θαυμάσι-ος G2297
Wonderful, marvelous, amazing; extraordinary and astonishing; worthy of wonder and admiration.
This adjective marks something as wonderful and marvelous, worthy of amazement and admiration. Classical usage described extraordinary deeds, wondrous sights, and astonishing events. Matthew uses it to describe the wonderful things Jesus did that the children celebrated in the temple, provoking the chief priests' indignation. The term suggests not just surprising but positively amazing—inspiring wonder and praise. It's related to θαῦμα (wonder, marvel) and θαυμάζω (to wonder, marvel), all capturing that quality that stops observers in awe.
Senses
1. sense 1 — In Matthew 21:15, religious leaders become indignant when they see the wonderful things Jesus did—healings and miracles—and hear children shouting 'Hosanna to the Son of David' in the temple. The term emphasizes the objectively marvelous quality of Jesus's works. Classical usage described extraordinary events inspiring wonder and admiration. The children's celebration recognizes what the leaders refuse to acknowledge. The multilingual glosses ('maravillas,' 'merveilleux') capture the sense of miraculous wonders deserving praise, which ironically provokes opposition from those who should rejoice most. 1×
AR["العَجائِبَ"]·ben["আশ্চর্যকর্ম"]·DE["θαυμάσια"]·EN["wonders"]·FR["merveilleux"]·heb["הַנִּפְלָאוֹת"]·HI["अद्भुत-कामों"]·ID["keajaiban-keajaiban"]·IT["thaumasia"]·jav["mukjizat"]·KO["놀라운-일들-을"]·PT["maravilhas"]·RU["чудеса"]·ES["maravillas"]·SW["ambayo"]·TR["harikaları"]·urd["عجیب-کام"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
θαυμάσι-ος [ᾰ], α, ον, Ionic dialect θωμ-, rarely ος, ον Refs 2nd c.AD+:— wonderful, marvellous, ὄσσα Refs 8th c.BC+; θωμάσια wonders, marvels, Refs: superlative -ώτατα Refs 5th c.BC+; ἧττον θαυμαστά, καίπερ ὄντα θαυμάσια less admired, though admirable, Refs 1st c.AD+: with infinitive, τέρας θ. προσιδέσθαι Refs 5th c.BC+; οὐ θ. [ἐστι] with infinitive, Refs 5th c.BC+; θ. τοῦ κάλλους marvellous for…