Why Strong’s Concordance Can Mislead Scripture Interpretation
Many believers use Strong’s Concordance to dig deeper into the Word, which can be helpful. But treating it as the final authority on word meanings can be misleading and spiritually dangerous. Here’s why we must be cautious and discerning.
⚠️ 1. Root Fallacy – Misusing Etymology
People often assume that a word’s root defines its meaning. But language doesn’t work that way.
Example: Ekklesia (G1577)
Often taught as: ek = out, kaleo = to call → “called-out ones.”
This sounds spiritual, but in actual Greek usage, ekklesia simply meant an assembly — even a secular town meeting (Acts 19:39). Reading too much into the roots creates false theological weight that isn’t in the text.
⚠️ 2. Overgeneralized Definitions
Strong’s often throws many meanings under one umbrella, ignoring nuance.
Example: Kosmos (G2889)
“Orderly arrangement; world.”
But "kosmos" is used in multiple ways:
Physical creation (John 1:10)
Humanity (John 3:16)
Worldly system opposed to God (1 John 2:15)
Context is king. Strong’s doesn’t give it.
⚠️ 3. No Help with Hebrew Idioms or Poetic Structures
Strong’s does not account for cultural expressions or poetic language.
Example: Yada (H3045) – “to know”
Genesis 4:1 – “Adam knew Eve... and she conceived.”
Using Strong’s alone, some think it just means to be familiar with. But in Hebrew, yada is an idiom for sexual relations — something Strong’s gloss doesn’t explain.
⚠️ 4. Theological Bias
James Strong compiled his Concordance in the 1800s, influenced by Protestant theology. This seeps into how certain words are glossed.
Example: Hades (G86)
Strong’s often conflates this with Hell, but the Greek Hades and Hebrew Sheol mean “the grave” or a temporary place of the dead — very different from Gehenna, the place of final judgment.
Misusing Strong’s here can reinforce unbiblical ideas of eternal torment not grounded in the actual texts.
⚠️ 5. No Grammar, Context, or Sentence Structure
Strong’s doesn’t address verb tense, mood, or syntax — all vital in Hebrew and Greek.
Example: Sozo (G4982) – “to save”
It can mean:
Healing (Mark 5:34)
Rescue from death or danger
Spiritual salvation
If someone sees “saved” and jumps to a salvation doctrine every time, they’ll misunderstand the passage.
⚠️ Summary: Where Strong's Falls Short
Issue
Danger
1
Root fallacy
Misapplies ancient roots as current meaning
2
Oversimplified definitions
Misses nuance and context-specific usage
3
No idiom/poetic awareness
Misreads common Hebrew expressions
4
Theological bias
Pushes denominational views subtly into definitions
5
No grammar or structure
Ignores tenses, voices, moods that change the meaning completely
Real-World Misinterpretations Due to Strong’s
❌ Misuse: Ekklesia = “called-out ones”
Promotes the idea that the church is only those who separate — sounds spiritual, but is linguistically false.
❌ Misuse: Yada = “know” (literal)
Leads some to deny that Genesis 4:1 refers to a physical union — a gross misreading.
❌ Misuse: Hades = “hell”
Misleads people to think of final judgment instead of the grave or waiting place of the dead.
✅ Use Strong’s as a Tool — Not a Bible Dictionary
Strong’s is a starting point, not a source of absolute truth. Use it alongside:
Lexicons like BDAG (Greek) or HALOT (Hebrew)
Interlinear Bibles
Contextual study of grammar and sentence structure
The Holy Spirit’s guidance and the whole counsel of Scripture
How John 1 Is Twisted – And the Truth Exposed
✴️ John 1:1 – A Verse Many Try to Rewrite
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (TLV)
TWIST #1: “The Word was a god” (Jehovah’s Witness view)
CLAIM: Because the last phrase lacks the definite article in Greek (kai theos ēn ho logos), they say it should be translated:
“The Word was a god.” TRUTH:
Greek does not require the article “ho” (the) to signify identity.
In fact, John reversed the usual order ("God was the Word") to show the nature/essence of the Word while keeping the persons distinct.
If John had written ho theos ēn ho logos, it would mean the Word is all of God, collapsing the distinction between the Father and the Word — something John is careful to avoid.
John 1:2 already shows the Word is with God — distinction in person, same divine essence.
TWIST #2: The Word was just a thought or plan (Unitarian view)
CLAIM: “Logos” means “reason” or “thought,” so it was just God’s plan, not a person. TRUTH:
Verse 14 blows this idea apart:
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us...”
You can’t say a plan “became flesh” and walked around doing miracles.
Also, John 1:3:
“All things were made through Him...”
