STRONGS NT 355: ἀναλόω [ἀναλόω, seeἀναλίσκω.]
Topical Lexicon
OverviewStrong’s Greek 355 appears only twice in the New Testament, yet its imagery of “being consumed” forms a vivid reminder of how quickly zeal or conflict can destroy what God intends for blessing. The verb portrays complete expenditure—whether of lives by divine judgment or of relationships through unchecked strife.
Occurrences in Scripture
•Luke 9:54 – James and John, angered by Samaritan rejection, ask, “Lord, do You want us to call down fire from heaven to consume them?”.
•Galatians 5:15 – Paul cautions believers, “But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.”.
Themes of Divine Judgment and Human Vengeance
Luke 9:54 recalls2 Kings 1:10-12, where Elijah twice calls down fire that “consumed” hostile captains. The disciples assume that messianic authority legitimizes similar retribution. Jesus immediately rebukes them (Luke 9:55-56), revealing a new covenant ethos: salvation rather than destruction (John 3:17). The passage contrasts impulsive human retaliation with the measured righteousness of God, who reserves judgment for Himself (Romans 12:19).
Warning Against Destructive Intra-Community Behavior
Galatians 5:15 transposes the same verb from physical ruin to relational ruin. Paul pictures the church body devouring itself through rivalry, a reversal of the Spirit-produced fruit listed moments later (Galatians 5:22-23). The warning fits the broader “one another” ethic (Ephesians 4:32;Colossians 3:13). Where the flesh reigns, mutual consumption replaces mutual edification (1 Thessalonians 5:11).
Historical and Intertestamental Background
Jewish tradition prized divine justice against oppressors (Psalm 97:3; Sirach 48:1). First-century messianic expectations often included catastrophic judgment on the ungodly.Luke 9 captures disciples shaped by that milieu. Paul, writing to Galatians steeped in factionalism, appropriates the same consuming metaphor familiar from Hellenistic moralists who described civil strife as wild beasts devouring one another.
Relation to Old Testament Motifs
Fire as an agent of total consumption appears fromGenesis 19:24 toMalachi 4:1. Yet the Lord also identifies Himself in a consuming capacity for purifying ends (Deuteronomy 4:24). The New Testament balances these motifs: while final judgment remains (Hebrews 12:29;Revelation 20:9), believers are called to embody mercy that rescues others from fiery ruin (Jude 23).
Use in Early Christian Teaching
Early patristic writers citedGalatians 5:15 when addressing schism. Ignatius of Antioch warned the Magnesians that jealousy “consumes” the soul; Cyprian viewed internal discord as a greater threat than external persecution. The term thus became shorthand for spiritual cannibalism dismantling ecclesial witness.
Practical Ministry Insights
1. Discern Zeal: Passion for righteousness must be yoked to Christ’s redemptive purpose, not personal offense.
2. Guard Speech: Verbal “biting” escalates into relational consumption; leaders model restraint (James 3:5-6).
3. Cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit: Love, patience, and self-control are the antidote to destructive impulses.
4. Address Conflict Early:Matthew 18:15-17 offers a process preventing simmering tensions from devouring fellowship.
5. Preach Judgment with Mercy: Proclaim God’s coming fire, yet invite repentance that averts it (Acts 2:40).
Related Biblical Imagery
• Devouring fire –Exodus 24:17;Isaiah 33:14
• Devouring beasts –Psalm 22:13;Daniel 7:7
• Consuming locusts –Joel 1:4;Revelation 9:3-4
Summary
Strong’s Greek 355 serves as a concise biblical picture of total expenditure—either by divine act or by human hostility.Luke 9:54 reveals Christ’s refusal to employ destructive power against sinners in the present age, whileGalatians 5:15 warns that unchecked fleshly behavior will dismantle Christian community from within. Together they call believers to exchange consuming wrath for Spirit-led love, thereby reflecting the Lord who “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish” (2 Peter 3:9).
Forms and Transliterations
αναλίσκει αναλίσκειν αναλίσκον αναλωθή αναλωθήσεται αναλωθήσονται αναλωθητε αναλωθήτε ἀναλωθῆτε αναλωσαι αναλώσαι ἀναλῶσαι αναλώσει αναλώση ανηλωμέναις ανήλωσε ανήλωσεν ανήλωται analosai analôsai analōsai analō̂sai analothete analothête analōthēte analōthē̂teLinks
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