River
River [1]
River ( ποταμός).—‘River’ ( Mark 1:5 etc.), ‘flood’ ( Matthew 7:25), ‘stream’ ( Luke 6:48), and ‘waters’ ( 2 Corinthians 11:26) stand for the same Greek word ποταμός. ‘Stream’ in Luke 6:48 corresponds to ‘flood’ in Matthew 7:25.
The Jordan is the one true river in Palestine. The name occurs frequently in the Gospels, but only once connected with ‘river’ ( Mark 1:5). See Jordan.
The ‘ stream ’ ( Luke 6:48) or ‘flood’ ( Matthew 7:25) is evidently the rushing torrent raised by wintry rains. From Revelation 12:15-16 we gather that ποταμός may signify any great volume of water rolling over the land. St. Paul’s ‘perils of rivers’ ( 1 Corinthians 11:26) were doubtless such as the Eastern traveller has perpetually to face in fording bridgeless streams in times of rain and melting snow.
To one reared in Palestine, where only water is required to turn the wilderness into a garden, a river, with its beautifying and fertilizing power, might well seem an apt symbol of life ( Revelation 22:1-2).
W. Ewing.
