Exploring the Concept of Gall in the Bible
The concept of gall is mentioned throughout the Bible, but what does it really mean? In scripture, gall refers to a bitter substance that is bitter to the taste and symbolizes bitterness, misery, and suffering.
One example of gall in the Bible can be found in the book of Lamentations, where it says “He hath filled me with bitterness, he hath made me drunken with wormwood. He hath also broken my teeth with gravel stones, he hath covered me with ashes. And thou hast removed my soul far off from peace: I forgat prosperity. And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the Lord: Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.” (Lamentations 3:15-19)
Another instance of gall is mentioned in Matthew 27:34 when Jesus is offered wine mixed with gall before being crucified. This is significant because it was common practice for Roman soldiers to offer the condemned wine mixed with gall as a way to sedate them and numb the pain of the crucifixion. However, Jesus refused to drink it, choosing instead to suffer fully without any numbing or sedation.
In addition to representing bitterness and suffering, gall can also symbolize sin and unrepentance. In Deuteronomy 32:32, it says “For their vine [is] of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes [are] grapes of gall, their clusters [are] bitter.” The disobedience and debauchery of the people caused them to produce fruit that was symbolically bitter and filled with gall.
Overall, the concept of gall in the Bible represents bitterness, misery, suffering, sin, and unrepentance. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the importance of true repentance and seeking God’s forgiveness.