Lexical Summary soros: Heap, Pile Original Word: σωρός Strong's Exhaustive Concordance a coffin, bierProbably akin to the base of soreuo; a funereal receptacle (urn, coffin), i.e. (by analogy) a bier -- bier. see GREEK soreuo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition a cinerary urn, by anal. a coffin NASB Translation coffin (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4673: σορόςσορός, σοροῦ, ἡ, an urn or receptacle for keeping the bones of the dead (Homer, Iliad 23, 91); a coffin (Genesis 50:26; Herodotus 1, 68; 2, 78; Aristophanes, Aeschines, Plutarch, others); the funeral-couch or bier on which the Jews carried their dead forth to burial (see B. D. American edition under the word Topical Lexicon Translational Range Strong’s Greek 4673 (σορός) is rendered in English as “coffin” or “bier,” denoting the wooden frame or box used for carrying the dead to burial. In the New Testament the term appears only once (Luke 7:14), though it is used several times in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew for Joseph’s coffin (Genesis 50:26) and other funeral contexts. Historical Background First-century Jewish burials took place on the same day as death (Deuteronomy 21:23; John 19:31). The body was washed, anointed, wrapped, and laid on an open bier or within a simple wooden coffin. Professional mourners accompanied the procession, joined by friends and townspeople. Touching either corpse or carrier rendered a person ceremonially unclean for seven days (Numbers 19:11-16), a reality that frames the drama of Luke 7:14. Biblical Context Luke 7:11-17 sets the scene at the town gate of Nain: “Then He went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. ‘Young man,’ He said, ‘I tell you, get up!’ And the dead boy sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.” (Luke 7:14-15) The word σορός underscores the public, communal nature of the event; unlike a sealed sarcophagus, the bier left the corpse visible to all. By halting the procession and laying His hand on the bier, Jesus confronted impurity and death directly, reversing both with a single command. Old Testament Parallels • Elijah raises the widow’s son at Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-24). These narratives foreshadow Christ’s greater authority, while the Greek σορός in Genesis 50:26 (“Joseph died… and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt”) links Israel’s hope for future deliverance with the ultimate victory over death displayed at Nain. Theological Observations 1. Dominion over death: By speaking life from atop the bier, Jesus previews His own resurrection and the general resurrection promised in John 5:28-29 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16. Pastoral Applications • Funeral ministry: Luke 7 encourages pastors to proclaim the coming resurrection even amid grief, assuring believers that Christ still “touches the coffin.” Typological Reflections Joseph’s coffin in Egypt symbolized Israel’s sojourn and expectation of exodus; likewise every modern casket points beyond itself to the exodus of resurrection life fulfilled in Christ (Colossians 1:18). Related Scriptures Genesis 50:26; Numbers 19:11-16; 1 Kings 17:17-24; 2 Kings 4:18-37; 2 Kings 13:20-21; Luke 7:11-17; John 5:28-29; John 19:31; 1 Corinthians 15:54-55; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 2:14-15; James 1:27. Patristic and Jewish Perspectives Early Christian writers saw in Luke 7 a sign of the universal resurrection: Cyril of Alexandria called the bier “the throne of death overturned.” Rabbinic literature, conversely, emphasized the contaminating power of corpses; the contrast highlights the uniqueness of Jesus’ act. Summary Strong’s 4673 casts the humble coffin as a stage upon which the Lord publicly nullifies death, comfortingly reuniting a widow with her son and prophetically announcing the day when every σορός will be emptied by His sovereign word. Forms and Transliterations σορου σορού σοροῦ σορώ sorou soroûLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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