ὕλη

wood, fuel

Definition

ὕλη (ylē) primarily means 'wood' as a material, such as timber or lumber. In a more specific sense, it can refer to 'fuel' or combustible material, which is its meaning in the New Testament. In classical Greek, the word had a broader philosophical meaning, referring to the raw, formless matter from which things are made, but this sense does not appear in the biblical text. The single biblical occurrence uses it in the context of a small spark igniting a large quantity of fuel.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in James 3:5. Here, it is used metaphorically: 'the tongue is a small member... How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!' (James 3:5). The 'forest' (ὕλη, *ylē*) represents the extensive, destructive consequences that can arise from careless speech, comparing the tongue's power to a spark that ignites a vast quantity of wood.

Etymology

Derived from the ancient Greek ὕλη, meaning 'forest,' 'wood,' or 'timber.' Its fundamental meaning is tied to wooded material. In philosophical contexts (e.g., Aristotle), it developed the abstract sense of 'matter' or 'substance' as opposed to form, but this specialized meaning is not employed in the biblical writings.

Semantic Range

In the ancient world, wood was a primary resource for construction, tools, and, crucially, for fire. A forest fire, once started, was nearly impossible to control and caused catastrophic loss. James's metaphor would have been immediately and powerfully understood by his original audience, for whom an uncontrolled fire was a familiar and terrifying danger, making the warning about the tongue's destructive potential very vivid.

ξύλον (xylon, G3586) — More commonly used for 'wood' as a material or an object made of wood (e.g., a club, cross, or tree); ὕλη emphasizes the material as fuel or in a collective mass.

Word Details

Scripture References