wrath of the Lamb

ὀργή, ῆς, ἡ (Hes. et al. in the sense of ‘temperament’; also ‘anger, indignation, wrath’ (so Trag., Hdt.+)

① state of relatively strong displeasure, w. focus on the emotional aspect, anger GPt 12:50 (s. φλέγω 2). W. πικρία and θυμός Eph 4:31; cp. Col 3:8 (on the relationship betw. ὀργή and θυμός, which are oft., as the product of Hebrew dualism, combined in the LXX as well, s. Zeno in Diog. L. 7, 113; Chrysipp. [Stoic. III Fgm. 395]; Philod., De Ira p. 91 W.; PsSol 2:23; ParJer 6:23). W. διαλογισμοί 1 Ti 2:8. W. μερισμός IPhld 8:1. ἡ ἀθέμιτος τοῦ ζήλους ὀρ. the lawless anger caused by jealousy 1 Cl 63:2. ἀπέχεσθαι πάσης ὀρ. refrain from all anger Pol 6:1. μετʼ ὀργῆς angrily (Pla., Apol. 34c; Esth 8:12x; 3 Macc 6:23; JosAs 4:16 μετὰ ἀλαζονείας καὶ ὀργῆς) Mk 3:5; βραδὺς εἰς ὀρ. slow to be angry Js 1:19 (Aristoxenus, Fgm. 56 Socrates is called τραχὺς εἰς ὀργήν; but s. Pla., Phd. 116c, where S. is called πρᾳότατο ‘meekest’). ἐλέγχετε ἀλλήλους μὴ ἐν ὀρ. correct one another, not in anger D 15:3 (ἐν ὀργῇ Is 58:13; Da 3:13 Theod.). Anger ἄφρονα ἀναιρεῖ 1 Cl 39:7 (Job 5:2); leads to murder D 3:2. δικαιοσύνην θεοῦ οὐκ ἐργάζεται Js 1:20; originates in θυμός and results in μῆνις Hm 5, 2, 4.—Pl. outbursts of anger (Pla., Euthyphro 7b ἐχθρὰ καὶ ὀργαί, Rep. 6, 493a; Maximus Tyr. 27, 6b; 2 Macc 4:25, 40; Jos., Vi. 266) 1 Cl 13:1; IEph 10:2 (B-D-F §142; W-S. §27, 4d). JStelzenberger, D. Beziehgen der frühchristl. Sittenlehre zur Ethik der Stoa ’33, 250ff. S. also Ps.-Phocyl. 57f; 63f and Horst’s annotations 153, 155–57.

② strong indignation directed at wrongdoing, w. focus on retribution, wrath (Πανὸς ὀργαί Eur., Med. 1172; Parmeniscus [III/II B.C.] in the schol. on Eur., Medea 264 Schw. τῆς θεᾶς ὀργή; Diod S 5, 55, 6 διὰ τὴν ὀργήν of Aphrodite; Philostrat., Vi. Apoll. 6, 29; SIG 1237, 5 ἕξει ὀργὴν μεγάλην τοῦ μεγάλου Διός; OGI 383, 210 [I B.C.]; LXX; En 106:15; TestReub 4:4; ApcEsdr 1:17 p. 25, 11 Tdf.; ApcrEzk pap. Fgm. 1 recto, 6 [Denis, p. 125]; SibOr 4, 162; 5, 75f; Philo, Somn. 2, 179, Mos. 1, 6; Just., D. 38, 2; 123, 3; oft. Jos., e.g. Ant. 3, 321; 11, 127; Theoph. Ant. 1, 3 [p. 62, 21].—EpArist 254 θεὸς χωρὶς ὀργῆς ἁπάσης) as the divine reaction toward evil (παιδεύει ἡ καλουμένη ὀρ. τοῦ θεοῦ Orig., C. Cels. 4, 72, 4) it is thought of not so much as an emotion (οὐ πάθος δʼ αὐτοῦ αὐτὴν [sc. ὀργὴν] εἶναί φαμεν Orig., C. Cels. 4, 72, 1) as the outcome of an indignant frame of mind ( judgment), already well known to OT history (of the inhabitants of Nineveh: οἳ τὴν ὀρ. διὰ μετανοίας ἐκώλυσαν Did., Gen. 116, 22), where it somet. runs its course in the present, but more oft. is to be expected in the future, as God’s final reckoning w. evil (ὀρ. is a legitimate feeling on the part of a judge; s. RHirzel, Themis 1907, 416; Pohlenz [s. below, b, end] 15, 3; Synes. Ep. 2 p. 158b).—S. Cat. Cod. Astr. V/4 p. 155.

