Lexical Summary mulikos: Pertaining to a mill or millstone Original Word: μυλικός Strong's Exhaustive Concordance belonging to a millFrom mulos; belonging to a mill -- mill(-stone). see GREEK mulos Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3457: μυλικόςμυλικός, μυλικη, μυλικον (μύλη a mill), belonging to a mill: Mark 9:42 R G; Luke 17:2 L T Tr WH. μύλινοςμύλινος, μυλινη, μύλινον; 1. made of mill-stones: Boeckh, Inscriptions 2, p. 784, no. 3371, 4. 2. equivalent to μυλικός (see the preceding word): Revelation 18:21 L WH. The adjective behind Strong’s 3457 describes what pertains to a millstone, the massive circular stone used for grinding grain. Because a millstone was heavy, unyielding, and life-sustaining, its imagery powerfully conveys overwhelming judgment when turned into an instrument of execution. Biblical Context Luke 17:2: “It would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and to be thrown into the sea than to cause one of these little ones to stumble.” The warning appears in a discourse on sin, forgiveness, and faith (Luke 17:1-6). Jesus sets the millstone predicament as a fate preferable to the divine reckoning awaiting anyone who leads vulnerable believers into sin. Comparative Usage in the Synoptic Gospels Matthew 18:6 and Mark 9:42 record the same warning, each with a different adjective for “millstone.” Luke’s term stresses the object’s very nature, while Matthew highlights its size and Mark its driving animal. Together, the passages emphasize one consistent truth: God’s judgment on spiritual offenders is sure and severe. Cultural and Historical Background First-century millstones could weigh several hundred kilograms. While indispensable for daily bread, they also featured in executions in surrounding cultures, ensuring swift drowning when attached to the condemned. Jesus’ hearers would have recognized the hopelessness of such a sentence—no one surfaced once a millstone dragged him under. Theological Significance 1. Severity of Scandal: Leading “little ones” astray is so serious that an irreversible death is portrayed as the lesser consequence. Application for Ministry • Teaching and Leadership: Those who instruct must guard doctrine and conduct, knowing greater accountability awaits them (James 3:1). Related Concepts • Stumbling Block—anything that entices another to sin (Romans 14:13). |
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