Topical Lexicon
Overview of the Termἀποστοματίζω, rendered inLuke 11:53 as “to assail with questions,” portrays an aggressive form of interrogation. It goes beyond ordinary inquiry, describing an attempt to elicit a statement that can be turned against the speaker. The action is adversarial, calculated, and ultimately hostile.
Immediate Context inLuke 11:53
“ As Jesus went on from there, the scribes and Pharisees began to oppose Him bitterly and to assail Him with questions about many things ” (Luke 11:53).
This verse closes a section in which Jesus has pronounced six woes upon the Pharisees and experts in the Law (Luke 11:37-52). Their retaliatory response—ἀποστοματίζω—signals a transition from simmering resentment to open confrontation. The verb underscores their determination to discredit Him publicly and to lay groundwork for later accusations (Luke 11:54).
Historical Background: Scribes and Pharisees as Interrogators
First-century scribes were trained in nuanced legal debate, and Pharisaic rhetoric relied heavily on pointed questioning. In rabbinic schools, sharp dialogue served to clarify the Law; employed against Jesus, the same technique became a weapon. The goal was not illumination but incrimination.
Related Gospel Patterns of Entrapment
While ἀποστοματίζω appears only once, the strategy it describes recurs frequently:
•Matthew 22:15—“Then the Pharisees went out and plotted to trap Him in His words.”
•Mark 12:13—Agents are sent “to catch Him in His words.”
•Luke 20:20—Spies “pretended to be upright, that they might catch Him in something He said.”
These passages reveal a concerted policy: generate a statement that could lead either to Roman charges (sedition) or popular discredit (blasphemy).
Christological Significance
Every attempt to ensnare Jesus paradoxically showcases His divine wisdom. Whether questioned on paying taxes (Matthew 22:17-22) or the resurrection (Luke 20:27-40), His replies silence opponents and amplify His authority (Matthew 22:46). ἀποστοματίζω, therefore, accentuates both human hostility and divine mastery in speech.
Theological Implications
1. Human hostility toward truth: The term highlights the fallen impulse to resist divine revelation with calculated malice (John 3:19-20).
2. Providential outworking: Even adversarial scrutiny fulfills God’s redemptive plan, propelling Jesus toward the cross (Acts 2:23).
3. The inviolability of divine wisdom: Repeated failure to trap Jesus validates the promise ofIsaiah 11:2 concerning the Spirit of wisdom resting upon Messiah.
Pastoral and Ministry Applications
• Expect opposition: “All who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Hostile questioning remains a tactic against faithful witness.
• Respond with grace and truth:1 Peter 3:15 instructs believers to answer “with gentleness and respect,” mirroring Jesus’ composure under fire.
• Guard the tongue:Proverbs 10:19 cautions that “When words are many, transgression is not lacking.” The Savior’s measured speech is a model for restrained, purposeful communication.
Literary and Canonical Echoes
Old Testament prophets also faced interrogations meant to indict them (Jeremiah 38:4-6). Stephen’s defense before the Sanhedrin (Acts 7) mirrors Jesus’ experience; both highlight continuity between prophetic witness and the Messiah’s ministry. Thus ἀποστοματίζω links New Testament conflict to an older pattern of resistance to God’s messengers.
Conclusion
ἀποστοματίζω encapsulates the transition from passive skepticism to active aggression against Jesus. Its lone appearance inLuke 11:53, illuminated by parallel episodes, exposes the deceitful strategies of unbelief and magnifies the flawless wisdom of the Lord. For the Church today, the term serves both as a sober warning of oppositional tactics and as an encouragement that, like her Lord, she may rely on God-given wisdom when confronted by hostile questioning.
Forms and Transliterations
αποστοματιζειν αποστοματίζειν ἀποστοματίζειν apostomatizein apostomatízeinLinks
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