μύλος

a millstone

Definition

The Greek word μύλος refers to a millstone, a large, heavy stone used for grinding grain into flour. In the New Testament, it specifically denotes the large, heavy upper millstone turned by a donkey (μύλος ὀνικός) in Matthew 18:6 and Luke 17:2, used as a vivid symbol of a severe punishment for causing a believer to sin. In Revelation 18:21-22, the image shifts to a great millstone being thrown into the sea, symbolizing the violent and complete destruction of Babylon, with the accompanying cessation of the sound of the millstone highlighting total desolation.

Biblical Usage

Μύλος is used four times in the New Testament, always in a metaphorical or symbolic context warning of severe judgment. In the Gospels (Matthew 18:6, Luke 17:2), Jesus uses the hyperbolic image of a heavy millstone hung around one's neck and being drowned to warn against causing 'little ones' (believers) to stumble. In Revelation 18:21-22, the word appears twice in a prophetic vision where an angel throws a huge millstone into the sea to depict the final, irrecoverable ruin of the corrupt commercial system of Babylon, emphasizing the permanence of its fall.

Etymology

Derived from the ancient Greek verb μύλλω (myllō), meaning 'to grind' or 'to mill'. It is a primary noun for a grinding apparatus. The related word μυλικός (mylikos) means 'pertaining to a mill'. The term passed into Koine Greek without significant semantic shift, retaining its core meaning of a millstone.

Semantic Range

Μύλος is theologically significant as a powerful metaphor for divine judgment and the serious consequences of sin, especially sin that leads others astray. Jesus' use of the imagery underscores the immense value of every believer and the severe accountability for those who corrupt the faith of others. In Revelation, the symbol transitions from personal consequence to cosmic judgment, illustrating God's ultimate overthrow of oppressive systems. Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by highlighting the weight and finality associated with these warnings.

In the first-century world, millstones were essential, everyday objects for food preparation. There were two primary types: small, hand-turned querns and large, donkey-driven millstones (the 'donkey millstone' referenced in the Gospels). The latter was a heavy, costly piece of equipment. The vividness of Jesus' metaphor would have been immediately understood—drowning with such a weight meant certain, inescapable death. The sound of grinding mills was also a universal sign of daily life and industry, making its silence in Revelation 18:22 a potent symbol of utter cessation and desolation.

μύλη (mylē, G3459) — a mill-house or the grinding itself, sometimes used for the lower millstone.

Word Details

Scripture References