希腊原文词研究
Ergon (ἔργον) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
ἔργον (érgon) means work, deed, or action — covering labor, individual acts, and God's mighty works in Scripture.
这个词的意思
ἔργον is a common Greek noun that denotes work in the sense of toil or effort, then extends to any act or deed. Its basic force is an occupation or task one carries out (Mark 13:34; John 4:34), but the word easily widens to mean a single action or accomplishment, whether good or evil (Matthew 26:10; John 3:20).
In ethical and theological contexts, ἔργον often describes the moral quality of human actions. Scripture speaks of good works (Matthew 5:16), works of the law (Romans 3:20), works of faith (1 Thessalonians 1:3), and evil or dead works (Hebrews 6:1). The plural ἔργα is by far the most frequent form and is used both for a person's accumulated deeds and for the collective works of a group.
Beyond human deeds, ἔργον also names what God or Christ does — the mighty works of Jesus reported to John the Baptist (Matthew 11:2), the works the Father shows the Son (John 5:20), and God's creative works (Hebrews 1:10). Thus the same word covers labor, ethical conduct, and divine activity.
在圣经里的用法
ἔργον appears about 135 times across the New Testament and is a key term in Jesus' ethical teaching. In the Sermon on the Mount, disciples are told to let their light shine so that people may see their good works and glorify the Father (Matthew 5:16). Jesus warns against hypocrisy by contrasting speech with deeds — the scribes and Pharisees 'say, and do not' (Matthew 23:3, 5).
In John's Gospel, ἔργον takes on a dual meaning: the works of Christ that bear witness to him (John 5:20), and the works of human beings that reveal whether they belong to the light or to the darkness (John 3:19–21). Paul and the other apostles build on this contrast, evaluating deeds by faith, by the law, or by the fruit they bear (1 Thessalonians 1:3; Romans 3:20; Hebrews 6:1).
词条详解
- G2041 ἔργον covers a wide semantic range: physical labor, individual deed, moral action, and the mighty acts of God or Christ. The plural ἔργα is by far the most common form in the NT, and the phrase 'works' (τὰ ἔργα) often carries an ethical weight, evaluating deeds as good, evil, dead, or of the law.
示例经文
- Matthew 5:16 Disciples' good works are meant to point observers to the Father's glory, not to themselves — the plural ἔργα here carries a public, visible quality.
- John 5:20 The Father shows the Son 'greater works' (ἔργα) — ἔργον here names the messianic signs that reveal the Son's identity and authority.
- John 3:20 Those who do evil hate the light because their works (ἔργα) will be exposed — ἔργον here functions as the moral evidence that the light judges.
- Hebrews 6:1 Dead works (νεκρὰ ἔργα) are the futile religious deeds that cannot justify; ἔργον here is qualified by the adjective νεκρός to show that mere outward acts lack life.
常见问题
What is the basic meaning of ἔργον?
It means work, deed, or action — from physical labor to a single moral act and to the mighty works of God.
Is ἔργον singular or plural in most uses?
The plural ἔργα (works) is the most frequent form in the New Testament, often carrying ethical weight.
Does ἔργον only describe human deeds?
No. It also names the works of Christ (John 5:20) and the works of God (Hebrews 1:10), making it a key theological term.