The verb occurs thirteen times in the Greek New Testament and always describes the vivid, visceral reaction of people who encounter the Word or works of God in Christ or His apostles. Whether the setting is a synagogue, a roadside, a private conversation, or a Roman governor’s court, the response is consistent: hearers or observers are so overwhelmed that they are metaphorically “struck out of themselves.”

Occurrences cluster in three settings:
• Teaching moments (Matthew 7:28; Matthew 13:54; Matthew 22:33; Mark 1:22; Mark 6:2; Mark 11:18; Luke 4:32).
• Miraculous deeds (Mark 7:37; Luke 9:43).
• Paradigm-shifting pronouncements about salvation (Matthew 19:25; Mark 10:26; Acts 13:12).

The sole childhood narrative (Luke 2:48) anchors the reaction even in Jesus’ earliest years, showing continuity throughout His earthly life.

Contexts of Astonishment

1. Public Instruction: Each teaching setting highlights Christ’s authority over received rabbinic tradition. “The crowds were astonished at His teaching, because He taught as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (Matthew 7:28-29). His words did not merely inform; they confronted hearers with divine ultimacy.
2. Power Encounters: When the deaf man speaks plainly (Mark 7:37) or an unclean spirit is expelled (Luke 9:43), awe arises not only from the miracle but from the implied revelation of Jesus’ identity. Luke summarizes, “And they were all astonished at the majesty of God.”
3. Salvific Paradigms: The rich-young-ruler episode turns common assumptions upside down. “When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’” (Matthew 19:25). Astonishment here functions as the gateway to deeper understanding of grace.

Christological Significance

The reaction repeatedly confirms Jesus’ unique authority. The narratives never portray Jesus Himself as astonished; He is the cause, never the recipient, of this response. Thus the verb becomes an indirect Christological confession—crowds, disciples, parents, and even Roman officials tacitly acknowledge that they have encountered something (Someone) wholly “other.”

Responses of Faith and Unbelief

Astonishment alone is morally ambiguous. In Nazareth (Matthew 13:54-58), amazement ends in offense and unbelief. In contrast, the proconsul in Cyprus “believed, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord” (Acts 13:12). The narrative tension invites readers to move from mere wonder to obedient faith.

Apostolic Continuation

Acts 13:12 is strategic: after the resurrection and ascension the same response now attaches to apostolic proclamation. The word of the Lord—carried by Paul—produces the identical impact that Jesus personally evoked, demonstrating the Spirit-empowered continuity of gospel ministry.

Biblical-Theological Threads

• Old Testament Echoes: Reactions of terror or wonder before theophanies (Exodus 34:30; Judges 13:6) foreshadow the New Testament astonishment, underscoring that the God of Sinai is the God who walks Galilean shores.
• Prophetic Expectation: Isaiah’s Servant would “startle many nations” (Isaiah 52:15). The verb’s New Testament use shows that this prophetic shock is realized in Jesus.

Pastoral and Devotional Implications

1. Preaching: Faithful exposition should aim, under the Spirit, not merely at cognition but at a regenerate awe that bows to Christ’s authority.
2. Worship: Corporate liturgy ought to cultivate reverent amazement, preventing familiarity from dulling wonder.
3. Discipleship: Believers must progress beyond initial astonishment to informed, obedient trust, lest they mirror Nazareth’s unbelief.

Historical Reflection

Early Christian writers (e.g., Justin Martyr, Origen) appealed to the unparalleled impact of Jesus’ words and works as apologetic evidence. The same spiritual earthquake that shook first-century crowds continued to reverberate in the patristic period and still validates gospel proclamation today.

Summary

Every occurrence of Strong’s Greek 1605 documents the inbreaking of divine revelation that jolts human beings out of complacency. The verb invites readers to measure their own response: astonishment that hardens into offense, or amazement that yields believing worship and lifelong obedience.