Bitter Cup: χολή (Strong’s G5521: cholē) Reveals Messiah’s Ultimate Sacrifice

Strong’s G5521: From a primitive root meaning “to be bitter”; refers to bile or gall, a bitter substance. In biblical context, symbolizes intense suffering and was offered to the Messiah during His crucifixion, representing both physical and spiritual anguish in fulfilling prophecy.

U- Unveiling the Word

The word χολή (cholē) carries profound theological significance in its appearance during the crucifixion narrative. Beyond its literal meaning of “gall” or “bile,” it represents the bitter cup of suffering that our Lord Jesus chose to drink fully for our salvation. The offering of wine mixed with gall to the Messiah fulfilled the prophecy of Psalm 69:21. Early church fathers saw this as a symbol of humanity’s attempt to dull His senses, which He refused, choosing instead to experience the full weight of our punishment. Today, χολή reminds us of the depth of His sacrificial love and conscious choice to endure unmitigated suffering for our redemption.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: χολή, cholē, /kho-LAY/
• Extended pronunciation: KH-oh-LAY (where KH is a guttural sound)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• Root: χολ- (chol-) meaning “bile” or “bitter substance”
• Suffix: -ή (-ē) feminine noun ending
• Related to Proto-Indo-European *ghel- meaning “yellow” or “green”

D – Defining Meanings

• Primary bile or gall secreted by liver
• Bitter substance or poison
• Metaphorically: bitterness, intense suffering

For compound words: Not applicable as χολή is a simple noun

Translation Options:

• Gall – most precise for biological context
• Bile – accurate for medical contexts
• Bitter wine – contextually appropriate for crucifixion narrative

E – Exploring Similar Words

• πικρία (pikria) /pi-KREE-ah/ – abstract bitterness or resentment See G4088
• πικρός (pikros) /pi-KROS/ – bitter in taste or character See G4089
• ὄξος (oxos) /OK-sos/ – sour wine or vinegar See G3690

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological features:

• Case: Various (Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative)
• Number: Singular and Plural
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: First

Examples:

• Nominative: χολή (cholē)
• Genitive: χολῆς (cholēs)
• Dative: χολῇ (cholē)
• Accusative: χολήν (cholēn)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The lexicons provide a rich understanding of χολή’s significance. BDAG emphasizes its literal meaning as bile but acknowledges its metaphorical extension to bitter substances. Thayer’s highlights its connection to the crucifixion narrative and its role in fulfilling prophecy. LSJ provides evidence of its usage in medical contexts in classical Greek. Vine’s emphasizes the symbolic significance of its use in Matthew 27:34, where it represents the cup of suffering. Moulton and Milligan document its use in papyri, particularly in medical contexts, showing its common usage in everyday life.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First Appearance:
And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, they gave Him wine mingled with gall [χολή] to drink. But when He had tasted it, He would not drink.

Additional References:
Matthew 27:34
Acts 8:23

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

The word χολή stands as a powerful testament to our Lord’s sacrificial love. When offered wine mixed with gall, He chose to reject it, embracing the full measure of suffering for our salvation. This bitter substance represents not just physical pain but the spiritual anguish of bearing the world’s sins. Through His rejection of the gall-mixed wine, we see His determined love to drink the cup of God’s wrath fully, holding nothing back in His mission to secure our redemption.

D – Did You Know?

• Ancient physicians used χολή in medical treatments, believing it could balance bodily humors
• The word’s connection to “yellow” in its etymology relates to the color of bile
• The offering of gall-mixed wine was considered a form of mercy to condemned criminals

Strong’s G5521: A feminine noun denoting bile or gall, used literally for the bitter secretion of the liver and metaphorically for intense suffering. In the New Testament, it appears notably in the crucifixion narrative, symbolizing both physical and spiritual anguish.

Part of speech: Feminine Noun

Tags: bile, gall, bitterness, crucifixion, suffering, prophecy, passion-narrative, medical-terms, biblical-greek, new-testament​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​