ὄξος (oxos)
oxos
vinegar
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun oxos refers to a sharp, sour liquid, typically translated as vinegar or sour wine. In the ancient world, this was not a refined beverage but a practical drink for laborers and Roman soldiers, often made by diluting cheap wine with water to make it palatable and refreshing.
Its most significant appearance in Scripture occurs during the crucifixion narratives. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and John record that soldiers offered this drink to Jesus on the cross. This detail connects directly to Psalm 69:21, where the psalmist describes suffering as having "vinegar" for food, a passage early Christians understood as prophetic.
The word carries a tone of bitterness and humiliation. By offering oxos, the soldiers provided a common soldier’s ration, highlighting the depth of Jesus’ identification with human suffering and rejection. It serves as a stark contrast to the wine of celebration, marking the end of his earthly life in a moment of profound physical thirst and spiritual fulfillment.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word oxos refers to a sharp, sour liquid that served as a common drink for laborers and soldiers in the ancient world. It was not a refined beverage but a practical refreshment made by diluting cheap wine with water. When the Gospels record this substance being offered to Jesus on the cross, they highlight the depth of his identification with human suffering and rejection.
This detail connects directly to Psalm 69:21, where the psalmist describes suffering as having vinegar for food. Early Christians understood this as a prophetic fulfillment. By offering oxos, the soldiers provided a common soldier’s ration, marking the end of his earthly life in a moment of profound physical thirst and spiritual fulfillment.
For your faith, this image reminds us that Jesus experienced the full weight of human hardship. He did not remain distant from our pain but entered into it completely. This shared experience offers comfort, knowing that our Savior understands the bitterness and humiliation we may face in our own lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- sour wine3×
- with vinegar,1×
- with vinegar1×
- of sour wine1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ὄξους3×
- ὄξος2×
- ὄξους,1×
Key Verses
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Matthew 27:48
Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave him a drink.
This verse captures the immediate action of a soldier offering the drink, emphasizing the casual cruelty surrounding the crucifixion.
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Mark 15:36
One ran, and filling a sponge full of vinegar, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink, saying, “Let him be. Let’s see whether Elijah comes to take him down.”
The accompanying mockery about Elijah highlights the spiritual blindness of those witnessing the event.
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John 19:29
Now a vessel full of vinegar was set there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop, and held it at his mouth.
John specifies the use of hyssop, a plant associated with purification in the Old Testament, adding symbolic depth to the act.
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John 19:30
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Jesus receives the vinegar just before declaring 'It is finished,' linking his physical thirst to the completion of his mission.