Pronunciation Guide: eye-KAY
Basic Definition
Strong’s G1500: εἰκῇ (eikē) fundamentally means “without cause” or “without purpose,” conveying the idea of something done rashly, carelessly, or without good reason. It describes actions or words that lack proper justification, forethought, or meaningful purpose. In biblical contexts, it often carries moral implications, suggesting vain, frivolous, or unjustified behavior that fails to align with godly wisdom.
Etymology and Morphology
- Adverb derived from εἴκω (eikō, “to yield, give way”)
- Language Origin: Classical Greek
- Primary Usage: Teaching passages, especially in moral exhortations
- Found in both Pauline epistles and the Gospel of Matthew
- Often used in contexts involving human motivations and justifications
εἰκῇ Morphology:
- εἰκῇ – adverbial form (invariable)
Origin & History
The term εἰκῇ has roots in classical Greek literature where it generally conveyed the idea of randomness or lack of purpose. In works by Plato and Aristotle, it described actions performed without proper consideration or rational basis. Its semantic domain expanded to include the notion of futility and vanity.
In the Septuagint (LXX), εἰκῇ appears sparingly but notably in passages addressing human folly and divine judgment. The Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria employed the term when discussing actions contrary to divine reason, suggesting that anything done εἰκῇ (without proper purpose) was inherently disordered and contrary to the cosmic logos. This philosophical background enriches our understanding of how early Jewish-Christian audiences would have received the term in New Testament writings.
Expanded Definitions & Translation Options
- Without cause or justification – describing actions or attitudes lacking legitimate basis
- Randomly or heedlessly – indicating behavior without proper forethought
- In vain or futilely – suggesting efforts that ultimately prove worthless
- Rashly or thoughtlessly – pointing to impulsive actions without consideration of consequences
εἰκῇ Translation Options:
- “Without cause” – emphasizes the lack of legitimate justification (most appropriate in Matthew 5:22)
- “In vain” – highlights futility of effort or purpose (suitable for contexts in Pauline writings)
- “Rashly” or “thoughtlessly” – captures the impulsive, unreflective nature of the action
- “Without purpose” – conveys the absence of meaningful intent or direction
- “Carelessly” – emphasizes the lack of proper attention or consideration
Biblical Usage
The first appearance of εἰκῇ in the New Testament is in Matthew 5:22, where Yeshua (Jesus) teaches on anger. This usage is particularly significant because some early manuscripts include εἰκῇ (“without cause”) while others omit it, creating an interpretive question about whether any anger toward a brother is sinful, or only anger “without cause.” The textual variant highlights the ethical importance of justified versus unjustified emotions.
In Pauline literature, εἰκῇ frequently relates to spiritual futility or purposelessness. Paul warns believers not to receive God’s grace “in vain” and cautions against empty religious practices. This usage pattern reveals εἰκῇ as a term that challenges believers to ensure their faith, worship, and ethical choices have genuine substance and divine purpose.
- “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother without cause [εἰκῇ] will be liable to judgment.” Matthew 5:22
- “Did you suffer so many things in vain [εἰκῇ]—if indeed it was in vain?” Galatians 3:4
- “But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again? You observe days and months and seasons and years. I fear for you, that perhaps I have labored over you in vain [εἰκῇ].” Galatians 4:9-11
- “Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause [εἰκῇ] by his fleshly mind.” Colossians 2:18
- “So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is… be filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:17-18 (thematic contrast to εἰκῇ behavior)
Cultural Insights
In first-century Jewish culture, the concept of acting “without cause” (εἰκῇ) connected deeply to rabbinic discussions about proper justification for actions. The Mishnah and later rabbinic literature devoted considerable attention to distinguishing between righteous indignation and baseless hatred (sinat chinam). Jewish tradition taught that the Second Temple was destroyed because of sinat chinam (baseless hatred) among the Jewish people.
This cultural context illuminates why the εἰκῇ qualification in Matthew 5:22 would have been so provocative to Yeshua’s original audience. If retained in the text, it suggests Yeshua was not prohibiting all anger (as righteous indignation had biblical precedent), but was specifically addressing the kind of baseless anger that violated both Torah standards and rabbinic teaching. This nuance reveals Yeshua’s teachings as both continuous with and transformative of Jewish ethical thought, calling His followers to examine not only their actions but the underlying motivations and justifications.
