### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **pikrós**, represented by `{{G4089}}`, means **bitter**. Derived from a root suggesting the idea of piercing, its definition is "sharp (pungent), i.e. acrid" and it can be used in both a literal and a figurative sense. It is a rare term, appearing only **2 times** in **2 unique verses** within the Bible.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The two uses of `{{G4089}}` in Scripture occur in the same chapter of James, establishing a powerful contrast. First, it is used literally in a rhetorical question: "Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and **bitter**?" [[James 3:11]]. This verse uses the physical property of bitterness to set up a metaphor. The word is then used figuratively to describe a spiritual condition: "But if ye have **bitter** envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth" [[James 3:14]]. Here, bitterness is not a taste but a quality of destructive emotion.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the meaning of `{{G4089}}` by context:
* `{{G1099}}` **glykýs** (sweet): This is the direct antonym of **pikrós**. Defined as "sweet (i.e. not bitter nor salt)," it is used in contrast to **bitter** to illustrate the impossibility of a single source producing opposite outcomes [[James 3:11]].
* `{{G2052}}` **eritheía** (strife): Defined as "contention(-ious), strife," this word is directly associated with the figurative use of **pikrós**. The presence of "**bitter** envying" leads to **strife** in the heart [[James 3:14]].
* `{{G2205}}` **zēlos** (envy(-ing), zeal): This word for "zeal" or "envy" is directly modified by **pikrós**. When the two are paired, it describes a destructive "**bitter** envying" that is contrary to the truth [[James 3:14]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{G4089}}` is centered on the nature of a source and its product.
* **A Pure Source:** The analogy of the fountain makes it clear that a source cannot be both good and evil. It cannot yield both **sweet** `{{G1099}}` and **bitter** `{{G4089}}` water, establishing a principle that a person's inner nature determines their outward actions [[James 3:11]].
* **Corruption of the Heart:** The term "**bitter** envying" identifies the heart as the origin of this spiritual corruption. This internal bitterness is the root of outward **strife** `{{G2052}}` and is explicitly opposed to "the truth" [[James 3:14]].
* **Spiritual Incompatibility:** The word highlights a fundamental incompatibility. Just as **bitter** and sweet water cannot come from the same spring, a heart filled with "**bitter** envying and strife" cannot align with godly wisdom.
### Summary
In summary, `{{G4089}}` **pikrós** is a potent word that, while rare, carries significant weight. It moves from a literal, physical taste to a profound spiritual metaphor for an internal state of corruption. Through its usage in James, it serves as a sharp warning, illustrating how a **bitter** heart gives rise to destructive envy and strife, standing in stark contrast to the purity and truth that should characterize a believer.
TRV