παροργισμός
exasperation, wrath
Definition
παροργισμός refers to a state of intense anger or provocation, specifically the kind of exasperation or wrath that is stirred up and leads to a reaction. It denotes not just a fleeting emotion but a provoked, settled indignation. In its single New Testament occurrence in Ephesians 4:26, it is the kind of anger believers are warned not to let the sun go down on, implying a lingering, festering state.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Ephesians 4:26. It appears in a specific ethical instruction about righteous anger, warning against allowing anger to become a settled, sinful condition ('do not let the sun go down on your παροργισμός'). The context is communal life and personal holiness, contrasting momentary, potentially justifiable anger with a prolonged, destructive state of exasperation.
Etymology
Derived from the verb παροργίζω (parorgizō, G3949), meaning 'to provoke to anger' or 'to exasperate.' It is a compound word: the preposition παρά (para, 'beside') combined with ὀργίζω (orgizō, 'to be angry'), intensifying the sense to 'anger alongside' or 'provoke to a heightened state of wrath.'
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant for understanding the ethics of Christian emotion and community. It distinguishes between a momentary, potentially righteous anger (which may be permissible, as in Ephesians 4:26a) and a nurtured, sinful wrath that gives the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:27). It underscores the New Testament's call to resolve conflict quickly and not harbor destructive emotions, which is vital for maintaining unity in the body of Christ.
In the Greco-Roman world, uncontrolled anger was often seen as a destructive and irrational passion that disrupted social harmony. The New Testament's instruction to limit and resolve such anger aligns with broader philosophical critiques of wrath while grounding the command in the distinctively Christian concern for holiness and community integrity, preventing a foothold for evil.
ὀργή (orgē, G3709) — a more general term for wrath, often used of divine judgment. θυμός (thymos, G2372) — denotes a passionate outburst or fury, more impulsive in nature.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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