Two-directional superlative. (1) Excellent, impressive, radical in a good way: "that was a gnarly wave." (2) Grotesque, intense, hard to handle: "his wound was gnarly." Context and tone disambiguate. Surfer-skater flavor; dates the speaker to Gen X or earlier.
"Gnarly" can mean "awesome" or "gross" — and context decides. This bidirectional flexibility is actually biblical in spirit: the same event can be terrifying and wonderful, painful and redemptive, ugly and glorious. The cross is the paradigm: the gnarliest execution in history became the gnarliest good news. "We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor 1:23-24). The same crucifixion that looks gnarly-grotesque from the Roman angle is gnarly-glorious from the apostolic angle. Hold the both-and. The word itself is neutral; the bidirectional flexibility is a feature, not a bug.
A dated superlative that can swing positive or negative depending on context. Functionally harmless; theologically interesting in its flexibility.
Surf culture gave America a pile of bidirectional or ambiguous superlatives — gnarly, sick, wicked, nasty — all of which can mean very good or very bad depending on tone. This linguistic feature tolerates complexity better than purely positive or purely negative words. Scripture frequently needs the same flexibility: the same reality can be dreadful and beautiful. "The fear of the LORD" is a bidirectional idea — terror and reverence at once. The incarnation is ordinary and miraculous simultaneously. The cross is hideous and glorious. Using flexible vocabulary that can hold both poles is sometimes a more honest register than flattening everything to either "awesome" or "horrible." Gnarly, as a word, has its moments.
1 Corinthians 1:23-24 — "We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."
Isaiah 53:2-3 — "He had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men."
Psalm 139:14 — "I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."
Revelation 15:3-4 — "Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!"
"Gnarly" can mean awesome or grotesque. Some realities are both. The cross is the paradigm: gnarliest execution became gnarliest good news.
“Did you see the wave he caught? Totally gnarly.”
“We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but... Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”