### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek adjective G5515 (chlōrós) derives from the same root as Χλόη (Chloē), meaning "young grass" or "green shoot." Its primary semantic range encompasses a spectrum of colors related to green. At one end, it signifies a vibrant, verdant "green," characteristic of fresh vegetation, indicating life, growth, and natural vigor. This aligns with its etymological root. However, G5515 also extends to describe a "dun-colored," "pale," or "sickly yellowish-green" hue. This secondary meaning often conveys a sense of pallor, decay, or the absence of life, such as the complexion of a person suffering from illness or the ashen color associated with death. Thus, G5515 uniquely bridges the concepts of thriving life and somber decay, depending on its contextual application.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
G5515 appears four times in the New Testament, showcasing its dual semantic range:
1. **[[Mark 6:39]]**: In the account of the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus instructs the disciples to have the crowds sit down "on the green grass." Here, chlōrós clearly denotes the lush, verdant quality of the natural landscape, providing a comfortable and abundant setting for the miraculous provision. This usage emphasizes the natural order and God's provision.
2. **[[Revelation 6:8]]**: This is perhaps the most striking and theologically weighty occurrence. Describing the fourth horse of the apocalypse, the text states, "And behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him." The chlōrós here is not a vibrant green but a sickly, ghastly, or ashen pale, signifying the pallor of death, disease, and decay. It is distinct from the white of purity, the red of blood, or the black of famine, uniquely conveying the grim reality of mortality and the destructive power unleashed by divine judgment.
3. **[[Revelation 8:7]]**: In the description of the first trumpet judgment, one-third of the earth is burned up, and "all green grass was burned up." Similar to Mark's usage, chlōrós here refers to flourishing vegetation. Its destruction signifies a judgment upon the natural world, removing life and fertility.
4. **[[Revelation 9:4]]**: During the fifth trumpet judgment, the demonic locusts are commanded "not to harm the grass of the earth or any green thing or any tree." Again, chlōrós refers to living vegetation. The preservation of "green things" highlights the specific target of the judgment (those without the seal of God) and the limited scope of the destruction, contrasting with the previous judgment in [[Revelation 8:7]].
These occurrences demonstrate G5515's capacity to describe both literal, vibrant plant life and the symbolic, ominous pallor of death.
### Related Words & Concepts
The etymological connection to Χλόη (Chloē), meaning "a young shoot" or "green herb," reinforces the primary sense of fresh, living vegetation. In the broader biblical lexicon, G5515 stands alongside other color terms that carry significant symbolic weight, such as λευκός (leukos - white, purity), πυρρός (pyrros - fiery red, blood, war), and μέλας (melas - black, famine, mourning). Unlike these, chlōrós uniquely possesses a dual, almost antithetical, symbolic range: life and death. The concept of "grass" (e.g., χόρτος - chortos) is often used in Scripture to represent the transience of human life ([[Psalm 90:5-6]], [[Isaiah 40:6-8]], [[1 Peter 1:24]]). The "pale" aspect of chlōrós in Revelation resonates with themes of pestilence, plague, and the fragility of life in the face of divine wrath, concepts often linked to the Old Testament's descriptions of judgment (e.g., `{{H1698}}` - deḇer, pestilence).
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of G5515 is profound, particularly due to its stark semantic duality.
Firstly, in its "green" sense (Mark, Revelation 8, 9), it speaks to God's providential care and the natural order of creation. The "green grass" provides a setting for divine provision and sustenance, symbolizing the abundance and life that God bestows. Conversely, the burning or sparing of "green things" in Revelation underscores God's sovereign control over creation and His use of natural elements in acts of judgment or mercy.
Secondly, and most strikingly, the "pale" or "sickly" sense of G5515 in [[Revelation 6:8]] carries immense eschatological weight. The "pale horse" is the harbinger of death, disease, and the grave. This color is not merely descriptive but symbolic of the ultimate consequence of sin and the unleashing of divine wrath upon a rebellious world. It evokes a sense of dread and the chilling reality of mortality. The very word that describes vibrant life also describes the absence of it, serving as a powerful reminder of the fragility of existence and the ultimate triumph of death and Hades over those who reject God. It underscores the severity of final judgment, where life itself fades into a sickly pallor.
### Summary
The Greek word G5515 (chlōrós) is a remarkably versatile term, holding within its semantic range the vibrant "green" of flourishing life and the ominous "pale" or "dun-colored" hue of death and decay. In the New Testament, it describes literal green grass, symbolizing divine provision and the natural order of creation ([[Mark 6:39]], [[Revelation 8:7]], [[Revelation 9:4]]). Crucially, in [[Revelation 6:8]], chlōrós takes on a profound symbolic meaning, depicting the ghastly "pale" horse of Death, signifying pestilence, judgment, and the ultimate end of physical life. This duality makes G5515 a potent word, bridging the beauty of God's creation with the stark reality of His judgment, and serving as a vivid reminder of both life's fragility and the certain consequences of sin.
TRV