πρασιά
a company formed into divisions
Definition
The Greek word πρασιά (prasia) literally means a 'garden plot' or 'garden bed,' referring to a rectangular area of cultivated ground. In its single New Testament occurrence, it is used metaphorically to describe the orderly arrangement of a large crowd. In Mark 6:40, the people sat down 'in groups, by hundreds and by fifties,' structured like orderly plots in a garden. This metaphorical use emphasizes visual organization and division into manageable units rather than a chaotic mass.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Mark 6:40. It describes the arrangement of the five thousand people whom Jesus fed miraculously. The context is one of Jesus taking command of a large, potentially disorderly situation and organizing the crowd into neat, symmetrical divisions to facilitate the distribution of food. The usage is purely descriptive of physical arrangement within a narrative.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek word πράσον (prason), meaning 'leek.' The connection is through the idea of a garden bed where such vegetables are planted in orderly rows. The term πρασιά thus carries the inherent concept of a defined, rectangular plot of cultivated land, which informed its metaphorical application.
Semantic Range
The metaphor draws directly from ancient agricultural life, where fields and gardens were laid out in neat, rectangular plots for efficient cultivation and irrigation. For the original readers, the image of a πρασιά would immediately convey a sense of purposeful order, design, and preparation. This contrasts with a modern reader who might not have the same visceral connection to small-plot farming. The cultural context enriches the scene, highlighting Jesus's authority in creating order from potential chaos, much like a gardener imposes design on the land.
τάξις (taxis, G5010) — emphasizes order, arrangement, or rank in a more general or military sense. σχῆμα (schēma, G4976) — focuses on outward form, figure, or fashion, not necessarily implying internal organization.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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