Spoken Word

4487 RHEMA(68): information in the form of words. Rhema almost always means something spoken, as in Jn.6.63, "...the words (rhema) which I have spoken to you are spirit and life."

But sometimes the emphasis is on expression by means of words, such as Peter saying in Lk.5.5, "...at your word (rhema) I will let down the net," or Jesus quoting Deut.8.3 in Mt.4.4, "It is written, man will not live by bread only, but by every word of God." The Greek word that means written information is 1124 graphe .

In contrast, the word logos refers to a message or statement, and its content, whether written or spoken. The difference in meaning between rhema and logos can be seen in Jn.12.47-48:

"Now if anyone hears my words (rhema) and does not keep [them], I do not condemn him. (For I did not come so that I could condemn the human world, but so that I could rescue the human world.) The one who is rejecting me and not accepting my words (rhema) has that which is condemning him. The message (logos ) which I spoke, that will condemn him in the last day. (Note that this message by Jesus is of crucial importance to humans.)

Rhema is used in context with "message, statement" (3056 logos ) in Mt.12.36, Lk.9.44-45, Jn.12.47-48, 17.6-8, Act.10.36-37,44, 13.42-44, 16.36-38, Eph.6.17-19, Heb.12.19, 1Pe.1.23-25.

RHEMA AS A WORD OR AS A STATEMENT COMPRISED OF WORDS:

WORD (59) Mt.4.4; 12.36; 18.16; 26.75; 27.14. Mk.14.72. Lk.1.37,38; 2.17,29,50; 3.2; 5.5; 7.1; 9.45,45; 20.26; 24.8,11. Jn.3.34; 5.47; 6.63,68; 8.20,47; 10.21; 12.47,48; 14.10; 15.7; 17.8. Act.2.14; 5.20; 6.11,13; 10.22,44; 11.14,16; 13.42; 16.38; 26.25. Rom.10.8,8,17,18. 2Co.12.4; 13.1. Eph.5.26; 6.17. Heb.1.3; 6.5; 11.3; 12.19. 1Pe.1.25,25. 2Pe.3.2. Jud.17. Rev.17.17.
STATEMENT (3) Mk.9.32. Lk.18.34. Act.28.25.

WHEN RHEMA REPRESENTS AN OCCURENCE OR EVENT:

EVENT (6) Lk.1.65; 2.15,19,51. Act.5.32; 10.37.