Lexical Summary ereugomai: To utter, to pour forth, to emit Original Word: ἐρεύγομαι Strong's Exhaustive Concordance utter. Of uncertain affinity; to belch, i.e. (figuratively) to speak out -- utter. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. verb Definition to spit, by ext. to speak aloud NASB Translation utter (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2044: ἐρεύγομαιἐρεύγομαι: future ἐρεύξομαι; 1. to spit or spue out (Homer). 2. to be emptied, discharge itself, used of streams (Appendix Mithr c. 103); with the accusative to empty, discharge, cast forth, of rivers and waters: Leviticus 11:10 the Sept. 3. by a usage foreign to classic Greek (Winers Grammar, 23 (22f)), to pour forth words, to speak out, utter: Matthew 13:35 (Psalm 77:2 Topical Lexicon Lexical Scope and ImageryAlthough the term appears only once in the New Testament, its verbal picture of an internal fullness “gushing” outward permeates Scripture. The root is used in Greek literature for a spring bursting forth or an animal loudly bellowing; in biblical contexts the image is consistently redirected toward divine revelation—truth that cannot remain pent-up. Old Testament Background Psalm 78:2 sets the stage: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from of old”. The psalmist portrays God’s spokesman as one whose heart is so saturated with covenant history that it overflows in instructional stories. A similar thought appears in Psalm 19:2: “Day after day they pour forth speech, and night after night they reveal knowledge”. Creation itself becomes a preacher whose testimony bubbles over without words. In the Septuagint these texts employ the same verb family found in Matthew 13:35, forming a clear canonical bridge: the revelatory “outburst” in Israel’s hymns anticipates a greater disclosure in Messiah. New Testament Fulfillment in Matthew 13:35 Matthew cites Psalm 78:2 to explain Jesus’ parabolic ministry: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world”. The evangelist presents Jesus not merely as a teacher who adopts an illustrative style but as the prophetic voice foretold in the Psalter. What the psalmist promised—hidden realities erupting into public hearing—finds its climactic fulfillment as Christ unveils the mysteries of the kingdom. Three lines of significance emerge: 1. Christological Authentication The verb roots Matthew’s citation in an explicit prophecy, reinforcing Jesus’ messianic credentials. He is the appointed Oracle whose very speech is the long-awaited outpouring of God’s secret counsel. 2. Redemptive-Historical Progress The “hidden things” were embedded in the divine plan “since the foundation of the world,” yet remained veiled until the incarnation. Jesus’ utterance means the eschatological moment has arrived; the kingdom is no longer latent but voiced, heard, and therefore accountable. 3. Hermeneutical Paradigm By linking parables to revelatory overflow, Matthew clarifies that Christ’s accounts both reveal and conceal. The same overflowing speech enlightens the receptive and hardens the resistant (compare Matthew 13:10-17). The verb thus carries a dual edge: abundant disclosure for faith, judicial obscurity for unbelief. Image of Speech as Overflowing Revelation Throughout Scripture, divine communication is pictured as an effusion: • Job 32:18-19—Elihu feels like “new wineskins ready to burst.” The same motif underscores that revelation originates in God, wells up within His chosen instruments, and breaks out for the salvation of hearers. Theological Implications 1. Revelation Is Both Transcendent and Immanent The verb’s force preserves transcendence—truth comes from outside humanity—yet stresses immanence, for that truth is voiced in ordinary human language and stories. 2. Unity of Scripture The seamless connection between Psalm 78 and Matthew 13 showcases the coherence of the biblical witness. What is promised in figure is delivered in fact; prophecy merges with fulfillment without contradiction. 3. Priority of Christ’s Word Because Jesus embodies the ultimate “outpouring,” His teaching carries final authority. Hebrews 1:2 affirms that “in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son,” echoing the same revelatory crescendo. Practical Ministry Applications • Expository Preaching Faithful preaching should mirror the verb’s dynamic: Scripture stored in the heart until it cannot be contained. Sermons become channels through which God’s already-given Word flows rather than platforms for human novelty. • Discipleship Followers of Christ are invited to internalize kingdom truths so thoroughly that they naturally “overflow” in conversation (Matthew 12:34). • Evangelism The solitary New Testament use reminds believers that even a single Spirit-empowered utterance can unveil eternal mysteries to the lost. Worship and Devotional Use Psalm 78 and Psalm 19 exemplify worship as remembering and declaring. Singing or reciting these passages trains the church to view praise as proclaiming God’s mighty acts—an ongoing eruption of testimony that extends from creation’s chorus to the congregation’s lips. Conclusion Strong’s Greek 2044 captures the moment revelation breaks the dam and rushes into human history. In Jesus Christ, the hidden counsels of eternity become audible. His people now steward that same overflowing word, “holding forth the word of life” (Philippians 2:16), until the earth “will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). Forms and Transliterations ερεύγεται ερεύξεται ερευξομαι ερεύξομαι ἐρεύξομαι ereuxomai ereúxomaiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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