Lexical Summary pinax: Platter, Dish, Tablet Original Word: πίναξ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance charger, platter. Apparently a form of plax; a plate -- charger, platter. see GREEK plax NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition a board, dish NASB Translation platter (5). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4094: πίναξπίναξ, πίνακος, ὁ (common thought to be from ΠΙΝΟΣ a pine, and so properly, 'a pine-board'; according to the conjecture of Buttmann, Ausf. Spr. i. 74 n., from πναξ for πλάξ (i. e. anything broad and flat (cf. English plank)) with ἰ inserted, as in πινυτός for πνυτος (according to Fick i. 146 from Sanskritpinaka, a stick, staff)), from Homer down; 1. a board, a tablet. 2. a dish, plate, platter: Matthew 14:8, 11; Mark 6:25,(27 Lachmann brackets),28; Luke 11:39; Homer, Odyssey 1, 141; 16, 49; others. The term translated “platter” or “dish” appears five times in the Greek New Testament. In every instance it designates a large, flat serving implement that belonged at banquets and formal meals. Two distinct narrative settings showcase the word: the royal banquet of Herod Antipas that culminated in the execution of John the Baptist (Matthew 14:8, Matthew 14:11, Mark 6:25, Mark 6:28) and Jesus’ table-side rebuke of Pharisaic hypocrisy (Luke 11:39). Though the object itself is mundane, Scripture employs it to expose moral and spiritual realities—both the cost of prophetic faithfulness and the danger of merely external religion. First-Century Banqueting Context Greco-Roman banquets commonly featured a central table (triclinium) encircled by couches. Food was served on broad, often decorated platters that allowed multiple diners to dip bread or take meat. Wealthier hosts used silver, bronze, or glazed ceramic. Such vessels symbolized status; the abundance displayed on them testified to the host’s power and generosity. In Herod’s palace they became instruments of violent intrigue, and in a Pharisee’s home they illustrated spiritual blindness. The Beheading of John the Baptist (Matthew 14 and Mark 6) • Setting: Herod’s birthday feast, attended by nobles, commanders, and Galilean elites. The platter, normally associated with celebration, is turned into a grotesque trophy of vengeance. It signals: 1. The collision of prophetic truth and political power—John had condemned Herod’s unlawful marriage. Early Christian teachers viewed the platter as emblematic of worldly feasts that end in death, contrasting it with the Lord’s Table that offers life (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Jesus’ Rebuke of Religious Hypocrisy (Luke 11:39) “But the Lord said to him, ‘Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.’” Here the dish stands as a metaphor for a person’s life. Meticulous ritual washings could not cover internal corruption. Jesus presses for integrity: the heart must match the outward profession. The image confronts every generation with the possibility of appearing devout while harboring sin. Theological Themes 1. True Purity: God evaluates the interior (“man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart,” 1 Samuel 16:7). Historical Reception Early church art sometimes depicted John’s head on a platter, interpreting him as the last Old Testament prophet and first New Testament martyr. Church fathers urged rulers to heed prophetic voices lest their tables be stained with injustice. Medieval homilies linked Luke 11:39 to Lenten self-examination, urging believers to cleanse the dish within through repentance. Ministry Implications • Leaders must guard against rash promises and the desire to impress. Summary A simple platter becomes, in Scripture, a mirror reflecting the human heart. In Herod’s hall it exposes murderous ambition; in a Pharisee’s home it unveils hidden sin. The same item, when surrendered to the Lord, can serve noble purposes (2 Timothy 2:20-21). Thus the believer is summoned to lay both table and heart before Christ, that every act of hospitality, leadership, and worship might proclaim His righteousness. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 14:8 N-DFSGRK: ὧδε ἐπὶ πίνακι τὴν κεφαλὴν NAS: me here on a platter the head KJV: head in a charger. INT: here upon a dish the head Matthew 14:11 N-DFS Mark 6:25 N-DFS Mark 6:28 N-DFS Luke 11:39 N-GMS Strong's Greek 4094 |
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