Heavy Burdens: ὦμος (Strong’s G5606: ōmos) Reveals Jesus’ Heart for Weary

Strong’s G5606: From an uncertain derivation, ὦμος (ōmos) refers to the shoulder or upper arm, symbolically representing burden-bearing capacity in both physical and metaphorical contexts, particularly in religious and social responsibilities.

U- Unveiling the Word

The Greek word ὦμος represents more than just the anatomical shoulder – it carries deep symbolic meaning in biblical contexts. In ancient culture, the shoulder was seen as the primary load-bearing part of the body, making it a powerful metaphor for responsibility and authority. In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus uses this word to criticize religious leaders who burden others while refusing to help. This imagery powerfully contrasts with Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:28-30, where He promises rest to the weary. The shoulder symbolism remains relevant today as we consider spiritual leadership’s true nature – not to burden but to assist in bearing life’s loads.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: ὦμος, ōmos, /ō-mos/
• Detailed pronunciation: OH-moss (stress on first syllable)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• Root: Uncertain derivation, possibly related to Proto-Indo-European *omsos
• No prefixes or suffixes
• Basic noun form denoting the shoulder or upper arm region

D – Defining Meanings

• Primary physical meaning: shoulder, upper arm
• Secondary metaphorical meaning: capacity for burden-bearing
• Symbolic meaning: responsibility, authority

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

Translation Options:

• Shoulder – Most precise anatomical translation
• Upper arm – Alternative anatomical reference
• Load-bearing part – Contextual translation when used metaphorically

E – Exploring Similar Words

• νῶτος (nōtos) /nō-tos/ – back, as in upper back region – See G3577
• μέλος (melos) /me-los/ – member, body part – See G3196
• σῶμα (sōma) /sō-ma/ – body, physical frame – See G4983

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological features as a noun:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Gender: Masculine
• Declension: Second declension

Example morphological forms:

• Nominative singular: ὦμος (ōmos)
• Genitive singular: ὤμου (ōmou)
• Dative singular: ὤμῳ (ōmō)
• Accusative singular: ὦμον (ōmon)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The lexical tradition consistently emphasizes ὦμος as both a physical and metaphorical term. BDAG highlights its use in burden-bearing contexts, while Thayer’s emphasizes its anatomical precision. LSJ provides extensive classical usage examples showing its consistent meaning across Greek literature. Vine’s explores its metaphorical applications in religious contexts. Moulton and Milligan’s papyri findings confirm its common usage in everyday life. The word appears in contexts of both literal physical labor and metaphorical burden-bearing, particularly in religious texts where it often symbolizes responsibility or authority.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Matthew 23:4 “For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders [ὦμους], but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.”

Additional References:
No additional references in the New Testament.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

The word ὦμος powerfully illustrates the contrast between false religious leadership and Jesus’ authentic care for His people. While the Pharisees loaded burdens onto others’ shoulders, Jesus invites the weary to exchange their heavy loads for His light yoke. This word reminds us that true spiritual leadership follows Jesus’ example – not burdening others but helping them bear their loads. It proclaims the good news that in Jesus, we find rest for our souls and shoulders, as He bears our burdens with us.

D – Did You Know?

• The shoulder was considered the strongest load-bearing point in ancient manual labor
• In ancient Near Eastern culture, placing something on someone’s shoulder could symbolize conferring authority
• The word appears only once in the New Testament but is found over 60 times in the Septuagint

Strong’s G5606: From an uncertain derivation, ὦμος (ōmos) refers to the shoulder or upper arm, symbolically representing burden-bearing capacity in both physical and metaphorical contexts, particularly in religious and social responsibilities.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: shoulder, burden-bearing, authority, responsibility, body-parts, metaphor, religious-leadership, Matthew, physical-anatomy, Greek-nouns​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​