Understanding διαγογγύζω (diagogguzo) Strong’s G1234: The Murmuring Disapproval that Reveals Hearts in the Face of Divine Mercy

Pronunciation Guide: dee-ah-gong-GOO-zoh

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1234: Διαγογγύζω (diagogguzo) describes a continuous, spreading murmuring or grumbling among a group, expressing disapproval or discontent. It carries the connotation of complaint that spreads throughout a crowd, creating an atmosphere of shared dissatisfaction. In biblical contexts, it often portrays religious leaders or crowds expressing disapproval of Jesus’ actions that contradicted their expectations or traditions.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Verb
• Root Words: Compound of διά (dia, “through” or “thoroughly”) + γογγύζω (gogguzo, “to murmur or grumble”)
• Language Origin: Hellenistic Greek
• Primary Usage: Narrative portions of the Gospels (particularly in Luke)
• Voice: Active voice, indicating the subject performs the action
• Tense: Imperfect tense (in its first appearance), suggesting continuous action in past time

Διαγογγύζω Morphology:

• διαγογγύζω (present active indicative, 1st person singular) – I murmur/grumble throughout
• διαγογγύζεις (present active indicative, 2nd person singular) – you murmur/grumble throughout
• διαγογγύζει (present active indicative, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it murmurs/grumbles throughout
• διαγογγύζουσιν (present active indicative, 3rd person plural) – they murmur/grumble throughout
• διεγόγγυζον (imperfect active indicative, 3rd person plural) – they were murmuring/grumbling throughout

Origin & History

Διαγογγύζω emerges from the simpler form γογγύζω (gogguzo), an onomatopoeic word that imitates the low, rumbling sound of muttering or complaining. The addition of the prefix διά (dia) intensifies the action, suggesting a complaint that spreads “throughout” or “among” a group. This compound form is relatively rare in ancient Greek literature outside biblical texts.

In the Septuagint (LXX), the root word γογγύζω appears frequently to describe the Israelites’ complaints against Moses and God during the wilderness wanderings (Exodus 16:7-8; Numbers 14:27). However, the compound form διαγογγύζω is much rarer, appearing only in a few instances. Its limited usage outside biblical literature suggests it may have been a specialized term that gained particular significance in Jewish-Christian contexts to describe group disapproval of actions perceived as violating religious norms.

Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian, occasionally uses related forms to describe murmurings among groups, particularly in his work “Antiquities of the Jews,” when discussing collective complaints among the people of Israel.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• A continuous, spreading murmuring or grumbling that moves throughout a group
• An expression of disapproval or discontent that creates a shared atmosphere of complaint
• A verbal reaction indicating resistance to actions that challenge established norms or expectations
• A collective expression of judgment against perceived violations of tradition or propriety

Διαγογγύζω Translation Options:

• To murmur against – Emphasizes the indirect nature of the complaint, which is often not addressed directly to the person being criticized
• To grumble throughout – Highlights the διά prefix, showing how the complaint spreads among a group
• To complain collectively – Captures the group dynamic essential to the word’s meaning
• To express disapproval mutually – Reflects the shared nature of the sentiment and its reinforcement within the group
• To criticize indirectly – Emphasizes the indirect nature of the expression, often spoken about someone rather than to them

Biblical Usage

Διαγογγύζω appears only in the Gospel of Luke, where it serves as a powerful narrative device to highlight the conflict between Jesus’ radical inclusivity and the religious establishment’s exclusivity. Its limited usage (only 2 occurrences) makes each instance particularly significant.

Its first appearance in Luke 15:2 sets the stage for Jesus’ famous trilogy of parables about lost things (sheep, coin, son): “And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured [διεγόγγυζον], saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.'” Here, the imperfect tense (διεγόγγυζον) portrays an ongoing, persistent grumbling that spread throughout the religious leaders as they witnessed Jesus’ scandalous table fellowship with tax collectors and sinners. This collective complaint became the catalyst for Jesus’ most profound teaching on God’s heart for the lost.

The only other occurrence is in Luke 19:7, where the crowd grumbles [διεγόγγυζον] when Jesus chooses to stay at the house of Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector. Again, the word captures a collective, spreading disapproval of Jesus’ association with someone deemed unworthy by religious standards.

While διαγογγύζω itself appears only in Luke, its root word γογγύζω occurs more frequently throughout the New Testament:

• “And the Pharisees and the scribes were murmuring [διεγόγγυζον], saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.'” Luke 15:2
• “And when they saw it, they all began to grumble [διεγόγγυζον], saying, ‘He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.'” Luke 19:7

Cultural Insights

In first-century Jewish society, table fellowship carried profound social and religious significance. With whom one ate was not merely a social choice but a statement of acceptance and approval. The act of sharing a meal implied mutual acceptance and recognition of the other as part of one’s community. This explains why the Pharisees found Jesus’ dining with “sinners” so objectionable—it violated fundamental boundaries that maintained ritual purity and social hierarchy.

The διαγογγύζω reaction of the religious leaders reveals a deeply embedded cultural expectation that righteous individuals should maintain separation from those deemed “unclean.” In the rabbinic tradition, the concept of חֲבֵרוּת (chaverut, “fellowship”) was carefully regulated, with specific guidelines about with whom one could share meals. The Pharisaic tradition had developed an elaborate system of table fellowship rules designed to maintain ritual purity.

