Topical Lexicon
Root Concept and BackgroundStrong’s Greek 3034 designates the act of pelting with stones until death or serious harm results. Stoning functioned as a community-executed sanction intended to preserve covenant holiness, deter idolatry and blasphemy, and maintain corporate solidarity. By the first century the practice was regulated by synagogue leadership and often required Roman acquiescence for capital cases, yet spontaneous mob action still occurred when crowds believed divine honor was at stake.
Occurrences in the New Testament
1.John 8:5 – The scribes and Pharisees appeal to Mosaic precedent: “In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do You say?” The term frames their test of Jesus’ fidelity to Torah.
2.John 10:31-33; 10:32 – Three rapid-fire uses depict an attempted lynching for alleged blasphemy. Jesus’ question, “For which of these do you stone Me?” unmasks their zeal without knowledge.
3.John 11:8 – The disciples recall the earlier threat: “Rabbi, the Jews just tried to stone You.” Fear of stoning underscores the mounting hostility preceding the Passion.
4.Acts 5:26 – Temple authorities fear the populace “would stone them” if the apostles are handled roughly, illustrating how public opinion could restrain official force.
5.Acts 14:19 – Outsiders successfully incite the crowd: “They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city.” Paul’s near-martyrdom manifests the same animus once directed at his Lord.
6.2 Corinthians 11:25 – Paul testifies, “once I was stoned,” confirming the Acts narrative and listing the ordeal among apostolic credentials.
7.Hebrews 11:37 – The faithful “were stoned,” situating the church’s suffering within a continuum of covenant witness reaching back to the prophets.
Johannine Emphasis on Jesus and Blasphemy
John alone records four of the nine appearances. Each links attempted stoning with Jesus’ revelation of His divine identity. The escalating pattern—interrogation (John 8), attempted execution (John 10), renewed threat (John 11)—highlights the cost of self-disclosure: the Light exposes darkness, provoking lethal resistance.
Lukan Portrait of Apostolic Ministry
Luke employs the verb to show both potential danger (Acts 5:26) and actual violence (Acts 14:19). The juxtaposition reveals that Spirit-empowered proclamation may temporarily find civic protection but ultimately collides with entrenched unbelief. Paul’s survival after being left for dead prefigures resurrection power sustaining gospel advance.
Paul’s Autobiographical Witness
In2 Corinthians 11:25 Paul treats stoning not as a misfortune but as a badge of apostolic authenticity. The incident verifies his solidarity with Christ’s sufferings and his unwavering commitment to Gentile mission despite Jewish opposition.
Catalogue of the Faithful in Hebrews
Hebrews 11:37 places stoning alongside other brutal deaths, reminding believers that persecution has long accompanied fidelity. The list exhorts readers to endure because the God who commends faith does not forget those who are “destitute, oppressed, and mistreated.”
Old Testament Antecedent
Key Pentateuchal texts require stoning for blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16), idolatry (Deuteronomy 17:2-5), and adultery (Deuteronomy 22:22-24). Prophetic narratives (1 Kings 21:13;2 Chronicles 24:21) show the penalty turned against God’s messengers when covenant conscience was seared. The New Testament occurrences thus echo Israel’s story, exposing the tragedy of misapplied zeal while affirming prophetic continuity.
Theological and Christological Significance
1. Holiness and Justice: Stoning demonstrates the gravity of sin under Divine Law.
2. Self-Revelation of Christ: Hostility toward incarnate truth validates His claim that the world hates Him because He testifies its works are evil.
3. Vicarious Model: Jesus’ willingness to face stoning foreshadows the cross, setting a pattern for discipleship—suffering precedes glory.
4. Apostolic Continuity: The same word describing mob aggression against Jesus describes aggression against His witnesses, tying the body to the Head.
Ethical and Pastoral Implications
• Courage in Witness – Believers may face violent rejection; fidelity demands readiness to bear reproach.
• Avoidance of Mob Justice – Scripture condemns zeal divorced from righteousness; ecclesial discipline is never to mimic unbridled vengeance.
• Identification with the Persecuted Church – Remembrance of those “stoned” calls modern congregations to intercede and support the suffering body worldwide.
• Evangelistic Hope – Paul’s survival and continued ministry after stoning illustrate how God can overturn lethal intent to further His redemptive plan.
Contemporary Application
While literal stoning is rare today, the term evokes any concerted attempt to silence biblical truth. Churches must prepare believers to answer hostility with gospel grace, confident that, as in Acts and 2 Corinthians, apparent setbacks often advance the kingdom.
Forms and Transliterations
ελιθασθην ελιθάσθην ἐλιθάσθην ελιθασθησαν ελιθάσθησαν ἐλιθάσθησαν λιθαζειν λιθάζειν λιθαζετε λιθάζετε λιθάζετέ λιθαζομεν λιθάζομέν λιθασαι λιθάσαι λιθασαντες λιθάσαντες λιθασθωσιν λιθασθώσιν λιθασθῶσιν λιθασωσιν λιθάσωσιν elithasthen elithasthēn elithásthen elithásthēn elithasthesan elithasthēsan elithásthesan elithásthēsan lithasai lithásai lithasantes lithásantes lithasosin lithasōsin lithásosin lithásōsin lithasthosin lithasthôsin lithasthōsin lithasthō̂sin lithazein litházein lithazete litházete lithazomen litházoménLinks
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