ὄλυνθος

ὄλυνθος

an unripe fig

Definition

ὄλυνθος refers specifically to an unripe or winter fig that fails to mature in its proper season. In ancient Greek usage, it describes a fig that remains on the tree through the winter and falls off in the spring without ever ripening. In the New Testament, this word appears only in Revelation 6:13, where stars fall from heaven 'like unripe figs' (ὡς ὄλυνθοι) shaken from a fig tree by a strong wind. The imagery emphasizes something being forcibly and prematurely dislodged, highlighting sudden, catastrophic judgment.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Revelation 6:13, within the context of the sixth seal's cosmic disturbances. It serves as a vivid simile for stars falling from the sky, conveying the idea of something being violently detached and discarded. The usage is purely metaphorical and apocalyptic, drawing on natural imagery to depict divine judgment.

Etymology

Derived directly from the Greek ὄλυνθος, meaning an unripe or winter fig. The term is specific to Greek botanical vocabulary, with no widely attested deeper Indo-European root. It simply denotes a fig that does not ripen in its expected season.

Semantic Range

In Revelation 6:13, the ὄλυνθος is a powerful metaphor within an apocalyptic vision. It illustrates the suddenness and totality of God's eschatological judgment, where even celestial bodies are shaken loose like worthless, unripe fruit. Understanding this Greek term enriches the reading by clarifying that these are not ordinary figs but specifically failed, inedible ones, underscoring the theme of rejection and catastrophic change at the end of the age. In the ancient Mediterranean world, fig trees were common, and their seasonal cycles were well understood. An ὄλυνθος was a known agricultural phenomenon—a fig that clung to the tree but was useless for food because it never sweetened. This cultural familiarity makes the simile in Revelation 6:13 immediately vivid to original audiences, contrasting the expected, valuable ripe fig with a worthless, out-of-season one shaken loose by a storm. σῦκον (sukon, G4810) — a general term for a fig, ripe or dried, whereas ὄλυνθος specifies an unripe, inedible winter fig.

Word Details