Brief Overview of ῥάπισμα (Strong’s G4475: rhapisma)

Strong’s G4475: A noun denoting a blow with the palm of the hand, specifically a slap to the face. Used in New Testament accounts of Christ’s passion, representing both physical abuse and profound dishonor. Carries strong cultural connotations of personal insult and humiliation.

U- Unveiling the Word

ῥάπισμα represents both the physical act and the deep social significance of a face slap. Unlike general striking, this specific form of assault carried strong implications of personal humiliation and dishonor in ancient culture. In New Testament usage, it appears primarily in the passion narratives, describing the abuse Jesus endured. Early church fathers saw in this word both the depth of Christ’s humiliation and His example of enduring shame for our salvation. Today, this word continues to illustrate both the cost of Christ’s suffering and His model of responding to persecution with dignity.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: ῥάπισμα, rhapisma, /ˈrapisma/
• Pronunciation Guide: “RAH-pees-mah” (stress on first syllable)
• Part of Speech: Noun (neuter)

Etymology:

• Root: ῥαπίζω (rhapizō) meaning “to slap”
• Suffix: -μα (-ma) forming nouns indicating result of action
• Creates noun describing the blow itself

D – Defining Meanings

• Slap on the face
• Palm strike
• Insulting blow
• Dishonoring strike

Translation Options:

• Slap – Most direct translation
• Blow – More general term
• Strike – Emphasizes force of impact

E – Exploring Similar Words

• κόλαφος (kolaphos) /ˈkolafos/ – fist blow – See G2852
• πληγή (plēgē) /pleˈge/ – wound, stripe – See G4127
• τύμμα (tumma) /ˈtyma/ – blow, stroke – See G5180

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological Features (Noun):

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Gender: Neuter
• Declension: Third

Examples:

• Nominative: ῥάπισμα (slap)
• Genitive: ῥαπίσματος (of a slap)
• Dative: ῥαπίσματι (with/by a slap)
• Accusative: ῥάπισμα (slap as object)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes its specific meaning as face-slapping. Thayer’s notes its connection to personal insult. LSJ provides examples of its use in describing public humiliation. Vine’s highlights its use in passion narratives. Strong’s connects it to disciplinary action. LEH traces its development in Koine Greek. Moulton and Milligan show its use in legal contexts.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First Appearance:
“And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him and to say to him, ‘Prophesy!’ And the guards received him with [ῥαπίσμασιν] blows.” Mark 14:65

Additional References:
John 18:22, John 19:3

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

ῥάπισμα powerfully illustrates Christ’s willing endurance of shame and humiliation for our sake. It proclaims the good news by showing how Jesus bore not just physical pain but profound dishonor to redeem us. His response to these blows demonstrates divine love overcoming human hatred.

D – Did You Know?

1. In ancient law codes, a face slap often carried specific penalties due to its insulting nature.
2. Early Christian art often depicted this specific form of Christ’s suffering.
3. The term influenced Christian vocabulary about martyrdom and persecution.

Strong’s G4475: A noun describing a face slap intended to dishonor and humiliate. Used particularly in accounts of Christ’s passion to illustrate both physical abuse and social shame. Represents a culturally significant form of personal insult.

Part of speech: Noun (neuter)

Tags: slap, insult, humiliation, passion narrative, suffering, persecution, shame, dishonor, Christ’s suffering, martyrdom, physical abuse, social shame​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​