Theological Significance
The concept of εἰκῇ carries profound theological implications regarding divine purpose versus human randomness. Scripture reveals Yahweh as a God of purpose and intention, who acts with perfect wisdom and never “without cause.” In contrast, fallen humanity often acts εἰκῇ—rashly, without justified cause, or in futile directions. This contrast highlights the fundamental distinction between divine and human ways described in Isaiah 55:8-9.
When applied to anger in Matthew 5:22, εἰκῇ illuminates Yeshua’s radical teaching on heart righteousness. By potentially allowing space for justified anger while condemning baseless anger, Yeshua affirms God’s righteous indignation against sin while challenging His followers to examine their emotional responses for self-centered versus God-centered motives. This reflects the perfection of God’s character—His anger is never εἰκῇ but always perfectly calibrated to justice and holiness.
The theological tension surrounding εἰκῇ in Matthew 5:22 further invites believers to consider the Messiah’s own displays of anger, which were never without cause but directed toward hypocrisy, exploitation, and barriers to God’s kingdom. His righteous indignation models the proper alignment of emotion with divine values rather than selfish impulses.
Personal Application
Examining the concept of εἰκῇ challenges us to evaluate our own motivations and justifications. How often do we act “without cause” or speak “rashly” without considering our true motives? The word invites us to cultivate purposefulness and intentionality in both our spiritual practices and interpersonal relationships.
When facing anger or frustration, we can ask ourselves: Is this εἰκῇ—without legitimate cause—or is it a righteous response to injustice? The distinction calls us to develop emotional discernment, testing our reactions against Scripture and God’s character rather than self-interest. As we grow in this discernment, we become more like our Messiah, whose emotions perfectly aligned with divine purpose and never manifested as baseless outbursts or unjustified condemnation.
Related Words
- μάτην (matēn) – “in vain, to no purpose” – shares the concept of futility but focuses more on the outcome than the process or motivation. While εἰκῇ often emphasizes acting without proper cause, μάτην highlights the emptiness of results. See G3155
- κενός (kenos) – “empty, vain, devoid of truth” – describes emptiness of content rather than purposelessness of action. Whereas εἰκῇ may describe an action done rashly, κενός typically describes something lacking substance. See G2756
- ἀλόγως (alogōs) – “unreasonably, irrationally” – focuses specifically on the lack of logical reasoning behind an action, while εἰκῇ has a broader application to purposelessness. See G255
- ῥᾳδίως (rhadiōs) – “easily, readily, carelessly” – describes how easily something is done rather than its purposefulness. Where εἰκῇ highlights lack of purpose, ῥᾳδίως highlights lack of effort or care. See G4504
- μηδείς (mēdeis) – “no one, nothing” – used with certain verbs to express that something should not be done without purpose, providing syntactic alternatives to εἰκῇ in some contexts. See G3367
Did you Know?
- Did you know that the textual variant regarding εἰκῇ in Matthew 5:22 represents one of the most ethically significant variations in New Testament manuscripts? Some early manuscripts include the word, suggesting anger is sinful only when “without cause,” while others omit it, suggesting all anger toward brothers is problematic. This variant has profound implications for Christian ethics regarding justified versus unjustified emotional responses.
- Did you know that in modern Greek, derivatives of εἰκῇ have evolved to form words related to conjecture, guesswork, and improvisation? The semantic development reflects how actions done “without proper cause” came to be associated with speculation and improvisation—acting without complete information or proper planning. This linguistic evolution illuminates the original sense of acting without adequate foundation or justification.
- Did you know that the rabbinic concept most closely related to εἰκῇ is “sinat chinam” (baseless hatred), which Jewish tradition identifies as the reason for the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE? This connection highlights how Yeshua’s teaching about anger “without cause” in Matthew 5:22 may have been addressing the very social sin that Jewish leaders of His time recognized was tearing their community apart—hatred and anger that lacked legitimate justification before God.
Remember This
εἰκῇ challenges us to examine not just what we do, but why we do it—reminding us that in God’s kingdom, purpose matters as much as action, and our justifications must align with divine values rather than self-interest.
