### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **spilás**, represented by `{{G4694}}`, refers to a ledge or reef of rock in the sea. It appears **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the Bible. Its translation as "spot" is noted as a confusion with a different Greek word, and its primary meaning carries the sense of a dangerous, hidden obstacle.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The single use of `{{G4694}}` is in the book of Jude, where it serves as a powerful metaphor to describe false teachers. They are called "**spots** in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear" [[Jude 1:12]]. The imagery here is not just of a blemish, but of a hidden reef that can shipwreck the faith of those in the church. These individuals participate in fellowship ("feasts of charity") but are a source of peril, concerned only with their own interests.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context in [[Jude 1:12]] illuminate the nature of this threat:
* `{{G26}}` **agápē** (love-feast): This word for **love** or **charity** establishes the setting. The danger of `{{G4694}}` exists within the sacred context of Christian fellowship, making it particularly deceptive.
* `{{G4910}}` **syneuōchéō** (to revel together): This describes their action of feasting with believers. They are integrated into the community's activities, yet their presence is destructive.
* `{{G870}}` **aphóbōs** (fearlessly): This describes their attitude. They operate **without fear**, highlighting a brazen and self-serving nature that disregards divine authority and the health of the community.
* `{{G4165}}` **poimaínō** (to tend as a shepherd): The false teachers are described as "**feeding** themselves" [[Jude 1:12]], a selfish perversion of the shepherd's role, which is to feed the flock of God [[Acts 20:28]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G4694}}` is centered on the warning against internal threats to the church.
* **Deceptive Danger:** The primary meaning of a hidden reef illustrates that the greatest dangers can come from within the church, appearing as part of the landscape but capable of causing spiritual ruin.
* **Spiritual Barrenness:** These individuals are not only dangerous but spiritually empty. The passage immediately compares them to "clouds they are without water" `{{G504}}` and "trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots" (`{{G175}}`, `{{G1610}}`), signifying they offer no true spiritual substance [[Jude 1:12]].
* **Selfish Corruption:** Their core motivation is selfish gain. By "feeding themselves" [[Jude 1:12]] at "feasts of charity" `{{G26}}`, they corrupt an act of fellowship into an opportunity for self-indulgence, revealing their false nature.
### Summary
In summary, `{{G4694}}` **spilás**, though used only once, provides a critical and vivid warning. More than a simple "spot" or blemish, it represents a hidden, destructive danger within the fellowship of believers. It characterizes those who exploit the community for their own gain, are spiritually barren, and pose a severe threat to the faith of the church, reminding believers to be vigilant against such hidden reefs.
TRV