Brief Overview of Ῥησά (Strong’s G4488: Rhēsa)

Strong’s G4488: A proper noun of Hebrew origin, appearing in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus. The name Rhesa appears as an ancestor in Christ’s lineage through Mary, demonstrating the detailed historical record Luke provides of Jesus’s human ancestry while affirming His royal Davidic line.

U- Unveiling the Word

Ῥησά appears in Luke’s genealogy, contributing to the evangelist’s careful documentation of Jesus’s human lineage. While its exact meaning is debated, its inclusion in Luke’s genealogy serves the important purpose of establishing Jesus’s connection to David’s line through Mary. Early church fathers saw such genealogical details as vital evidence of Christ’s legitimate claim to messiahship. Today, this name stands as one piece in the larger picture of God’s faithfulness in fulfilling His promises through specific individuals in history.

N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: Ῥησά, Rhēsa, /ray-sah/
• Detailed pronunciation: RAY-sah (with emphasis on first syllable)
• Part of Speech: Proper Noun (masculine)

Etymology:

• Hebrew origin (possibly רְצוֹן, ratzon)
• May be related to the concept of “pleasure” or “favor”
• Transliterated into Greek with rough breathing mark

D – Defining Meanings

• A personal name in Jesus’s genealogy
• Possibly meaning “pleasure” or “delight”
• A descendant in David’s line

For compound words:
This is not a compound word but a transliterated Hebrew name.

Translation Options:

• “Rhesa” – traditional English transliteration
• “Resa” – alternative spelling
• “Resha” – closer to possible Hebrew pronunciation

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ῥέω (rheō) /hreh-oh/ – possibly related to “flowing” if from different root
  See G4482
• ῥῆμα (rhēma) /ray-mah/ – similar sound but unrelated meaning
  See G4487

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological features as a proper noun:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular only (as a proper name)
• Gender: Masculine
• Indeclinable (remains unchanged in different cases)

Being a proper noun of Hebrew origin, Ῥησά is indeclinable in Greek, maintaining the same form regardless of its grammatical function.

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG lists Ῥησά as a personal name in Jesus’s genealogy. Thayer’s notes its appearance only in Luke. LSJ does not include significant discussion of this proper noun. Vine’s mentions it in connection with Luke’s genealogy. Strong’s suggests possible Hebrew origins. Moulton and Milligan provide little additional information due to its limited usage.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“the son of Joanan, the son of [Ῥησά] Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,” Luke 3:27

Additional References:
None in the New Testament

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Ῥησά represents one link in the carefully preserved chain of Jesus’s ancestry. Through this name and others in the genealogy, we see God’s faithfulness in maintaining the Davidic line through which He brought forth the Messiah. This name proclaims the good news that God works through human history and specific individuals to fulfill His promises in King Jesus.

D – Did You Know?

1. Rhesa appears only in Luke’s genealogy and not in Matthew’s, suggesting it may be part of Mary’s lineage.
2. The name may have royal connotations in its Hebrew origin, fitting for the ancestral line of Jesus.
3. Some scholars suggest the name might represent a title rather than a personal name.

Strong’s G4488: A proper noun of Hebrew origin, appearing in Luke’s genealogy of Jesus. The name Rhesa appears as an ancestor in Christ’s lineage through Mary, demonstrating the detailed historical record Luke provides of Jesus’s human ancestry while affirming His royal Davidic line.

Part of speech: Proper Noun (masculine)

Tags: genealogy, Luke’s Gospel, Jesus’s ancestry, Davidic line, Mary’s lineage, Hebrew names, biblical genealogy, Jesus’s humanity, royal lineage, messianic prophecy​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​