Lexical Summary plax: Tablet, plate Original Word: πλάξ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance table, tabletFrom plasso; a moulding-board, i.e. Flat surface ("plate", or tablet, literally or figuratively) -- table. see GREEK plasso NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition anything flat and broad, hence a flat stone NASB Translation tables (1), tablets (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4109: πλάξπλάξ, πλακος, ἡ ((akin to πλάτος, etc.; Fick 4:161)), a flat thing, broad tablet, plane, level surface (as of the sea) (cf. our plate) (Pindar, Tragg., others; the Sept. for לוּחַ): αἱ πλάκες τῆς διαθήκης (see διαθήκη, 2, p. 136b), Hebrews 9:4; οὐκ ἐν πλαξί λιθίναις (tables of stone, such as those on which the law of Moses was written), ἀλλ' ἐν πλαξί καρδίας σαρκίναις, 2 Corinthians 3:3. Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek 4109 denotes the inscribed tablet or slab that bears a written message regarded as permanent and authoritative. The term gathers around it the history of the Sinai covenant, the function of the ark, and Paul’s contrast between law engraved on stone and grace imprinted on the regenerate heart. Occurrences in the New Testament • Hebrews 9:4 records that the ark held “the stone tablets of the covenant”, preserving Israel’s foundational charter. These three appearances span the spectrum from historical remembrance to present-tense application. Old Testament Background Exodus 24:12; 31:18; and Deuteronomy 10:1-5 recount the divine inscription of the Decalogue on stone. The tablets rested inside the ark beneath the atonement cover, symbolically positioning God’s written will under the blood of sacrifice. Prophets later anticipated a deeper internalization of that will: “I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33). Symbolism of Divine Revelation 1. Permanence – Stone conveys durability; God’s moral standards do not erode. From Stone to Heart: Covenant Transition Paul leverages the imagery to highlight the superiority of the new covenant ministry. The engraving once external to Israel now moves internal through the Spirit. The change is not from law to lawlessness, but from letters that condemn to life-giving presence that empowers obedience (2 Corinthians 3:6-8). Thus the tablets prefigure the Spirit’s work in regeneration and sanctification. Historical and Cultural Context Stone and wooden tablets coated with wax were common writing media in the ancient world. Legal decrees and treaties were preserved in durable material to guarantee witness across generations. Against this backdrop, God’s choice of stone at Sinai underscores the binding nature of His covenant, while Paul’s heart-tablets metaphor would challenge audiences familiar with official inscriptions to see themselves as living documents of divine grace. Intertextual Echoes in Hebrews 9:4 Hebrews, emphasizing Christ’s superior priesthood, catalogues ark contents to connect past types with present realities. The tablets encapsulate covenant law; the manna typifies providence; Aaron’s rod signifies legitimate mediation. Each element finds fulfillment in Christ, who fully obeys the law, is Himself the bread of life, and mediates an eternal covenant. Theological Themes • Revelation: God writes; humanity receives. Ministry Implications 1. Preaching – The preacher sets forth the unchanging demands of God while pointing to the regenerating work that alone enables obedience. Pastoral Reflections The imagery of tablets calls the church to hold together law and grace, permanence and transformation. It confronts any drift toward antinomianism by affirming that the same moral order given at Sinai is now written within. At the same time, it liberates from legalistic striving by rooting obedience in the indwelling Spirit. As believers live under the new covenant, their hearts become living stones inscribed with the glory of God, witnessing to the world that the Word remains unbroken and effective. Forms and Transliterations πλάκας πλακες πλάκες πλακός πλακών πλαξί πλαξιν πλαξὶν plakes plákes plaxin plaxìnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Corinthians 3:3 N-DFPGRK: οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶν λιθίναις ἀλλ' NAS: God, not on tablets of stone KJV: not in tables of stone, but INT: not on tablets of stone but 2 Corinthians 3:3 N-DFP Hebrews 9:4 N-NFP Strong's Greek 4109 |
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