Lexical Summary thérion: Beast, wild animal Original Word: θηρίον Strong's Exhaustive Concordance venomous, wild beast. Diminutive from the same as thera; a dangerous animal -- (venomous, wild) beast. see GREEK thera HELPS Word-studies 2342 thēríon – the generic term for wild animal ("beast"); (figuratively) a brutal ("bestial") nature. [2342 (thēríon) never refers to animals used for sacrifice.] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origindim. form of the same as théra Definition a wild beast NASB Translation beast (38), beasts (2), creature (2), wild beasts (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2342: θηρίονθηρίον, θηρίου, τό (diminutive of θήρ; hence, a little beast, little animal; Plato, Theact., p. 171 e.; of bees, Theocritus, 19, 6; but in usage it had almost always the force of its primitive; the later diminutive is θηριδιον (cf. Epictetus diss. 2, 9, 6)); (from Homer down); the Sept. for חַיָה and בְּהֵמָה, an animal; a wild animal, wild beast, beast: properly, Mark 1:13; Acts 10:12 Rec.; Topical Lexicon OverviewThe term θηρίον appears forty-six times in the Greek New Testament, ranging from straightforward references to untamed creatures to climactic depictions of the eschatological “Beast.” Whether literal or symbolic, every occurrence underscores divine sovereignty over creation and history, contrasting the wildness of the fallen order with the ordered reign of God and the Lamb. Literal Usage in Narrative Passages • Mark 1:13 records that during His wilderness temptation Jesus “was with the wild animals,” yet remained unharmed, prefiguring His future dominion over all hostile powers. These accounts remind believers that the untamed realm is subject to God’s purposes and that Christ’s followers serve under a greater authority than any threat nature can pose. Moral Metaphor for Depravity Titus 1:12 cites the Cretan poet Epimenides: “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” Here θηρία characterizes moral brutishness—the loss of reason and restraint when people reject divine truth. By pairing the term with “liars” and “lazy gluttons,” Paul exposes the ease with which sinful culture domesticates vice, urging elders to rebuke sharply (Titus 1:13) that sound faith might flourish. Apocalyptic Portrayal of the Beast in Revelation From Revelation 11 forward, θηρίον becomes a proper title, most notably in chapter 13: • Revelation 13:1–2 – A composite creature rises from the sea, amalgamating the predatory symbols of Daniel’s visions, signifying a final world empire energized by “the dragon.” In Revelation the Beast represents the final concentration of political, religious, and economic opposition to God—an empire and its personal head, animated by Satan. Believers are called to patient endurance, confident that the Lamb has already secured victory (Revelation 17:14). Old Testament Background and Canonical Harmony The apocalyptic Beast echoes the four kingdoms of Daniel 7, especially the terrifying fourth beast. Revelation’s vision advances Daniel’s prophecy, depicting a last global rule that subsumes all previous beastly empires. The pattern stretches back to Genesis 3, where the serpent’s enmity introduces the struggle between the seed of the woman and the forces of evil. Every θηρίον that threatens God’s people is ultimately a shadow of this deeper conflict, resolved at the cross and culminating in the consummation. Christ and the Beast: Triumph and Judgment Christ is presented in Revelation both as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5) and as the slain Lamb, depicting majestic power through sacrificial love. His victory unseats the beastly powers. By describing unredeemed humanity’s tyrants as θηρία, Scripture draws a deliberate line: what refuses to be governed by the Lamb inevitably becomes beastlike and is destined for judgment. Pastoral and Missional Implications 1. Allegiance – The contrast between worship of the Beast and worship of the Lamb presses the church toward exclusive fidelity to Christ in all cultural climates. Thus θηρίον traverses the biblical account arc—from the wild animals that witness Christ’s obedience, through metaphors of human depravity, to the ultimate foe of God’s kingdom—always setting the stage for the supremacy of Jesus Christ and the vindication of His saints. Forms and Transliterations θηρια θηρία θηρίοις θηριον θηρίον θηριου θηρίου θηριω θηρίω θηρίῳ θηριων θηρίων theria thería thēria thēría therio thēriō theríoi thēríōi therion theríon thērion thēriōn thēríon thēríōn theriou theríou thēriou thēríouLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Mark 1:13 N-GNPGRK: μετὰ τῶν θηρίων καὶ οἱ NAS: by Satan; and He was with the wild beasts, and the angels KJV: with the wild beasts; and INT: with the beasts and the Acts 11:6 N-ANP Acts 28:4 N-ANS Acts 28:5 N-ANS Titus 1:12 N-NNP Hebrews 12:20 N-NNS James 3:7 N-GNP Revelation 6:8 N-GNP Revelation 11:7 N-NNS Revelation 13:1 N-ANS Revelation 13:2 N-NNS Revelation 13:3 N-GNS Revelation 13:4 N-DNS Revelation 13:4 N-DNS Revelation 13:4 N-DNS Revelation 13:11 N-ANS Revelation 13:12 N-GNS Revelation 13:12 N-ANS Revelation 13:14 N-GNS Revelation 13:14 N-DNS Revelation 13:15 N-GNS Revelation 13:15 N-GNS Revelation 13:15 N-GNS Revelation 13:17 N-GNS Revelation 13:18 N-GNS Strong's Greek 2342 |
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