ῥῆγμα (rhēgma)
rhēgma
destruction
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun rhēgma refers to a fracture or breach, describing something that has been torn or broken apart. Its root verb means to break, and the lexicon data links it directly to images of physical rupture, such as rent garments or structural collapse. In the New Testament, this concrete sense of breaking extends metaphorically to describe total ruin.
This word appears only once in the Greek New Testament, in Luke 6:49. Jesus uses it to illustrate the fate of a house built without a foundation. When the storm hits, the structure does not just suffer damage; it collapses into complete destruction. The term captures the finality of that fall, emphasizing that without a solid base, integrity cannot withstand pressure.
While the word can denote a simple crack or tear in its broader usage, its biblical application here highlights catastrophic failure. It serves as a vivid warning about the consequences of ignoring wisdom, where the result is not merely repairable damage but total collapse.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word rhēgma describes a sudden rupture or breach, capturing the moment when structure fails under pressure. In Luke 6:49, Jesus uses this vivid image to contrast two kinds of lives. One house stands firm because it is anchored deep in the ground; the other collapses completely when the storm arrives. The difference is not the intensity of the wind, but the quality of the foundation.
For your daily walk, this offers a gentle reassurance. You do not need to rely on your own strength to withstand every trial. When you listen to Jesus’ teaching and let it shape your actions, you are building on solid rock. The storms of life may still come, but they will not bring total ruin.
This promise invites you to rest in the stability that comes from obedience. It is not about perfection, but about direction. By anchoring your heart in Christ’s words, you find a peace that remains even when circumstances shake around you.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- ruin1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ῥῆγμα1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 6:49
But he who hears and doesn’t do, is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream broke, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”
This verse defines the word by showing its ultimate result: total collapse of a house built without obedience to Jesus' words.