σάρκινος

consisting of flesh

Definition

The adjective σάρκινος (sarkinos) literally means 'consisting of flesh' or 'made of flesh.' It describes something as being materially composed of the physical substance of flesh. In its sole New Testament occurrence in 2 Corinthians 3:3, Paul uses it to contrast the physical, tangible nature of stone tablets with the spiritual reality of the new covenant. While closely related to the more common σαρκικός (sarkikos, G4559), which often carries the ethical sense of 'fleshly' or 'carnal' (governed by sinful human nature), σάρκινος in this context emphasizes the simple, physical composition rather than a moral quality.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in 2 Corinthians 3:3. Paul writes that the Corinthians themselves are a 'letter of Christ,' served by him, 'written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.' Here, 'tablets of stone' are described as σάρκιναι πλάκες (sarkinai plakes)—tablets that are literally made of a physical, flesh-like substance (stone). The usage is contrastive, highlighting the tangible, external medium of the old covenant against the internal, spiritual work of the new covenant in human hearts.

Etymology

Derived directly from the noun σάρξ (sarx, G4561), meaning 'flesh.' The suffix -ινος (-inos) is an adjectival suffix that denotes 'made of' or 'consisting of' a material. Thus, σάρκινος literally means 'fleshly' in the sense of material composition, parallel to how λίθινος (lithinos) means 'made of stone.' Its meaning is more narrowly focused on physical substance than its cognate σαρκικός (sarkikos), which developed a stronger ethical connotation.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant in its single use because it serves a key argument in Paul's contrast between the old and new covenants. By labeling the Mosaic tablets as 'fleshly' (i.e., made of physical stone), he underscores the external, temporary, and tangible nature of that administration. This sets up his powerful point about the new covenant's internal, permanent, and spiritual reality—written by the Spirit on human hearts. Understanding this precise, material sense of σάρκινος enriches the reading of 2 Corinthians 3 by clarifying that Paul is contrasting mediums (physical vs. spiritual), not primarily moral states, at this point in his argument.

In the ancient Greco-Roman and Jewish world, important covenants and laws were often inscribed on durable, public materials like stone to signify their permanence and authority. Paul's audience would have immediately recognized the reference to the stone tablets of the Mosaic law (Exodus 31:18). By calling them 'fleshly,' Paul does not diminish their divine origin but highlights their physical, and by implication, non-lasting medium compared to the spiritual transformation of the human heart under the new covenant.

σαρκικός (sarkikos, G4559) — Often translated 'fleshly' or 'carnal,' but typically with an ethical focus on human nature prone to sin, rather than mere physical composition. σάρξ (sarx, G4561) — The root noun meaning 'flesh,' referring to physical substance, human nature, or (in Paul) the sinful human condition.

Word Details

Scripture References