παραφέρω

I turn aside, carry away, remove

Definition

The verb παραφέρω means to carry or bring something to the side, conveying the core ideas of removal, turning aside, or causing to pass away. In its two New Testament occurrences, it is used in the specific sense of asking for something to be taken away or removed. In Mark 14:36 and Luke 22:42, Jesus uses it in his prayer in Gethsemane, asking the Father to 'remove this cup from me.' This reflects a plea for the impending suffering to be taken aside or averted. The word can also imply being led astray or seduced in other Greek literature, a nuance not directly active in the biblical texts but informing its broader semantic range of diversion or removal from a path.

Biblical Usage

παραφέρω is used only twice in the New Testament, both in the parallel accounts of Jesus's prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 14:36, Luke 22:42). In both instances, it appears in the imperative mood ('remove') as part of Jesus's heartfelt petition to God the Father. The usage is identical, showing a direct, personal plea for the divinely appointed 'cup' of suffering to be taken away, highlighting a moment of profound human anguish within the narrative of Christ's passion.

Etymology

The word is a compound verb formed from the preposition παρά (para), meaning 'beside, alongside, or to the side of,' and the common verb φέρω (pherō), meaning 'to carry, bear, or bring.' Thus, its literal meaning is 'to carry beside' or 'to carry to the side,' which naturally extends to the figurative meanings of turning aside, removing, or causing something to pass by. It shares its root with many common Greek words involving carrying or bearing.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it captures the raw humanity of Jesus in his moment of supreme trial. His plea, 'remove this cup from me,' using παραφέρω, expresses genuine anguish and a desire for the Father to provide another way, immediately followed by his submission to the Father's will. This enriches our understanding of Christ's dual nature—fully divine and fully human—and the reality of his sacrificial obedience. It frames the atonement not as a detached transaction but as a costly, personal struggle embraced in love.

The 'cup' in ancient Jewish and Greco-Roman culture was a common metaphor for one's divinely appointed destiny or portion, often associated with suffering, judgment, or blessing (e.g., Psalm 75:8). Jesus's request for the cup to be 'removed' (παραφέρω) would have been understood as a plea for his ordained fate of suffering and death to be averted. This cultural context deepens the weight of his submission, as he accepts the very cup he asks to be taken aside.

αἴρω (airō, G142) — to lift up, take away; more general for removal or carrying. ἀφίημι (aphiēmi, G863) — to send away, forgive, let go; focuses on release or dismissal. μετατίθημι (metatithēmi, G3346) — to transfer, change; implies a change of place or state.

Word Details

Scripture References