I was amazed to find the following Greek words translated as “amazed” in the New Testament Scriptures as they were applied to peoples reactions to Jesus. I am truly AMAZED at what I found in this study, you should be too!
First, let’s look at the Greek words translated as “amazed”:
[A] “existemi” [ex-is-tay-mee] literally means to be astounded or astonished.
[B] “thambeo” [tham•beh•o] literally means to be astomished.
[C] “ekplesso” [ek-place-so] literally means to be greatly astounded or astonished
[D] “thaumazo” [thou-mad-zo] literally means to be very amazed or in a stae of wonder, to have an admiration for.
[E] “thambos” [tham-bos] literally means dumbfounded, astonished or amazed.
[F] “ekstasis” [ek-stas-is] means astonishment.
The people and crowds of people were amazed:
Matthew 7:28 (TNIV) [Note C]
When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.Matthew 9:32-33 (TNIV) [Note D]
32 While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed and could not talk was brought to Jesus. 33 And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”Matthew 8:27 (TNIV) [Note D]
The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”Matthew 13:53-54 (TNIV) [Note C]
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked.Matthew 15:29-31 (TNIV) [Note D]
29 Jesus left there and went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up on a mountainside and sat down. 30 Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. 31 The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.Mark 1:21-22 (TNIV) [Note C]
21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.Mark 1:27-28 (TNIV) [Notev B]
27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.Mark 2:11-12 (TNIV) [Note A]
11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”Mark 5:20 (TNIV) [Note D]
20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.Mark 6:1-2 (TNIV) [Note C]
1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.Mark 11:18 (TNIV) [Note C]
18 The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.Luke 4:22 (TNIV) [Note D]
22 All spoke well of him [Jesus] and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.Luke 4:31-32 (TNIV) [Note C]
31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.Luke 4:36-37 (TNIV) [Note E]
36 All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!” 37 And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.Luke 5:22-26 (TNIV) [Note F]
22 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 25 Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. 26 Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”Luke 9:43 (TNIV) [Note C]
42 Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil£ spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father. 43 And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.Luke 11:14 (TNIV) [Note D]
14 Jesus was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon left, the man who had been mute spoke, and the crowd was amazed.
The disciples were amazed:
Matthew 21:20 (TNIV) [Note D]
20When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.Mark 6:51 (TNIV) [Note A]
51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed,Mark 10:24 (TNIV) [Note B]
24The disciples were amazed at his words.Mark 10:26 (TNIV) [Note C]
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
The religious leaders of the day (often, his enemies) and the enemies of Jesus were amazed:
Matthew 22:21-22 (TNIV) [Note D]
21 ….Then he said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 22 When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.Mark 12:17 (TNIV) [Note D]
17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.Mark 15:2-5 (TNIV) [Note D]
2 “Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “You have said so,” Jesus replied.3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.” 5 But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.Luke 2:45-47 (TNIV) (Jesus was 12 years old here) [Note A]
45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.John 7:15 (TNIV) [Note D]
14 Not until halfway through the festival did Jesus go up to the temple courts and begin to teach. 15 The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?”
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