μώλωψ

a bruise, stripe

Definition

The Greek word μώλωψ refers to a physical mark left on the body, specifically a bruise, welt, or stripe resulting from a blow or scourging. In its sole New Testament occurrence in 1 Peter 2:24, it is used metaphorically to describe the wounds inflicted on Jesus Christ during his crucifixion. The term emphasizes the visible, physical trauma of corporal punishment, carrying connotations of injury and suffering. While its core meaning is a literal bruise, its biblical application is profoundly theological, pointing to the penal substitution of Christ.

Biblical Usage

Μώλωψ is used only once in the New Testament, in 1 Peter 2:24. In this context, it is part of a quotation from Isaiah 53:5 (LXX) applied to Christ: 'by his wounds (μώλωπι) you have been healed.' The usage is entirely metaphorical and Christological, referring to the physical stripes from Jesus's scourging which are presented as the means of spiritual healing for believers. There is no pattern of general, literal usage in the NT.

Etymology

Derived from ancient Greek μώλωψ, meaning a bruise, wound, or weal. It is a primary noun without a clear compound structure, directly denoting a mark from a blow. The term appears in classical Greek literature (e.g., Homer) and medical writings to describe physical injuries, a meaning retained in its biblical use.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it directly connects the physical suffering of Christ to the spiritual salvation of believers. In 1 Peter 2:24, it anchors the doctrine of penal substitutionary atonement—the idea that Christ bore the punishment (symbolized by the 'bruises' or 'stripes') for human sin. Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by highlighting the intentional link Peter makes to the suffering servant prophecy of Isaiah 53, emphasizing that Christ's physical wounds secured spiritual healing.

In the Greco-Roman world, μώλωψ specifically denoted the visible welts or scars left by flogging, a common form of judicial and slave punishment. This cultural understanding gives weight to Peter's metaphor; his original readers would immediately associate the word with the brutal, public humiliation of a scourging. This contrasts with a modern, softer understanding of a 'bruise' and underscores the severity of Christ's suffering.

πληγή (plēgē, G4127) — a broader term for a blow, wound, or plague, not specifically a bruise. μάστιξ (mastix, G3148) — refers to the whip or scourge itself, or the act of flogging, rather than the resulting mark.

Word Details

Scripture References