Clearly shows a person, not a concept. Thoughts don’t create the universe — God does, through His Word, who is later revealed to be Yeshua (v.17).
TWIST #3: John 1 proves the Trinity (Traditional Trinitarian view)
CLAIM: Since the Word is with God and is God, it proves “three co-equal, co-eternal persons.” TRUTH:
The text says the Word is God — not that the Word is one of three persons of God.
It speaks of two: The Word and God — not three.
It is better understood as: the Word is divine in essence, not that God is split into three individuals.
What does this show? That YHWH is the Father and the Son together — the fullness of deity (Colossians 2:9), not three separate divine beings.
TWIST #4: “God” in v.1 means something different than “God” in v.2
Some argue:
“The Word was with God (the Father) and was a god (lesser or divine being).” TRUTH:
This ignores how Greek uses qualitative nouns.
“The Word was God” means the Word had the same nature as God — not a separate being, but sharing the divine essence.
John 1:18:
"No one has ever seen God; but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known." (NIV)
✅ The Right Interpretation of John 1
Verse
What it Clearly Teaches
1
John 1:1
The Word (Yeshua) existed before creation and was divine.
2
John 1:2
The Word was with God, showing relationship and distinct personhood.
3
John 1:3
The Word created all things — He is not created.
4
John 1:14
The Word became flesh — Yeshua is that divine Word made human.
5
John 1:18
The Son reveals the unseen Father — the Father stays hidden, the Son makes Him known.
Summary: The Dangers of Twisting John 1
Twist
False Doctrine It Supports
Biblical Correction
1
“The Word was a god”
Denial of Yeshua’s divinity (JW view)
Grammar and context show full deity
2
“The Word was God’s plan”
Denial of Yeshua’s preexistence
Verse 3 and 14 show personal existence
3
“Proof of the Trinity”
Forces post-biblical doctrine
The text speaks of two, not three
4
“Different Gods in v.1”
Polytheism or demotion of Yeshua
Same essence, different person
John 1 is powerful — but only when read in context, with humility, and without forcing man-made doctrines into it. The Word is not just with God — the Word is YHWH, walking among us as Yeshua the Messiah.
John 1:1 in Greek — Line by Line
Greek (Transliterated): En archē ēn ho Logos, kai ho Logos ēn pros ton Theon, kai Theos ēn ho Logos. Literal Word-for-Word Translation:
In beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and God was the Word.
Key Greek Words and Grammar
"En archē" = “In [the] beginning”
Mirrors Genesis 1:1 → John intentionally echoes creation to show the Word existed before all things.
"Ho Logos" = “The Word”
"Logos" here is a title — the active expression of God (later revealed as Yeshua in verse 14).
"Pros ton Theon" = “Was with God”
The word pros denotes a close, personal relationship, even face-to-face.
This is not mere proximity — it’s intimacy and distinction.
"Kai Theos ēn ho Logos" = “And God was the Word”
This is the crucial part. The subject is "ho Logos" (the Word), not "Theos" (God).
That’s why “Theos” doesn’t have the article "ho" here — it’s being used qualitatively, meaning:
The Word shares the essence of God.
Not the God in person (the Father), but divine in nature.
Refuting the “a god” Claim (JW distortion)
JW’s say:
“Kai theos ēn ho Logos” = “The Word was a god”
But in Greek:
When the predicate noun comes before the verb and lacks the article (as here), it’s often qualitative, not indefinite.
Greek scholar Colwell’s Rule confirms this structure stresses nature, not separate identity.
So the correct rendering is:
“And the Word was God”
Meaning: The Word was divine, of the same essence as YHWH — not a lesser god.
John 1:3 in Greek
Greek (Transliterated): Panta di’ autou egeneto, kai chōris autou egeneto oude hen ho gegonen. Translation:
“All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made.”
✅ The Word is the Creator.
This proves He is uncreated, eternal, and shares the creative power of YHWH.
John 1:14 – The Word Becomes Flesh
Greek (Transliterated): Kai ho Logos sarx egeneto kai eskēnōsen en hēmin... Translation:
“And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us...”
✅ This proves the divine Logos took on human form — Yeshua.
✝️ Conclusion: Yeshua is YHWH
Verse
Greek Phrase
Truth
1
John 1:1
Theos ēn ho Logos
Yeshua is of divine essence
2
John 1:3
Panta di’ autou egeneto
All creation came through Him
3
John 1:14
ho Logos sarx egeneto
The divine Word became flesh
Yeshua was not a god or a thought — He is the Word, and the Word is God.
Not the Father Himself, but one with the Father — the visible expression of the invisible God.
Let’s seek truth, not tradition or surface-level definitions. Scripture interprets Scripture — not Strong’s Concordance.
