from κατά and the base of ῥήγνυμι; to rend in pieces, i.e. crack apart:--break.
Transliteration:katágnymi
Pronunciation:kat-ag'-noo-mee
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek verb κατάγνυμι (katágnymi, `{{G2608}}`) is a compound word derived from the preposition κατά (katá), meaning "down" or "against," and the base of the verb ῥήγνυμι (rhḗgnymi, `{{G4486}}`), meaning "to break," "to tear," or "to burst." The prefix κατά intensifies the action of the base verb, conveying a sense of breaking *down* or *completely apart*. Thus, κατάγνυμι signifies a forceful and thorough act of breaking, rending into pieces, or shattering. Its semantic range is narrow but potent, focusing on the complete destruction of an object's integrity through fracture. It implies a decisive and often violent act of breakage, resulting in fragmentation rather than a mere separation or loosening.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The verb κατάγνυμι (katágnymi, `{{G2608}}`) appears exclusively in the Gospel of John, specifically within the crucifixion narrative. Its singular usage is found in reference to the Roman soldiers' practice of breaking the legs of those crucified to hasten death, particularly as the Sabbath approached.
* **[[John 19:31]]**: "Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away." Here, the request is made for the legs of the crucified to be broken (κατεαγῶσιν, a form of κατάγνυμι). This was a common, albeit brutal, method to induce shock and suffocation, thereby accelerating death.
* **[[John 19:32]]**: "So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him." This verse describes the direct action of the soldiers, confirming that they carried out the request, applying κατάγνυμι to the two criminals crucified alongside Jesus.
* **[[John 19:33]]**: "But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs." This is the pivotal moment, where the action of breaking (οὐ κατέαξαν, "they did not break") is conspicuously *not* applied to Jesus. The soldiers' decision, based on Jesus already being dead, inadvertently fulfills Old Testament prophecy.
The consistent use of κατάγνυμι in this specific context underscores the severity and finality of the act of breaking, and by contrast, the divine preservation of Jesus' body. The word highlights the physical violence inherent in the crucifixion process, even as it sets the stage for a profound theological truth.
### Related Words & Concepts
To fully appreciate κατάγνυμι (katágnymi, `{{G2608}}`), it is helpful to compare it with other Greek words related to breaking or destroying:
* ῥήγνυμι (rhḗgnymi, `{{G4486}}`): The root verb from which κατάγνυμι is formed. While ῥήγνυμι can mean to break, tear, or burst, the addition of the κατά prefix in κατάγνυμι adds an intensifier, implying a breaking *down* or *completely apart*, often with a sense of finality or destruction.
* συντρίβω (syntríbo, `{{G4937}}`): To break in pieces, crush, or shatter. This word often implies a more thorough pulverization or destruction, as of a vessel or a bone (e.g., [[Matthew 12:20]] referring to a bruised reed). While similar in outcome, κατάγνυμι focuses more on the act of fracturing, while συντρίβω emphasizes the resulting crushing.
* λύω (lyō, `{{G3089}}`): A broader term meaning to loose, untie, release, or destroy. It can be used for breaking a law or a bond, but it lacks the specific physical violence of κατάγνυμι when referring to objects.
* διαρρήγνυμι (diarrhḗgnymi, `{{G1284}}`): To tear through or rend asunder, often used for tearing clothes (e.g., [[Matthew 26:65]]). This word emphasizes tearing apart rather than fracturing solid objects.
The distinctiveness of κατάγνυμι lies in its precise meaning of "to crack apart" or "to rend in pieces," particularly applied to hard, structural elements like bones. Its limited but powerful usage in the New Testament highlights a very specific and significant physical action.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of κατάγνυμι (katágnymi, `{{G2608}}`) is profound, arising almost entirely from its non-application to Jesus in the crucifixion narrative. The fact that Jesus' legs were *not* broken (οὐ κατέαξαν) serves as a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and underscores key aspects of His identity and mission:
1. **Fulfillment of Prophecy**: The most direct theological implication is the fulfillment of [[Psalm 34:20]]: "He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken." This Messianic psalm, speaking of the righteous sufferer, finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ. The soldiers' decision not to break Jesus' legs, though seemingly incidental, was divinely orchestrated to confirm His identity as the promised Messiah.
2. **The Passover Lamb**: John's Gospel frequently presents Jesus as the ultimate Passover Lamb. The command regarding the Passover lamb in [[Exodus 12:46]] and [[Numbers 9:12]] explicitly states, "you shall not break any of its bones." By not having His bones broken, Jesus is definitively identified as the perfect, unblemished sacrifice whose blood atones for sin, mirroring the sacrificial requirements of the Old Covenant. This links His death directly to the salvific purpose of God.
3. **Divine Sovereignty**: The seemingly random act of the soldiers choosing not to break Jesus' legs, due to His prior death, demonstrates God's meticulous sovereignty over all events, even the darkest moments of human history. It shows that Jesus' death was not a defeat but a preordained act within God's redemptive plan.
4. **Integrity of Christ's Body**: The unbroken bones can also symbolize the integrity of Christ's body, both physical and spiritual. Physically, it points to His perfect sacrifice. Spiritually, it can be seen as a foreshadowing of the unity and integrity of the Church, His mystical body, which remains unbroken despite persecution and trials.
Thus, the word κατάγνυμι, through its powerful negation concerning Jesus, becomes a silent yet eloquent testimony to His divine identity, His fulfillment of prophecy, and the sovereign plan of God for salvation.
### Summary
κατάγνυμι (katágnymi, `{{G2608}}`) is a Greek verb meaning "to break completely," "to rend in pieces," or "to crack apart." Formed from κατά (down, against) and the base of ῥήγνυμι (to break), it conveys an intense and decisive act of fracturing. Its sole appearance in the New Testament is in [[John 19:31-33]], where it describes the Roman practice of breaking the legs of crucified individuals to hasten death. Crucially, the text explicitly states that the soldiers did *not* break Jesus' legs. This specific non-application of κατάγνυμι to Christ carries profound theological weight, serving as a direct fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy ([[Psalm 34:20]]) and identifying Jesus as the unblemished Passover Lamb, whose bones were not to be broken ([[Exodus 12:46]]). The word, therefore, highlights God's meticulous sovereignty, even amidst the brutality of the crucifixion, ensuring that every detail of Christ's passion aligned with the divine plan for redemption.
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