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Palestine; its twigs are flexible. Another species, however, the Arabian
%$ $
, crowns
of which are plaited and sold in Jerusalem as representatives of Christ’s crown, seems
likely to be the one referred to. The branches are easily woven and adapted to the torture
intended. The word
occurs also in Heb. 6:8.¶
2.
(
, 4647) originally denoted “anything pointed,” e.g., “a stake”; in
Hellenistic vernacular, “a thorn” (so the Sept., in Num. 33:55; Ezek. 28:24; Hos. 2:6.¶), 2
Cor. 12:7, of the apostle’s “thorn in the flesh”; his language indicates that it was physical,
painful, humiliating; it was also the effect of divinely permitted Satanic antagonism; the
verbs rendered “that I should (not) be exalted overmuch” (
RV
) and “to buffet” are in the
present tense, signifying recurrent action, indicating a constantly repeated attack.
Lightfoot interprets it as “a stake driven through the flesh,” and Ramsay agrees with this.
Most commentators adhere to the rendering “thorn.” Field says “there is no doubt that the
Alexandrine use of
for thorn is here intended, and that the ordinary meaning of
‘stake’ must be rejected.” What is stressed is not the metaphorical size, but the acuteness
of the suffering and its effects. Attempts to connect this with the circumstances of Acts
14:19 and Gal. 4:13 are speculative.¶
B. Adjective.
(
1
, 174), “of thorns” (from A, No. 1), is used in Mark 15:17 and
John 19:5.¶ In the Sept., Isa. 34:13.¶
THOROUGHLY (THROUGHLY)
Note:
This is usually part of the translation of a verb, e.g., CLEANSE, FURNISH,
PURGE. In 2 Cor. 11:6, the phrase
, “in everything,”
RV
, is translated
“throughly” in the
KJV
.
For
THOSE
see
THIS
(last part of
Note
)
THOU
Note:
Frequently this forms part of the translation of a verb in the 2nd person,
singular. Otherwise it translates (a) the pronoun
$
, used for emphasis or contrast, e.g.,
John 1:19, 21 (twice), 25, 42 (twice); 8:5, 13, 25, 33, 48, 52, 53; Acts 9:5; in addressing a
person or place, e.g., Matt. 2:6; Luke 1:76; John 17:5; perhaps also in the phrase
$
,
“thou hast said,” e.g., Matt. 26:64 (sometimes without emphasis, e.g., Acts 13:33); (b) in
the oblique cases, e.g., the dative
, lit., “to thee,” e.g., Matt. 17:25, “what thinkest
thou?” (lit., “what does it seem to thee?”); (c)
$
, “self,” e.g., Luke 6:42; Acts 21:24,
“thou thyself”; (d) the reflexive pronoun,
$
, Rom. 2:19, “thou thyself.”
For
THOUGH
see
†
, p. 1
For
THOUGHT
(Verb) see
THINK
THOUGHT (Noun)
¶ Indicates that all the NT occurrences of the Greek word under consideration are
mentioned under the heading or sub-heading.
†
Indicates that the word referred to (preposition, conjunction, or particle) is not dealt
with in this volume.