Lexical Summary glukus: Sweet Original Word: γλυκύς Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sweet, fresh. Of uncertain affinity; sweet (i.e. Not bitter nor salt) -- sweet, fresh. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition sweet NASB Translation fresh (2), sweet (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1099: γλυκύςγλυκύς, γλυκεῖα, γλυκύ, sweet: James 3:11 (opposed to πικρόν); 12 (opposed to ἁλυκόν); Revelation 10:9 (10). (From Homer down.) Topical Lexicon Semantic Nuances of γλυκύςThough literally denoting sweetness to the taste, the word widens to describe what is pleasant, wholesome, and life-giving. It can signal refreshment for body, mind, or spirit, and therefore stands in sharp antithesis to what is bitter, poisonous, or destructive. Occurrences in Scripture These four references divide naturally between ethical exhortation (the Epistle of James) and prophetic experience (the Apocalypse of John). James: Sweetness as the Measure of the Tongue James 3:11 asks, “Does a spring pour out both sweet and bitter water from the same opening?”. The imagery appeals to common sense: people instinctively trust a consistent water source. James employs γλυκύς to expose duplicity in speech. A regenerated heart should produce words as reliably “sweet” as a fresh spring. In 3:12 he reinforces the point by pairing figs and olives with fresh and salt water, insisting that true nature determines true output. Behind the language lies the biblical conviction that speech flows from the heart (Proverbs 4:23; Matthew 12:34). James therefore calls believers to a sanctified tongue that manifests grace rather than corrosive bitterness. Revelation: The Bittersweet Scroll In Revelation 10:9–10 John receives a little scroll and is told, “Take it and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey”. Here γλυκύς functions paradoxically. The prophetic message is delightful to receive—because divine revelation is inherently good—yet painful to internalize, for it announces judgment. The episode echoes Ezekiel 3:1–3, where the prophet likewise eats a sweet scroll before proclaiming severe words. Sweetness thus becomes a sign of intimate fellowship with God’s word, while the ensuing bitterness signals the cost of faithful witness in a hostile world. Old Testament Background Sweetness frequently characterizes God’s provision: Exodus 15:25 – Moses casts wood into Marah’s bitter waters, making them sweet. Psalms 19:10 – The ordinances of the LORD “are sweeter than honey.” Proverbs 16:24 – “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” These passages supply conceptual roots for James and Revelation, linking sweetness with divine grace, life, and healing. Theological Themes 1. Consistency of Nature: Both James and Revelation assume that inward reality governs outward expression. Sweet water and sweet prophecy arise from a source transformed by God. Pastoral and Ministry Implications • Guarded Speech: Church leaders should cultivate communication that refreshes hearers, mirroring the sweet spring James envisions. Christological Reflections Jesus Christ embodies γλυκύς in both word and deed. His yoke is “easy,” literally “kind,” inviting the weary to rest (Matthew 11:30). Yet His sweet gospel includes the bitter call to take up the cross (Matthew 16:24). At the cross the sweetest expression of divine love meets the bitterness of sin’s judgment, uniting the two poles of γλυκύς and πικρός (bitter) in redemptive harmony. Summation Strong’s Greek 1099 captures a robust biblical motif: what is truly sweet issues from a transformed source, blesses others, delights in God’s word, and remains steadfast even when sweetness must share space with the bitterness of judgment or suffering. Such sweetness is the fragrance of a life rooted in Christ, the wellspring of wholesome speech, and the taste of heavenly truth breaking into a fallen world. Forms and Transliterations γεγλυμμένα γεγλυμμένη γεγλυμμένους γλυκέα γλυκείς γλυκυ γλυκύ γλυκὺ γλυκύς γλυκύτερα γλυκύτερον γλυκύτητά γλύμμα γλυπτά γλυπτοίς γλυπτόν γλυπτώ γλυπτών γλυφαί γλυφάς γλύφειν γλυφή γλυφήν γλύφοντες γλυφών γλύψεις έγλυψαν έγλυψε έγλυψεν gluku glyky glyký glykỳLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance James 3:11 Adj-ANSGRK: βρύει τὸ γλυκὺ καὶ τὸ NAS: opening [both] fresh and bitter KJV: place sweet [water] and INT: pours forth fresh and James 3:12 Adj-ANS Revelation 10:9 Adj-NNS Revelation 10:10 Adj-NNS |