Lexical Summary suntrimma: Ruin, destruction, fracture Original Word: συντρίμμα Strong's Exhaustive Concordance destruction. From suntribo; concussion or utter fracture (properly, concretely), i.e. Complete ruin -- destruction. see GREEK suntribo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom suntribó Definition a fracture, fig. a calamity NASB Translation destruction (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4938: σύντριμμασύντριμμα, συντρίμματος, τό (συντρίβω), the Sept. chiefly for שֶׁבֶר); 1. that which is broken or shattered, a fracture: Aristotle, de audibil., p. 802{a}, 34; of a broken limb, the Sept. Leviticus 21:19. 2. tropically, calamity, ruin, destruction: Romans 3:16, from Isaiah 59:7, where it stands for שֹׁד, a devastation, laying waste, as in Topical Lexicon Essential Idea of Catastrophic Ruin The term depicts the shattering aftermath that follows the advance of human wickedness. It pictures life broken beyond self-repair, the debris of sin scattered along a person’s path and infecting society at large. The image is not a momentary stumble but a sustained condition of devastation in which healing cannot be found apart from divine intervention. Biblical Usage in Romans 3:16 Paul places the word in his chain of Old Testament citations that culminate in the sweeping verdict, “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10). Specifically, “ruin and misery lie in their wake” (Romans 3:16) spotlights the social fallout of sin. By borrowing this language, Paul shows that sinful humanity not only rebels vertically against God but also wreaks horizontal havoc among fellow image-bearers. The context joins the whole human family under the same indictment, preparing the ground for the universal offer of justification in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21-26). Old Testament Echoes The phrase recalls Isaiah 59:7, “Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; ruin and destruction are in their paths”. Isaiah portrays national apostasy in Judah; Paul universalizes it. The verbal link underscores Scripture’s consistent testimony that sin invariably produces societal collapse—whether in an eighth-century Judean setting or a first-century Roman milieu. Theological Significance 1. Doctrine of Sin: Humanity’s fall is not merely personal guilt but an active force that fractures communities (cf. Proverbs 1:16; Micah 2:1-3). The term captures both inner corruption and outward fallout. Christ as the Remedy for Ruin Isaiah continues, “A Redeemer will come to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20). Paul sees that Redeemer in Jesus, whose atoning death absorbs the wrath sin deserves and whose resurrection inaugurates the reversal of all ruin. The gospel therefore confronts the shattering effects of sin with the reconstructive power of grace (Ephesians 2:4-10). Pastoral and Discipleship Applications • Counseling: When counseling those who feel their lives are “in ruins,” Romans 3:16 can be paired with Psalm 147:3—“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds”. Historical Reception • Early Church: Chrysostom remarked that Paul gathers “testimonies like witnesses” to prove sin’s universal reach, with this term showing sin’s social scars. Homiletical Suggestions • Sermon Title: “From Ruin to Redemption.” Key Related Themes and References Violence and bloodshed—Genesis 6:11, Isaiah 59:7 Brokenheartedness—Psalm 34:18, Psalm 147:3 New creation—Isaiah 65:17, 2 Corinthians 5:17 Ultimate restoration—Acts 3:21, Revelation 21:1-5 Questions for Study and Reflection 1. How does recognizing the communal fallout of sin deepen one’s appreciation for Christ’s atonement? Forms and Transliterations συντριμμα σύντριμμα συντρίμματα συντρίμματι συντρίμματί συντρίμματος συντριμμοί συντριμμόν συντριμμός σύντριψιν suntrimma syntrimma sýntrimmaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |