μέγας,
μεγάλη,
μέγα ((related to Latin
magnus, magister, Goth.
maist (cf.
τό πλεῖστον), etc.;
Vanicek, p. 682;
Curtius, § 462)), accusative
μέγαν,
μεγάλην,
μέγα; plural
μεγάλοι,
μεγάλαι,
μεγάλα; comparative
μείζων,
μεῖζον (accusative masculine and feminine
μείζονα, once contracted
μείζω,
John 5:36 (
R G T WH, but
L Tr μείζων (cf.
Tdf. Proleg., p. 119)); neuter plural
μείζονα, once contracted
μείζω,
John 1:50(51)) and
μειζότερος,
3 John 1:4 (from the comparitive
μείζων), a poetic comparison, on which see the remark quoted under
ἐλαχιστοτερος, cf.
Matthiae, § 136; superlative
μέγιστος (found only in
2 Peter 1:4); (from
Homer down); the
Sept. for
גָּדול; also for
רַב;
great;
1. predicated
a. of the external form or sensible appearance of things (or of persons); in particular, of space and its dimensions — as respects
α. mass and weight:
λίθος,
Matthew 27:60;
Mark 16:4;
Revelation 18:21;
ὄρος,
Revelation 8:8;
ἀστήρ,
Revelation 8:10; (
δράκων,
Revelation 12:3,
9;
ἀετός,
Revelation 12:14;
δένδρον,
Luke 13:19 (
T WH omit;
L Tr brackets
μέγα);
κλάδοι,
Mark 4:32;
ἰχθύες,
John 21:11;
β. compass and extent;
large, spacious:
σκηνή (
μείζων),
Hebrews 9:11;
ἀνάγαιον (
R ἀνώγεον, which see),
Mark 14:15;
ἀποθήκη,
Luke 12:18;
κάμινος,
Revelation 9:2;
πόλις,
Revelation 11:8;
Revelation 16:19;
Revelation 17:18;
Revelation 18:2,
16,
18,
19;
ποταμός,
Revelation 9:14;
Revelation 16:12;
θύρα,
1 Corinthians 16:9;
ληνός,
Revelation 14:19;
ὀθόνη,
Acts 10:11;
Acts 11:5;
χάσμα,
Luke 16:26 (
2 Samuel 18:17).
γ. measure and height:
οἰκοδομαί,
Mark 13:2;
θρόνος,
Revelation 20:11;
long, μάχαιρα,
Revelation 6:4; as respects stature and age,
μικροί καί μεγάλοι, small and great, young and old,
Acts 8:10;
Acts 26:22;
Hebrews 8:11;
Revelation 11:18;
Revelation 13:16;
Revelation 19:5,
18;
Revelation 20:12 (
Genesis 19:11;
2 Kings 23:2;
2 Chronicles 34:30). (neuter singular used adverbially:
ἐν μεγάλῳ,
Acts 26:29 L T Tr WH (for
R G ἐν πολλῷ, which see in
πολύς, d.)
in great namely, degree. The apostle plays upon Agrippa's words
ἐν ὀλίγῳ (which see)
in a little (time) thou woulds fain etc... I would to God that both in little and
in great i. e. in all respects etc.; cf. the use of
ὀλίγον καί μέγα or
μικρόν καί μέγα (yet in negative sentences) to express totality; e. g.
Plato, Phileb. 21 e.; Apology 19 c.; 21 b.; 26 b.; but see d. below.)
b. of number and quantity, equivalent to
numerous, large:
ἀγέλη,
Mark 5:11;
abundant, πορισμός,
1 Timothy 6:6;
μισθαποδοσία,
Hebrews 10:35.
c. of age:
ὁ μείζων,
the elder, Romans 9:12 after
Genesis 25:23 (
Σκιπιων ὁ μέγας,
Polybius 18, 18 (35), 9; 32, 12, 1).
d. used of intensity and its degrees:
δύναμις,
Acts 4:33;
Acts 8:10; neuter
ἐν μεγάλῳ, with great effort,
Acts 26:29 L T Tr WH (but see
γ. above); of the affections and emotions of the mind:
χαρά,
Matthew 2:10;
Matthew 28:8;
Luke 2:10;
Luke 24:52;
Acts 15:3;
φόβος,
Mark 4:41;
Luke 2:9;
Luke 8:37;
Acts 5:5,
11;
Revelation 11:11;
θυμός,
Revelation 12:12;
λύπη,
Romans 9:2;
ἔκστασις,
Mark 5:42 (
Genesis 27:33);
πιστός,
Matthew 15:28;
χάρις,
Acts 4:33;
ἀγάπη John 15:13. of natural events powerfully affecting the senses, equivalent to
violent, mighty, strong:
ἄνεμος,
John 6:18;
Revelation 6:13;
βροντή,
Revelation 14:2;
χάλαζα,
Revelation 11:19;
Revelation 16:21;
σεισμός,
Matthew 8:24;
Matthew 28:2;
Luke 21:11;
Acts 16:26;
Revelation 6:12;
Revelation 11:13;
Revelation 16:18;
λαῖλαψ,
Mark 4:37;
πτῶσις,
Matthew 7:27. of other external things, such as are perceived by hearing:
κραυγεη,
Acts 23:9;
Revelation 14:18 (
R G);
μεῖζον κράζειν, to cry out the louder,
Matthew 20:31;
φωνῆς,
Matthew 24:31 (
T omits
φονης,
WH only in marginal reading);
Matthew 27:46,
50;
Luke 23:23;
John 11:43;
Acts 8:7;
Revelation 1:10;
Revelation 5:2,
12;
Revelation 6:10;
Revelation 7:2,
10;
Revelation 8:13;
Revelation 10:3;
Revelation 11:12,
15; (
Revelation 14:18 L T Tr WH;
Revelation 18:2 Rec.), and elsewhere;
γαλήνη,
Matthew 8:26;
Mark 4:39. of objects of sight which excite admiration and wonder:
φῶς,
Matthew 4:16;
σημεῖον,
Matthew 24:24;
Luke 21:11;
Acts 6:8;
Acts 8:13;
Revelation 13:13;
ἔργα,
Revelation 15:3;
μείζω,
μείζονα τούτων, greater things than these, i. e. more extraordinary, more wonderful,
John 1:50 (
John 1:51);
John 5:20;
14:12. of things that are felt:
καῦμα,
Revelation 16:9;
πυρετός,
Luke 4:38; of other things that distress:
ἀνάγκη,
Luke 21:23; (
θλῖψις,
Matthew 24:21;
Acts 7:11;
Revelation 2:22;
Revelation 7:14; (
διωγμός,
Acts 8:1;
λιμός,
Luke 4:25;
Acts 11:28;
πληγή,
Revelation 16:21.