ⓐ of the past and pres.: of judgment on the desert generation ὤμοσα ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ μου (Ps 94:11) Hb 3:11; 4:3. In the present, of Judeans ἔφθασεν ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς ἡ ὀρ. the indignation (ὀργή abs.= ὁρ. θεοῦ also Ro 12:19—AvanVeldhuizen, ‘Geeft den toorn plaats’ [Ro 12:19]: TSt 25, 1907, 44–46; [on 13:4; 1 Th 1:10]. Likew. Jos., Ant. 11, 141) has come upon them 1 Th 2:16 (cp. TestLevi 6:11; on 1 Th 2:13–16 s. BPearson, HTR 64, ’71, 79–94). Of God’s indignation against sin in the pres. ἀποκαλύπτεται ὀρ. θεοῦ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν ἀσέβειαν Ro 1:18 (JCampbell, ET 50, ’39, 229–33; SSchultz, TZ 14, ’58, 161–73). Of God’s indignation against evildoers as revealed in the judgments of earthly gov. authorities 13:4f (here ὀρ. could also be punishment, as Demosth. 21, 43). The indignation of God remains like an incubus upon the one who does not believe in the Son J 3:36 (for ἡ ὀρ. μένει cp. Wsd 18:20). Of the Lord’s wrath against renegade Christians Hv 3, 6, 1. The Lord ἀποστρέφει τὴν ὀρ. αὐτοῦ ἀπό τινος turns away (divine) indignation from someone (ἀποστρέφω 2a) Hv 4, 2, 6.—Of the wrath of God’s angel of repentance Hm 12, 4, 1.

ⓑ of God’s future judgment specifically qualified as punitive (ἐκφυγεῖν τὴν ὀρ. καὶ κρίσιν τοῦ θεοῦ Theoph. Ant. 2, 14 [p. 136, 16]) ἔσται ὀρ. τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ Lk 21:23; ἡ μέλλουσα ὀρ. Mt 3:7; Lk 3:7; IEph 11:1. ἡ ὀρ. ἡ ἐρχομένη 1 Th 1:10; cp. Eph 5:6; Col 3:6. σωθησόμεθα ἀπὸ τῆς ὀρ. Ro 5:9. οὐκ ἔθετο ἡμᾶς ὁ θεὸς εἰς ὀρ. God has not destined us for punitive judgment 1 Th 5:9. θησαυρίζειν ἑαυτῷ ὀργήν (s. θησαυρίζω 2b and PLond VI 1912, 77–78 ταμιευόμενος ἐμαυτῷ … ὀργήν and 81 εἰς ὀργὴν δικαίαν [opp. internal hostility, line 80]; s. SLösch, Epistula Claudiana 1930, 8. Claudius reserves to himself punitive measures against ringleaders of civil unrest; the par. is merely formal: in our pass. it is sinners who ensure divine indignation against themselves) Ro 2:5a. This stored-up wrath will break out ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς (s. ἡμέρα 3bβ) vs. 5b. Elsewhere, too, the portrayal of the wrath of God in Paul is predom. eschatological: ὀρ. καὶ θυμός (s. θυμός 2) Ro 2:8 (cp. 1QS 4:12); cp. 1 Cl 50:4; δότε τόπον τῇ ὀρ. Ro 12:19 (s. 2a above; τόπος 4). Cp. 9:22a. ἐπιφέρειν τὴν ὀργήν inflict punishment 3:5 (s. 13:4f under a above; s. Just., A I, 39, 2). Humans are τέκνα φύσει ὀργῆς by nature children of wrath, i.e. subject to divine indignation Eph 2:3 (JMehlman, Natura Filii Irae etc. ’57). τέκνα ὀργῆς AcPlCor 2:19 (on gnostic opponents of Paul). Cp. σκεύη ὀργῆς κατηρτισμένα εἰς ἀπώλειαν objects of wrath prepared for destruction Ro 9:22b. Of the law: ὀργὴν κατεργάζεται it effects/brings (only) wrath 4:15.—In Rv the term is also used to express thoughts on eschatology 6:16; 11:18. ἡ ἡμέρα ἡ μεγάλη τῆς ὀρ. αὐτῶν the great day of their (God’s and the Lamb’s) wrath (s. above) 6:17. On τὸ ποτήριον τῆς ὀρ. αὐτοῦ the cup of his wrath 14:10 and οἶνος τοῦ θυμοῦ τῆς ὀρ. τοῦ θεοῦ 16:19; 19:15, s. θυμός 1 and 2 (AHanson, The Wrath of the Lamb, ’57, 159–80).—ARitschl, Rechtfertigung u. Versöhnung II⁴ 1900, 119–56; MPohlenz, Vom Zorne Gottes 1909; GWetter, D. Vergeltungsgedanke bei Pls1912; GBornkamm, D. Offenbarung des Zornes Gottes (Ro 1–3): ZNW 34, ’35, 239–62; ASchlatter, Gottes Gerechtigkeit ’35, 48ff; GMacGregor, NTS 7, ’61, 101–9; JHempel, Gottes Selbstbeherrschung, H-WHertzberg Festschr., ’65, 56–66. S. also κρίσις, end: Braun 41ff and Filson.—B. 1134. DELG 1 ὀργή. M-M. DLNT 1238–41. EDNT. TW.