### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **antapokrínomai**, represented by `{{G470}}`, means **to contradict or dispute**. It appears **3 times** across **2 unique verses**, making it a rare but pointed term. Its base definition, derived from ἀντί and ἀποκρίνομαι, carries the strong sense of answering back, replying against, or challenging what has been said or done.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{G470}}` is used in two significant contexts that highlight a challenge to authority. In Romans, it is used to question the audacity of a human being challenging God's sovereign choices, asking, "O man, who art thou that **repliest against** God?" [[Romans 9:20]]. This usage frames the act of contradiction as an inappropriate overstepping of a creature's place before its Creator. In Luke's Gospel, the word appears twice to describe the inability of Jesus's opponents to refute his logic; they "could not **answer** him **again** to these things" [[Luke 14:6]], demonstrating that their arguments were silenced.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words expand upon the concepts of answering, authority, and creation embedded in the use of `{{G470}}`:
* `{{G2046}}` **eréō** (to utter, i.e. speak or say): This word for speaking is used in the rhetorical question about whether the "thing formed" has the right to **say** anything back to its maker [[Romans 9:20]].
* `{{G2316}}` **theós** (a deity, especially... the supreme Divinity): The gravity of `antapokrínomai` is amplified when the one being replied against is **God**, the ultimate authority [[Romans 9:20]].
* `{{G4110}}` **plásma** (something moulded): This term for the "**thing formed**" establishes the Creator-creature relationship, underscoring the impropriety of a contradiction flowing from the creation to the Creator [[Romans 9:20]].
* `{{G2480}}` **ischýō** (to have (or exercise) force): This word highlights the powerlessness of those who tried to dispute with Jesus, as they **could** not muster a reply [[Luke 14:6]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G470}}` is centered on the nature of divine authority and humanity's response to it.
* **Sovereignty of the Creator:** The word's use in [[Romans 9:20]] is a powerful rebuke against human pride. To **reply against** God is to challenge His right to act according to His own will, a position the text presents as absurd for the "thing formed" `{{G4110}}` to take against the one who formed it `{{G4111}}`.
* **The Infallibility of Divine Wisdom:** In [[Luke 14:6]], the inability of Jesus's adversaries to **answer** him **again** serves as a testament to the unassailable nature of his wisdom and authority. Their silence is a forced admission of defeat in a direct dispute.
* **The Boundary of Rightful Speech:** The term implicitly defines a boundary between acceptable questioning and unacceptable contradiction. It highlights that while dialogue with God is a part of scripture, to "reply against" Him is to cross into rebellion.
### Summary
In summary, `{{G470}}` is a specific and forceful word that, while rare, sharply defines the act of contradiction against a higher power. It is used to illustrate both the foolishness of a human challenging God's sovereignty and the futility of disputing the wisdom of Christ. The word `antapokrínomai` therefore serves as a crucial marker for understanding the proper posture of humanity before divine authority.
TRV