agricultural process of winnowing—beating grain to separate the edible kernel from the useless husk and then scattering the chaff to the wind. Thus, λικμάω carries the dual sense of crushing and then dispersing what is worthless.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it illustrates the severity of divine judgment. In the cornerstone metaphor, it warns that rejecting Jesus Christ leads not merely to defeat but to complete and irreversible destruction. Understanding this Greek term enriches the reading of these parables by highlighting the absolute and final nature of the consequence, contrasting with the salvation offered to those who believe (the stone falling on them in Luke 20:18 can also symbolize a saving refuge, creating a paradox of judgment and grace).

The imagery would have been immediately understood in an agrarian society. Winnowing was a common, year-end process where the valuable grain was gathered and the worthless chaff was crushed and blown away. This provided a powerful cultural picture of final separation, valuation, and the disposal of what is useless, which Jesus applied to spiritual realities.

συντρίβω (syntribō, G4937) — to break, shatter; often for physical breaking, while λικμάω emphasizes reducing to powder/scattering. λεπτύνω (leptynō, G3013) — to make thin or fine; can mean to pound, but lacks the scattering connotation.

Word Details

Scripture References