### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **staphylḗ**, represented by `{{G4718}}`, refers to a **cluster of grapes**. It appears **3 times** across **3 unique verses** in the Bible. The term's base definition, "a cluster of grapes (as if intertwined)," suggests a collective bunch rather than a single grape.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In scripture, `{{G4718}}` is used metaphorically to illustrate the principle of spiritual discernment. In both Matthew and Luke, it appears in a rhetorical question emphasizing that one cannot **gather** `{{G4816}}` **grapes** from **thorns** `{{G173}}` [[Matthew 7:16]] or a bramble bush [[Luke 6:44]]. This analogy teaches that a person's true nature is known by their works, just as a plant is known by its **fruit** `{{G2590}}`. In Revelation, the word takes on an eschatological meaning, where an angel commands the gathering of the earth's **grapes** because they are **fully ripe** `{{G187}}` for the harvest of judgment [[Revelation 14:18]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the context of `{{G4718}}`:
* `{{G1009}}` **bótrys** (a bunch (of grapes)): This term is used alongside `staphylḗ` to specify the "clusters of the vine" that are to be gathered in the final harvest [[Revelation 14:18]].
* `{{G2590}}` **karpós** (fruit (as plucked), literally or figuratively): This word establishes the broader category to which **grapes** belong. The core teaching in the Gospels is that a **tree** `{{G1186}}` is **known** `{{G1097}}` by its **fruit** [[Luke 6:44]].
* `{{G288}}` **ámpelos** (a vine): This identifies the source of **grapes**. In Revelation, the command is to gather the clusters of the **vine** of the earth [[Revelation 14:18]].
* `{{G173}}` **ákantha** (a thorn): This word represents an unnatural and barren source for **grapes**, highlighting the impossibility of good fruit coming from a corrupt origin [[Matthew 7:16]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G4718}}` is tied to the agricultural metaphor of fruit-bearing.
* **Source and Product:** The use of **grapes** illustrates the unchangeable principle that a source determines its product. Just as **thorns** `{{G173}}` cannot produce **grapes**, a corrupt nature cannot produce righteous works. This is a foundational test for discernment [[Matthew 7:16]].
* **Ripeness for Judgment:** In its final appearance, the image of **grapes** that are **fully ripe** `{{G187}}` symbolizes a point of completion or maturity. In the context of Revelation, this ripeness signifies that the time for God's judgment upon the earth has arrived, and the harvest must begin [[Revelation 14:18]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{G4718}}` is more than a simple word for **grapes**. It serves as a potent and tangible symbol in scripture. It is used to teach a critical lesson about judging a person's character by their actions and provides a vivid image of the world's readiness for the eschatological harvest of divine judgment. Through this term, scripture illustrates that what is produced inevitably reveals the nature of its source.
TRV