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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadInternational Standard Bible Encyclopedia: Great; Greatness
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graÌ„t, graÌ„t´nes: “Great†occurs very often in Scripture. The chief words so translated are גּדול, gaÌ„dhoÌ„l, רב, rabh; μεÌγας, meÌgas, πολυÌÏ‚, poluÌsÌŒ.
(1) In the Old Testament many other terms are employed: (a) gaÌ„dhoÌ„l is used to express greatness in various senses, chiefly of magnitude, including excellence, e.g. “great lights†(); “the great city†(); “a great nation†(); “a great sight†(); “Moses was very great†(); “the great God†(; ); “great is Yahweh†(). It is sometimes translated by “mighty†(; , “a mighty God,†the Revised Version (British and American) “greatâ€). It is also used to designate the high priest (literally, “great,†; , etc.); also to express the “elder†of a family, e.g. , “Esau his eldest son,†the Revised Version (British and American) “elderâ€; probably also of great stature: “a great man among the Anakims,†the Revised Version (British and American) “the greatest†(). (b) rabh denotes, rather, quantity, number, therefore, often, “many†(, etc.; the Revised Version (British and American), etc.); “abundant†(, the English Revised Version “plenteousâ€), and similar terms; thus we have “a great people†(); “His mercies are great,†the Revised Version, margin “many†(; ); “Great was the company,†the Revised Version (British and American) “a great host†(); “great reward†(); “Mine iniquity ... is great†(); “exceedingly†(). In the Septuagint rabh is, for the most part, translated by polusÌŒ. But it is used for “great†in other senses, e.g. “the great (God)†(), the Revised Version (British and American) “as an archer,†margin “master worker; Hebrew text obscureâ€; “a saviour, and a great one,†the Revised Version (British and American) “defender,†margin “or a mighty one†(); “Great shall be the peace†(), etc. It is sometimes translated “mighty†(, the Revised Version, margin “manyâ€; ). (c) Other words thus translated are kaÌ„bheÌ„dh, “heavy,†e.g. “so great a people,†the Revised Version (British and American) “thy great people,†margin “heavy†(); me'oÌ„dh, implying force, might, e.g. “with all his might†(). 'El and 'Elohim are sometimes used to express greatness. In , we have “Thy righteousness is like the great ('EÌ„l) mountains,†the Revised Version (British and American) “mountains of Godâ€; in , “with great (×, 'ĔloÌ„hı̄m) wrestlings,†the Revised Version (British and American) “mighty,†margin “wrestlings of Godâ€; and in “a very great (×, 'Elohı̄m) trembling,†the Revised Version (British and American) “exceeding great,†margin “a trembling of God.â€
(2) (a) Megas denotes magnitude, in its various aspects, physical, moral, etc., e.g. “great joy†(); “a great light†(); “the great King†(); “great in the kingdom†(, etc.); “Great is thy faith†(); “The greatest is charity†(love), the Revised Version, margin “greater†(); “a great high priest†(); “the great shepherd†(); “a great voice†(); in Rev megas is very frequent. (b) Polus denotes properly number, multitude, e.g. “great multitudes†(); “a great company†(, the Revised Version (British and American) “a great multitudeâ€; frequent in the Gospels); “great possessions†(). But also “great†in the sense of magnitude, e.g. “great plainness of speech,†the Revised Version (British and American) “boldness†(; ); “a great trial of affliction,†the Revised Version (British and American) “much proof†(); “great love†(). (c) Among other terms we have teÌ„likouÌtos, “so great†(in degree), “so great a salvation†(); tosouÌtos, “so great†(in quantity), “so great faith†(; ); “so great a cloud of witnesses†(); hoÌsos, “how great†(in quantity) (; f); heÌ„lıÌkos, “how great†(in degree) (; , “how great a matter,†the Revised Version (British and American) “how much wood,†margin “how great a forestâ€); peÌ„lıÌkos, “how great†(in degree) (); poÌsos, “how great†(in quantity) (), etc.
(3) In His person and teaching, Jesus introduced into the world a new conception of greatness. It was to be found in humility and self-forgetting service: “Whosoever would become great among you shall be your minister (the Revised Version, margin “servantâ€); and whosoever would be first among you shall be your servant (the Revised Version, margin “(Greek) bond-servantâ€): even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many†(-28; compare also -4; ; -11 ).