Jesus’ deliberate violation of these norms—and the resulting διαγογγύζω response—highlights a fundamental clash between two religious worldviews: one centered on maintaining boundaries of purity and one centered on extending mercy beyond those boundaries. The very act that provoked murmuring became Jesus’ opportunity to reveal the heart of God through the parables of the lost sheep, coin, and son in Luke 15.

Theological Significance

The theological importance of διαγογγύζω lies in how it reveals contrasting attitudes toward divine mercy. When the Pharisees and scribes “murmured throughout” about Jesus receiving sinners, they unwittingly positioned themselves as the elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son and as the laborers who complained about equal wages in Jesus’ parable of the vineyard workers. Their collective disapproval becomes a foil against which God’s radical grace shines more brightly.

The context of διαγογγύζω in Luke 15:2 is particularly significant—it serves as the negative backdrop against which Jesus paints three vivid portraits of divine searching love. The religious leaders’ spreading murmurs about Jesus’ acceptance of sinners becomes the very occasion for Him to reveal that such inclusion reflects the very heart of יהוה (Yahweh). Through this stark contrast, Luke highlights a central theme of his Gospel: the “upside-down” nature of God’s kingdom, where the expected standards of religious propriety are often reversed.

This term also connects to the broader biblical theme of human resistance to divine mercy. From Israel’s wilderness complaints (where γογγύζω appears frequently in the Septuagint) to the religious establishment’s resistance to Jesus’ ministry, human beings have consistently struggled with God’s expansive grace. The διαγογγύζω response thus stands in a long tradition of human difficulty accepting that God’s mercy might extend beyond the boundaries we establish.

Personal Application

The concept of διαγογγύζω invites profound self-reflection: Do we, like the Pharisees, ever find ourselves murmuring about God’s generosity toward others? The religious leaders’ spreading complaints reveal that sometimes our greatest spiritual blind spot lies not in our rejection of God but in our resistance to how He chooses to work with others.

When we feel that uncomfortable sense of disapproval rising within us as God blesses someone we deem unworthy, we might recognize the early stirrings of διαγογγύζω in our own hearts. The challenge is to catch this response and ask what it reveals about our understanding of grace. Are we operating from a mindset of scarcity, as though God’s favor toward others somehow diminishes what’s available to us? Or can we celebrate, like the father in the prodigal son parable, when the lost are found and the dead come to life?

Related Words

• γογγύζω (gogguzo, pronounced gong-GOO-zoh) – The simpler form meaning “to murmur or grumble,” without the intensification and spreading aspect of διαγογγύζω. Used more frequently in the New Testament to describe various forms of complaining. See G1111
• γογγυσμός (goggusmos, pronounced gong-goos-MOS) – The noun form meaning “a murmuring, murmur, complaint.” Often used to describe the act or instance of complaining rather than the ongoing process. See G1112
• διαλογίζομαι (dialogizomai, pronounced dee-ah-log-ID-zoh-my) – To consider, reason, or debate within oneself or with others; similar in its “throughout” aspect but focused on reasoning rather than complaining. See G1260
• καταλαλέω (katalaleo, pronounced kat-al-al-EH-oh) – To speak against someone, to slander; similar in its negative speech aspect but more direct and aggressive than the indirect murmuring of διαγογγύζω. See G2635
• στενάζω (stenazo, pronounced sten-AD-zo) – To sigh deeply, groan, or complain; expresses deep feeling but lacks the spreading, collective aspect of διαγογγύζω. See G4727

Did You Know?

• Did you know? The rare appearance of διαγογγύζω in the New Testament (only in Luke’s Gospel) contrasts sharply with the frequent appearance of its root word γογγύζω in the Septuagint’s account of Israel’s wilderness wanderings. This linguistic connection creates a subtle parallel between the religious leaders’ complaints about Jesus and Israel’s historic pattern of resisting God’s ways, suggesting that such murmuring is a persistent human response to divine methods that challenge religious expectations.
• Did you know? The imperfect tense used in both occurrences of διαγογγύζω (διεγόγγυζον) in Luke’s Gospel creates a vivid narrative effect, portraying the complaint as an ongoing background noise against which Jesus’ parables and actions unfold. This continuous aspect of their murmuring suggests not a momentary reaction but a persistent attitude that characterized the religious establishment’s response to Jesus’ ministry.
• Did you know? The concept of διαγογγύζω has a modern psychological parallel in what social scientists call “groupthink”—the tendency for opinions to spread and intensify within a group, often leading to uncritical conformity. When the Pharisees and scribes engaged in διαγογγύζω, they were participating in a form of collective reinforcement of established viewpoints that made them resistant to the new perspective Jesus offered. This social dynamic helps explain why religious establishments often struggle to recognize divine movements that challenge their traditions.

Remember This

Διαγογγύζω serves as a mirror reflecting our hearts when confronted with God’s boundless mercy—revealing whether we celebrate with heaven over one sinner who repents or join the chorus of those who murmur when grace crosses our comfortable boundaries.