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Introduction
Understanding Greek words in Biblical studies offers deep insights into the context and message of Scripture. The Greek word ζυγός (zygos) is particularly significant as it represents the concept of a “yoke,” a common agricultural tool, but also metaphorically symbolizes bondage, burden, and sometimes unity or partnership. This word appears in various New Testament passages and holds a rich background in both Biblical and classical Greek literature.
Key Information
- The Greek Word: ζυγός (zygos), pronounced [DZOO-gos].
- Etymology: Likely derived from the Proto-Indo-European root yugóm, meaning “yoke” or “to join.”
- Part of Speech: Noun, masculine; second declension.
- The F.O.G Word Choice: Coming Soon.
Primary Meanings
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- Yoke: A wooden beam used between a pair of oxen or other animals to enable them to pull together on a load.
- Burden: A symbol of servitude, oppression, or a heavy load in both literal and metaphorical contexts.
- Bond: Representing partnership or connection, whether in servitude or in unity under a common cause.
Similar Words: δέσμιος (desmios), pronounced [DES-mee-os], means “prisoner” or “one in bonds.” While ζυγός (zygos) can signify a burden or connection, δέσμιος emphasizes captivity or being bound, lacking the agricultural or metaphorical usage of “yoke.”
Further Insights: ζυγός is a second-declension noun in Greek, which affects its endings across different grammatical cases. Below is the declension table:
| Case / Number | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | ζυγός | ζυγοί |
| Genitive | ζυγοῦ | ζυγῶν |
| Dative | ζυγῷ | ζυγοῖς |
| Accusative | ζυγόν | ζυγούς |
| Vocative | ζυγέ | ζυγοί |
Click here for a beginners guide to reading Greek.
Lexicon Insights
BDAG: Describes ζυγός as “yoke,” which refers to both the physical object and as a metaphor for subjection or slavery. It emphasizes its use in agricultural contexts but also its figurative sense as a burden of oppression or control, such as in slavery or religious law.
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Thayers: Highlights ζυγός primarily as a “yoke,” specifically one put on draught cattle. In the New Testament, it is often metaphorical, describing burdens, such as in Matthew 11:29-30, where Jesus speaks of His “yoke” being easy.
Vines: Discusses ζυγός as denoting “yoke” in a literal sense and expanding on its metaphorical use. The lexicon highlights its connection to submission and bondage, whether to laws, religious practices, or oppressive governance.
LSJ: Lists ζυγός with its primary meaning as a “yoke” for animals and notes its metaphorical extensions to marriage bonds, social contracts, and servitude in classical and Hellenistic contexts.
Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Provides the basic definition “yoke,” also emphasizing its figurative use for servitude or bondage. The concordance cites several passages where ζυγός describes not just physical yokes but also spiritual or metaphorical burdens.
Related Scripture References
- Matthew 11:29-30: “Take My yoke [ζυγός] upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke [ζυγός] is easy, and My burden is light.”
- Acts 15:10: “Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke [ζυγός] on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?”
- Galatians 5:1: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke [ζυγός] of slavery.”
Classical Usage
| Author | Name of Work | English Text |
|---|---|---|
| Homer | The Iliad | “The oxen were yoked under the heavy [yoke (ζυγός)] and driven to the fields.” |
| Xenophon | Memorabilia | “There is no servitude like that under a tyrant, the heaviest [yoke (ζυγός)] of all.” |
| Aristotle | Politics | “Men and women are joined in a bond, not unlike a shared [yoke (ζυγός)], each contributing to the city.” |
| Septuagint | Jeremiah 28:10 | “Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke [ζυγός] from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and broke it.” |
| Septuagint | Lamentations 3:27 | “It is good for a man that he bear the yoke [ζυγός] in his youth.” |
| Septuagint | Sirach 40:1 | “Great travail is created for every man, and a heavy yoke [ζυγός] is upon the sons of Adam.” |
Summary of ζυγός (G2218: zygos)
The Greek word ζυγός (zygos) encompasses both a literal and metaphorical spectrum. Literally, it refers to a yoke used in agriculture to bind animals together for labor. Metaphorically, ζυγός has come to symbolize burdens, oppression, or spiritual and social bonds. It is a powerful word used in various New Testament contexts to illustrate the nature of Christ’s invitation, contrasting the heavy yoke of legalism with the light yoke of His teaching. Classical Greek literature also utilized ζυγός to describe both physical yokes and the bonds of society or servitude.
Did You Know?
- In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of His “yoke” as easy and light (Matthew 11:29-30), suggesting a form of discipleship that contrasts with the heavy burdens imposed by the Pharisaic legalism of the time.
- The use of ζυγός (zygos) to describe social or marital bonds in classical Greek literature reflects the concept of unity and cooperation, not just servitude or burden.
- The idea of a “yoke” was not solely negative; it could also signify partnership or mutual support, depending on the context in which it was used.
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