The Greek word exérama, represented by G1829, means vomit or food disgorged. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the Bible. Its singular use provides a stark and memorable illustration of something that has been repulsively expelled.
The sole appearance of G1829 is within a proverb cited in 2 Peter 2:22 to describe false teachers who have abandoned righteousness. The passage states, "The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire" 2 Peter 2:22. In this context, vomit symbolizes the sin and moral filth that a person had previously rejected. The act of returning to it represents a willing reversion to a defiled state, highlighting the repulsive nature of apostasy.
Several related words from its context help illuminate its meaning:
- G1994 epistréphō (to revert, turn again): This verb describes the action of returning. While often used positively for converting or turning to God Acts 26:18, here it depicts a negative reversion to what was left behind, emphasizing the deliberate choice to go back to the vomit.
- G2965 kýōn (a dog): The subject of the proverb. In scripture, dogs are often depicted as unclean or contemptible figures Revelation 22:15, making the animal a fitting illustration for someone returning to a spiritually unclean state.
- G5300 hŷs (a sow): This word appears in the parallel phrase of the proverb. The image of a sow that was washed G3068 only to return to the mire G1004 reinforces the theme of an unchanged nature reverting to its preferred filth.
- G3942 paroimía (proverb, parable): This word identifies the saying as an adage or illustration. Its use indicates that the behavior described—returning to what was rejected—was a recognized pattern of foolishness.
The theological weight of G1829 is concentrated in its powerful imagery:
- The Repulsiveness of Sin: By equating a former life of sin with vomit, the text portrays apostasy not merely as a mistake but as a return to something utterly disgusting and unnatural to a cleansed spirit.
- A Warning Against Apostasy: The graphic nature of the metaphor serves as a severe warning. It illustrates that for those who have experienced the truth, turning back is not a neutral act but a spiritually defiling one.
- Superficial Change: The proverb implies that the initial cleansing may have been superficial, like washing a sow that retains its desire for the mud. The return to the vomit suggests an unchanged inner nature that was never truly transformed.
In summary, G1829 is a potent, albeit rare, biblical word. Its single use in the proverb of the dog returning to its vomit provides one of scripture's most graphic and unforgettable metaphors. It vividly illustrates the spiritual revulsion of apostasy and serves as a somber warning against abandoning a path of righteousness for the defilement that was once cast off.
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