### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek verb κόπτω (koptō, `{{G2875}}`) is a primary verb whose fundamental meaning is "to chop," "to strike," or "to cut." This conveys an action involving force, often with an instrument, resulting in separation or reduction. From this literal sense, an important idiomatic extension developed, particularly in the context of intense grief: "to beat the breast." This physical gesture was a common ancient expression of profound sorrow, leading κόπτω to acquire the semantic range of "to lament," "to mourn," or "to wail." The comparison to the base of τομώτερος (tomōteros, `{{G5114}}`, "sharper") reinforces the original concept of cutting or incisive action. Therefore, κόπτω encompasses both a physical act of severing and a deeply emotional act of expressing sorrow.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
While the literal sense of "cutting down" (e.g., trees) is present in the Septuagint and in compound forms in the New Testament (e.g., ἐκκόπτω, `{{G1581}}`), the occurrences of κόπτω itself in the New Testament predominantly refer to the act of mourning or lamentation.
* In [[Matthew 11:17]], the verb is used in a parabolic context: "we wailed, and ye did not mourn" (οὐκ ἐκόψασθε), describing a lack of appropriate response to John the Baptist's asceticism and Jesus's feasting.
* The most significant New Testament uses of κόπτω are found in eschatological prophecies. [[Matthew 24:30]] declares, "then all the tribes of the earth will mourn" (κόψονται) at the sight of the Son of Man coming on the clouds. This is echoed in [[Revelation 1:7]]: "and all the tribes of the earth will mourn over him" (κόψονται ἐπ’ αὐτόν), referring to the return of Christ. This widespread lamentation signifies a profound, universal reaction to divine revelation and judgment.
* In narratives of death and suffering, κόπτω describes intense grief. At the death of Jairus's daughter, "all were weeping and bewailing her" (ἔκλαιον πάντες καὶ ἐκόπτοντο αὐτήν) [[Luke 8:52]]. Similarly, as Jesus was led to the cross, a multitude of women "who were mourning and lamenting Him" (αἱ ἐκόπτοντο καὶ ἐθρήνουν αὐτόν) followed ([[Luke 23:27]]).
* The verb also appears in the lament over the fall of Babylon in Revelation, where kings and merchants "will mourn over her" (κόψονται ἐπ’ αὐτήν) and "wailed" (ἔκλαιον καὶ ἐκόπτοντο) her destruction ([[Revelation 18:9]], [[Revelation 18:19]]). This highlights the sorrow of those who benefited from or were entangled in the corrupt system.
Across these contexts, κόπτω consistently conveys a deep, often public and demonstrative, expression of sorrow, whether in response to personal loss, the suffering of another, or the terrifying reality of divine judgment.
### Related Words & Concepts
κόπτω is part of a rich semantic field related to sorrow and lamentation in the New Testament.
* **Synonyms for Mourning:**
* πενθέω (pentheō, `{{G3996}}`): to mourn, grieve, often implying a deeper, inward sorrow.
* κλαίω (klaiō, `{{G2799}}`): to weep, often with audible expression of tears.
* θρηνέω (thrēneō, `{{G2354}}`): to lament, wail, often suggesting a formal lament or dirge.
* ὀδύρομαι (odyromai, `{{G3612}}`): to lament, express grief.
* ἀλαλάζω (alalazō, `{{G214}}`): to wail, lament loudly.
κόπτω often appears alongside κλαίω and θρηνέω, indicating a multifaceted expression of grief involving both weeping and ritualized lamentation.
* **Words Related to Cutting:**
* τέμνω (temnō, `{{G5112}}`): to cut, sever, from which τομώτερος (sharper) is derived, reinforcing the core physical meaning of κόπτω.
* Compound verbs like ἐκκόπτω (ekkoptō, `{{G1581}}`): to cut out, cut off, or cut down (e.g., a tree), which is a common usage in the Gospels for divine judgment on unfruitful lives or systems. This highlights the destructive potential inherent in the root meaning of κόπτω.
* **Cultural Practices:** The underlying physical act of "beating the breast" connected to κόπτω points to the tangible, often public, nature of grief in ancient cultures, a stark contrast to more private expressions of sorrow in some modern contexts.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of κόπτω primarily resides in its application to profound sorrow and the eschatological reaction to Christ's return.
* **The Depth of Human Suffering:** The verb underscores the intensity of human grief in the face of death and loss. The women mourning Jesus on the way to the cross ([[Luke 23:27]]) exemplify a compassionate, yet ultimately insufficient, human response to divine suffering. Jesus redirects their sorrow, prophesying a future lamentation for Jerusalem's impending judgment.
* **Universal Eschatological Lamentation:** The most striking theological use of κόπτω is its portrayal of the universal mourning that will accompany the second coming of Christ ([[Matthew 24:30]], [[Revelation 1:7]]). This is not necessarily a mourning of repentance, but rather a profound, perhaps fearful, recognition by "all the tribes of the earth" of the one they pierced and rejected. It signifies a moment of ultimate reckoning and the overwhelming realization of divine truth and justice, leading to an inescapable expression of distress or regret.
* **Consequences of Sin and Judgment:** The lamentation over Babylon's fall ([[Revelation 18:9]], [[Revelation 18:19]]) illustrates the sorrow of those who profited from or participated in a system of unrighteousness, now facing its divine destruction. This highlights the severe consequences of sin and the ultimate despair that accompanies judgment for those who have rejected God's ways. κόπτω thus serves as a powerful descriptor of the sorrow that accompanies confrontation with divine righteousness.
### Summary
The Greek verb κόπτω (koptō, `{{G2875}}`) fundamentally means "to chop" or "to cut," but in the New Testament, its primary usage shifts to an idiomatic expression of intense grief: "to beat the breast," leading to the meanings "to lament," "to mourn," or "to wail." This profound sorrow is depicted in contexts of personal loss, such as the bewailing of Jairus's daughter ([[Luke 8:52]]) and the women mourning Jesus on the Via Dolorosa ([[Luke 23:27]]). Most significantly, κόπτω is employed in prophetic passages to describe the universal lamentation that will accompany the return of Christ ([[Matthew 24:30]], [[Revelation 1:7]]) and the fall of Babylon ([[Revelation 18:9]], [[Revelation 18:19]]). Thus, κόπτω powerfully conveys the depth of human sorrow in the face of suffering and judgment, serving as a poignant descriptor of the ultimate, inescapable confrontation with divine truth and its consequences.
TRV