Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and ContextThe term "scour" in biblical context generally refers to the act of whipping or flogging, often as a form of punishment or discipline. This practice was common in ancient times and is mentioned in various passages throughout the Bible. Scourging was typically carried out with a whip or lash, sometimes embedded with sharp objects, to inflict pain and serve as a deterrent against wrongdoing.
Biblical ReferencesOne of the most notable references to scourging in the Bible is found in the New Testament, in the account of Jesus Christ's suffering before His crucifixion. In the Gospel of John, it is recorded: "Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged" (
John 19:1). This act of scourging was part of the Roman judicial process and was inflicted upon Jesus despite His innocence, fulfilling the prophecies of the suffering Messiah.
In the Old Testament, scourging is mentioned as a form of punishment under the Mosaic Law.
Deuteronomy 25:2-3 states: "If the guilty man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall have him lie down and be flogged in his presence with the number of lashes appropriate to his crime. He may receive no more than forty lashes, lest your brother be beaten any more than that and be degraded in your sight." This law was intended to ensure that punishment was just and not excessive.
Theological SignificanceScourging in the biblical narrative often symbolizes the severity of sin and the justice of God. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the need for repentance. In the case of Jesus, His scourging is seen as part of the atoning sacrifice for humanity's sins.
Isaiah 53:5 prophetically speaks of the Messiah's suffering: "But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."
Historical and Cultural BackgroundIn the ancient world, scourging was a common practice among various cultures, including the Romans and Jews. It was used not only as a punishment but also as a means of extracting confessions or information. The Roman flagrum, a type of whip used for scourging, was particularly brutal and could cause severe injury or even death.
The Jewish law, as outlined in the Torah, sought to regulate the practice to prevent abuse. The limitation of forty lashes was a measure to protect the dignity and life of the individual being punished. This reflects the broader biblical principle of justice tempered with mercy.
Application for BelieversFor Christians, the concept of scourging is a poignant reminder of the suffering Christ endured for the sake of humanity. It calls believers to reflect on the gravity of sin and the depth of God's love demonstrated through Jesus' sacrifice. The Apostle Paul, in his letters, often speaks of sharing in Christ's sufferings as part of the Christian journey, emphasizing the transformative power of enduring trials for the sake of the Gospel.
In summary, the biblical concept of scourging serves as a multifaceted symbol of justice, punishment, and ultimately, redemption through Christ.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To rub hard with something rough, as sand or Bristol brick, especially for the purpose of cleaning; to clean by friction; to make clean or bright; to cleanse from grease, dirt, etc., as articles of dress.
2. (v. t.) To purge; as, to scour a horse.
3. (v. t.) To remove by rubbing or cleansing; to sweep along or off; to carry away or remove, as by a current of water; -- often with off or away.
4. (v. t.) To pass swiftly over; to brush along; to traverse or search thoroughly; as, to scour the coast.
5. (v. i.) To clean anything by rubbing.
6. (v. i.) To cleanse anything.
7. (v. i.) To be purged freely; to have a diarrhea.
8. (v. i.) To run swiftly; to rove or range in pursuit or search of something; to scamper.
9. (n.) Diarrhea or dysentery among cattle.
Strong's Hebrew
4838. maraq -- toscour, polish... maraq. 4839 . to
scour, polish. Transliteration: maraq Phonetic Spelling:
(maw-rak') Short Definition: polish. Word Origin a prim.
... bright, furbish,
scour.
...4803. marat -- to make smooth, bare or bald, toscour, polish
... 4802, 4803. marat. 4804 . to make smooth, bare or bald, toscour, polish.
Transliteration: marat Phonetic Spelling: (maw-rat') Short Definition: polished....
Library
Concerning Persecution
... Take a cloth that is rotten. If youscour and rub it, it frets and tears;
but if youscour a piece of plate, it looks brighter....
The River of Life
... ideal, which there is power in the gospel to make real in the case of every one
of us, the rapid and continuous increase in the depth and in thescour of 'the...
The Ecclesiastical Trial
... Messengers were dispatched toscour the city for the members at the midnight
hour, because the case was urgent and could not brook delay....
His Earliest Oracles. (ii. 2-iv. 4. )
... Yea, though thouscour thee with nitre, 22 And heap to thee lye, Ingrained is thy
guilt before Me, Rede of the Lord, thy God.(156) How sayest thou, "I'm not...
The Struggle for Life
... With fifty other breakfastless birds, it had to bide its time, toscour the country;
to prospect the trees, the grass, the ground; to lie in ambush; to attack...
'The Girdle of Truth'
... It is better to have our lives running between narrow banks, and so to have ascour
in the stream, than to have them spreading wide and shallow, with no...
Coming In
... The stream that is to flow with impetus sufficient toscour its bed clear of
obstructions must not be allowed to meander in side branches, but be banked up in...
Letter cxvii. To a Mother and Daughter Living in Gaul.
... to allow one's tongue free course through the world." "You are too fearful," he
replied; "where is that old hardihood of yours which made youscour the world...
God's Guests
... shallow pond. Why! it ought to run in a clear stream that has ascour in it
and that will take all filth off the surface. The Psalmist...
Fences and Serpents
... walls, as our hydro-graphical engineers talk about, which, built in the bed of a
river, wholesomely confine its waters and make a goodscour which gives life...
Thesaurus
Scour (2 Occurrences)... 2. (vt) To purge; as, to
scour a horse.
... 4. (vt) To pass swiftly over; to brush
along; to traverse or search thoroughly; as, to
scour the coast.
...Gained (66 Occurrences)
... Matthew 23:15 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for youscour sea
and land in order to win one convert--and when he is gained, you make him...
Win (27 Occurrences)
... Matthew 23:15 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for youscour sea
and land in order to win one convert--and when he is gained, you make him...
Furbish (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (vt) To rub orscour to brightness; to clean; to burnish;
as, to furbish a sword or spear. Multi-Version Concordance...
Fuller (5 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary The word "full" is from the Anglo-Saxon fullian, meaning
"to whiten." To full is to press orscour cloth in a mill....
Full (1047 Occurrences)
... 12. (n.) To thicken by moistening, heating, and pressing, as cloth; to mill;
to make compact; toscour, cleanse, and thicken in a mill. 13....
Rub (1 Occurrence)
... 5. (vt) Toscour; to burnish; to polish; to brighten; to cleanse; -- often with
up or over; as, to rub up silver. 6. (vt) To hinder; to cross; to thwart....
Beat (85 Occurrences)
... 5. (vt) Toscour or range over in hunting, accompanied with the noise made
by striking bushes, etc., for the purpose of rousing game....
Bear (425 Occurrences)
... market. 32. (n.) A portable punching machine. 33. (n.) A block covered with
coarse matting; -- used toscour the deck. 34. (vt) To...
Convert (6 Occurrences)
... Matthew 23:15 "Alas for you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for youscour sea
and land in order to win one convert--and when he is gained, you make him...
Resources
I am a victim of abuse. Why do I feel guilty? | GotQuestions.orgScour: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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