2. predicated of rank, as belonging to
a. persons, eminent for ability, virtue, authority, power; as God, and sacred personages:
Θεός,
Titus 2:13 ((on which see Prof. Abbot, Note C. in Journ. See Biblical Literature, etc. i., p. 19, and cf.
ἐπιφάνεια));
Ἄρτεμις,
Acts 19:27f,
34f;
ἀρχιερεύς,
Hebrews 4:14;
ποιμήν,
Hebrews 13:20;
προφήτης,
Luke 7:16; absolutely,
οἱ μεγάλοι, great men, leaders, rulers,
Matthew 20:25;
Mark 10:42; universally,
eminent, distinguished:
Matthew 5:19;
Matthew 20:26;
Luke 1:15,
32;
Acts 8:9.
μείζων is used of those who surpass others — either in nature and power, as God:
John 10:29 (here
T Tr WH text give the neuter (see below));
John 10:28;
Hebrews 6:13;
1 John 4:4; add,
John 4:12;
John 8:53; or in excellence, worth, authority, etc.:
Matthew 11:11;
Matthew 18:1;
Matthew 23:11;
Mark 9:34;
Luke 7:28;
Luke 9:46;
Luke 22:26;
John 13:16;
John 15:20;
1 Corinthians 14:5;
δυνάμει μείζονες,
2 Peter 2:11; neuter
μεῖζον,
something higher, more exalted, more majestic than the temple, to wit the august person of Jesus the Messiah and his preeminent influence,
Matthew 12:6 L T Tr WH; (cf.
John 10:29 above); contextually equivalent to
strict in condemning, of God,
1 John 3:20.
b. things to be esteemed highly for their importance, equivalent to Latin
gravis;
of great moment, of great wight, important:
ἐπαγγέλματα,
2 Peter 1:4;
ἐντολή,
Matthew 22:36,
38;
μσυτηριον,
Ephesians 5:32;
1 Timothy 3:16;
ἁμαρτία,
John 19:11;
μείζων μαρτυρία, of greater proving power,
John 5:36 (see above at the beginning);
1 John 5:9 (
μαρτυρίαν μείζω καί σαφεστεραν,
Isocrates Archid. § 32).
μέγας equivalent to
solemn, sacred, of festival days (cf.
Isaiah 1:18, the
Sept.):
ἡμέρα,
John 7:37;
John 19:31;
notable, august, ἡμέρα, of the day of the final judgment,
Acts 2:20;
Jude 1:6;
Revelation 6:17;
Revelation 16:14. neuter
μέγα, a great matter, thing of great moment:
1 Corinthians 9:11 (
Genesis 45:28;
Isaiah 49:6);
οὐ μέγα,
2 Corinthians 11:15.
c. a thing to be highly esteemed for its excellence, equivalent to
excellent:
1 Corinthians 13:13 (cf.
Winers Grammar, § 35, i.
Buttmann, § 123, 13);
τά χαρίσματα τά μείζονα (
R G κρείττονα),
1 Corinthians 12:31 L T Tr WH.
3. splendid, prepared on a grand scale, stately:
δοχή,
Luke 5:29 (
Genesis 21:8);
δεῖπνον,
Luke 14:16;
Revelation 19:17 (
G L T Tr WH) (
Daniel 5:1 (
Theod.));
οἰκία,
2 Timothy 2:20 (
Jeremiah 52:13; (
οἶκος),
2 Chronicles 2:5,
9).
4. neuter plural
μεγάλα,
great things: of God's preeminent blessings,
Luke 1:49 L T Tr WH (see
μεγαλεῖος); of things which overstep the province of a created being,
proud (presumptuous) things, full of arrogance, derogatory to the majesty of God:
λαλοῦν μεγάλα joined with
βλασφημίας,
Revelation 13:5;
Daniel 7:8,
11,
20; like
μέγα εἰπεῖν,
Homer, Odyssey 3, 227; 16, 243; 22, 288.
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