The Life of Jesus in Harmony |
Index
Raca
Gk. from Aram. reqa', "empty, worthless, good for nothing").
A common term of contempt in the time of
Christ (Mt 5:22), denoting a certain looseness of life and manners. The word appears
often in the writings of the Jewish rabbis with the meaning of "ignorant,
senseless." To say raca to a person was like saying, "You Airhead!." It differs
from "fool," which conveys the idea of impious, godless, because such a one
neglects and despises wisdom.