κλισία

a dining couch, group of diners

Definition

Κλισία refers to a dining couch or reclining seat used in ancient Greco-Roman meals. In its primary sense, it denotes the physical couch itself, where individuals would recline to eat. By extension, it can signify a group of people arranged on such couches, essentially a dining company or party. In the New Testament, its sole occurrence in Luke 9:14 uses it in this extended sense to describe the organized groups of people Jesus instructed to sit down before the feeding of the five thousand.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Luke 9:14. Here, Jesus tells his disciples to have the crowd sit down 'in groups' (ἐπὶ κλισίας). The context is the miraculous feeding, and the term emphasizes the orderly arrangement of the large crowd into manageable dining companies, reflecting the customary practice of reclining for a meal.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek verb κλίνω (klinō, G2827), meaning 'to lean, recline, or incline.' Κλισία is a noun form that specifically denotes the object or place for reclining. It is related to other words for couch or bed, such as κλίνη (klinē, G2825), though κλισία often carries a more specific connotation related to dining.

Semantic Range

While not a theologically dense term, its use in Luke 9:14 connects to themes of divine provision and order. Jesus' instruction to arrange the crowd into κλισίαι (dining groups) transforms a chaotic multitude into an orderly community about to receive a miraculous meal. It subtly reflects the messianic banquet imagery and Jesus' role as host who provides abundantly and systematically for his people.

In the 1st-century Mediterranean world, formal meals were eaten while reclining on couches arranged around a table. A κλισία was this individual couch. Dining in such groups (also called κλισίαι) was a standard social practice. This is different from modern sitting at a table, so Luke's original readers would immediately picture the crowd organized into traditional banquet-style groupings, highlighting the meal as a significant, celebratory event.

κλίνη (klinē, G2825) — A more general term for a couch, bed, or mat, often used for sleeping or sickness. τράπεζα (trapeza, G5132) — Refers to the table itself, not the reclining couch. ἀνάκειμαι (anakeimai, G345) — A verb meaning 'to recline at table,' describing the action done on a κλισία.

Word Details

Scripture References