Lexical Summary aulétés: Flute player, piper Original Word: αὐλητής Strong's Exhaustive Concordance flute playerFrom auleo; a flute-player -- minstrel, piper. see GREEK auleo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom auleó Definition a flute player NASB Translation flute-players (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 834: αὐλητήςαὐλητής, ἀυλητου, ὁ (αὐλέω), a flute-player: Matthew 9:23; Revelation 18:22. (In Greek writings from (Theognis and) Herodotus 6, 60 down.) Topical Lexicon Overview Strong’s Greek 834 designates the flute-player or piper, an individual who produced music on a reed or bone flute. Though the term appears only twice in the Greek New Testament, it opens a window into biblical perspectives on music, mourning, celebration, and judgment. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Matthew 9:23 records professional pipers already on site when Jesus arrived at the home of the synagogue leader whose daughter had just died. Their presence underscores the speed with which first-century Jewish families secured musicians for funeral lamentation and highlights the dramatic reversal when Christ turned mourning into joy. Historical and Cultural Background • In the Greco-Roman world flutes accompanied banquets, weddings, and public ceremonies, but in Jewish practice they were most commonly associated with funerals (Jeremiah 48:36). By the first century mourners hired at least two pipers and one wailing woman, a custom reflected in Matthew 9:23. Theological Significance in the Gospels The mourning flutes in Matthew 9 create a backdrop against which Jesus’ authority over death shines. By dismissing the pipers—“Go away; the girl is not dead but asleep” (Matthew 9:24)—He exposes the inadequacy of human rites when confronted with resurrection power. The scene also anticipates the promise that Christ will “swallow up death forever” (Isaiah 25:8). Prophetic Messaging in Revelation John’s vision strips Babylon of all music, trading lively flutes for eerie silence. The piper’s silencing illustrates: Old Testament Parallels and Foreshadowing • 1 Samuel 10:5 depicts a prophetic procession with music, showing that instruments can serve sacred purposes. Practical Ministry Insights • Music in worship and pastoral care: Scripture affirms the value of music for both lament and praise (Psalm 150). While believers rightly employ instruments to glorify God, they must also remember that true comfort and celebration flow from Christ’s victory, not mere ritual. Summary Strong’s 834, though rare, weaves together threads of comfort, confrontation, and consummation. The piper’s tune fades before the voice of the Lord who turns funerals into resurrections and exposes worldly melody as hollow without holiness. The entry challenges readers to value music as a gift, wield it for godly purposes, and await the day when every instrument will resound in perfect harmony before the throne of God. Forms and Transliterations αυλητας αυλητάς αὐλητὰς αυλητων αυλητών αὐλητῶν auletas auletàs aulētas aulētàs auleton auletôn aulētōn aulētō̂nLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 9:23 N-AMPGRK: ἰδὼν τοὺς αὐλητὰς καὶ τὸν NAS: and saw the flute-players and the crowd KJV: and saw the minstrels and the people INT: having seen the flute-players and the Revelation 18:22 N-GMP Strong's Greek 834 |
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