Biblica Analytica

πτύον

ptuon (G4425)

winnowing fork

2 verses 2 books OT 0 / NT 2
AI Word Study

The Greek word πτύον (ptuon) is a term that refers to a winnowing fork. A winnowing fork is a farm tool used to separate grains from chaff, the dried, scaly outer covering of grains. This tool involves tossing or throwing grain into the air, allowing the wind to blow away the light chaff, leaving the heavier grain intact. Given its definition and semantic domain, πτύον is likely associated with agricultural practices and land management in ancient Greek culture. The limited biblical occurrences of πτύον suggest its use is not central to Christian doctrine or practice, but rather a specific detail describing farming customs. Nonetheless, the image conjured by this tool, of tossing grain into the air to separate the valuable from the worthless, may resonate with biblical themes of discernment, judgment, and separation. In light of its association with agricultural and land-based activities, the term πτύον might be seen as linking the natural world with the process of spiritual sorting, implying that separating the essential from the trivial is an activity common to both everyday life and spiritual practice.

AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.

Matthew 3:12

His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”

Luke 3:17

whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”