3749. ostrakinos

Lexicon

ostrakinos: Earthen, made of clay

Original Word: ὀστράκινος
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: ostrakinos
Pronunciation: os-trak'-i-nos
Phonetic Spelling: (os-tra'-kin-os)
Definition: Earthen, made of clay
Meaning: made of clay, earthen.

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

of earth, earthen.

From ostrakon ("oyster") (a tile, i.e. Terra cotta); earthen-ware, i.e. Clayey; by implication, frail -- of earth, earthen.

HELPS Word-studies

3749 ostrákinos (the root of the English term, "ostraca," i.e. baked-clay shaped into pottery, etc.) – properly, made of clay (earth). 3749 /ostrákinos ("earthen, made of clay") is used metaphorically in 2 Cor 4:7 of the frail human body of believers – which serves as the temple of the Holy Spirit.

[3749 (ostrákinos) refers to anything made of baked clay, e.g. earthenware (clay vessels). Earthen (clay) jars were used for storage and as "writing pads" (for messages, contracts, wills, etc.).]

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from ostrakon (an earthen vessel)
Definition
earthen
NASB Translation
earthen (1), earthenware (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 3749: ὀστράκινος

ὀστράκινος, ὀστρακινη, ὀστράκινον (ὄστρακον baked clay), made of clay, earthen: σκεύη ὀστράκινα, 2 Timothy 2:20; with the added suggestion of frailty, 2 Corinthians 4:7. (Jeremiah 19:1, 11; Jeremiah 39:14 (); Isaiah 30:14, etc.; Hippocrates, Anthol. (others).)

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from ὄστρακον (ostrakon), meaning "a piece of pottery" or "earthenware."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • H2789: חֶרֶשׂ (cheres) • meaning "earthenware" or "potsherd," often used in the Old Testament to describe pottery or clay vessels.
• H6083: עָפָר (aphar) • meaning "dust" or "clay," used to denote the material from which humans were created, emphasizing human frailty and mortality.

This entry provides a comprehensive understanding of the term ὀστράκινος, illustrating its theological significance in the New Testament and its connection to the broader biblical narrative of human fragility and divine power.

Usage: The term ὀστράκινος is used metaphorically in the New Testament to describe the human body or vessels as fragile and perishable, emphasizing the contrast between the weakness of human nature and the power of God.

Context: The Greek term ὀστράκινος appears in the New Testament in contexts that highlight the frailty and impermanence of human life. In 2 Corinthians 4:7, the Apostle Paul uses this term to describe "jars of clay" (ὀστράκινα σκεύη) to illustrate the paradox of the Christian life: "But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this surpassingly great power is from God and not from us" (BSB). Here, the "treasure" refers to the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ, which is entrusted to believers despite their human weakness. The imagery of clay jars underscores the idea that, although believers are fragile and mortal, they carry within them the powerful and eternal message of the Gospel. This metaphor serves to remind Christians of their dependence on God's strength and the transformative power of His presence within them.

Forms and Transliterations

οστρακινα οστράκινα ὀστράκινα οστρακινοις οστρακίνοις ὀστρακίνοις οστράκινον οστρακίνου οστρακίνους οστρακίνω όστρακον οστράκου οστράκω ostrakina ostrákina ostrakinois ostrakínois

Englishman's Concordance

2 Corinthians 4:7 Adj-DNP
GRK: τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσιν ἵνα
NAS: this treasure in earthen vessels, so
KJV: treasure in earthen vessels, that
INT: this in earthen vessels that

2 Timothy 2:20 Adj-NNP
GRK: ξύλινα καὶ ὀστράκινα καὶ ἃ
NAS: vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some
KJV: of wood and of earth; and some
INT: wooden and earthen and some

Strong's Greek 3749
2 Occurrences

ὀστράκινα — 1 Occ.
ὀστρακίνοις — 1 Occ.