Noe
The Greek Form of Noah
Noe is the Greco-Latin rendering of the Hebrew name Noah, which appears in several New Testament passages in the King James Version. Modern translations typically render it as "Noah" for consistency with the Old Testament. The name appears in Matthew 24:37-38, Luke 3:36, and Luke 17:26-27, each time referring to the patriarch who built the ark and survived the great flood described in Genesis 6-9.
Jesus' Teaching About the Days of Noah
The most significant New Testament use of Noah's name comes in Jesus' discourse about His second coming. In Matthew 24:37-38, Jesus declares: "As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also at the coming of the Son of Man. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark." Luke 17:26-27 records a parallel teaching. Jesus uses Noah's era as a warning that ordinary life will continue right up until the moment of divine judgment, catching many unprepared.
Noah in Luke's Genealogy
In Luke 3:36, Noe appears in the genealogy of Jesus, tracing Christ's ancestry backward through history all the way to Adam and God. Noah's placement in this genealogy connects the story of salvation from the earliest chapters of Genesis to its fulfillment in Christ, showing continuity across the entire biblical narrative.
The Patriarch Noah
The original Noah was a righteous man who "walked with God" in a generation marked by corruption and violence (Genesis 6:9). God instructed him to build an ark to preserve his family and representatives of the animal kingdom through the devastating flood. After the waters receded, God established a covenant with Noah, promising never again to destroy the earth with a flood and setting the rainbow as a sign of this promise (Genesis 9:8-17).
Noah as a Type of Salvation
The New Testament draws on Noah's story as a picture of salvation. First Peter 3:20-21 connects the ark's deliverance through water to baptism, while Hebrews 11:7 commends Noah's faith as an example for believers. The shift from the Hebrew "Noah" to the Greek "Noe" reflects the universal scope of the gospel message, as the story of one righteous man's deliverance became a cornerstone of Christian teaching about faith, judgment, and redemption.
Biblical Context
Noe appears in the KJV of Matthew 24:37-38, Luke 3:36, and Luke 17:26-27. Jesus references Noah when teaching about the unexpected nature of His return, and Luke includes Noah in the genealogy of Christ, linking Jesus to the earliest patriarchs.
Theological Significance
The New Testament use of Noah/Noe teaches that God's pattern of judgment and salvation repeats throughout history. Just as Noah was saved through faith and obedience in a corrupt generation, believers are called to watchfulness and faithfulness in anticipation of Christ's return.
Historical Background
The Greek form 'Noe' comes from the Septuagint's transliteration of the Hebrew 'Noach.' Ancient Near Eastern flood traditions (including the Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh) parallel the biblical account, suggesting a widespread cultural memory of a catastrophic deluge that the biblical writers interpreted through the lens of God's covenant relationship with humanity.