Σινᾶ
Sinai
Definition
Σινᾶ (Sinai) refers to the mountain in the Arabian wilderness where God gave the Mosaic Law to Israel. In the New Testament, it consistently symbolizes the location of the old covenant, representing the law given to Moses (Acts 7:30, 38). In Galatians 4:24-25, Paul uses 'Sinai' metaphorically to represent the covenant of law that brings bondage, contrasting it with the Jerusalem above, which represents the covenant of grace and freedom in Christ.
Biblical Usage
The word is used four times in the New Testament, exclusively in the writings of Luke (Acts) and Paul (Galatians). In Acts 7:30 and 7:38, Stephen recounts the historical event of Moses receiving the law at Mount Sinai. In Galatians 4:24-25, Paul employs 'Sinai' in a theological allegory, using the mountain's name to personify the old covenant of law that stands in opposition to the promise of grace.
Etymology
The Greek word Σινᾶ (Sina) is a direct transliteration of the Hebrew צִינַי (Ṣînay). It is a proper noun for the specific mountain range in the Sinai Peninsula. The name's ultimate origin is uncertain but is firmly established in biblical tradition as the site of the theophany and law-giving in Exodus.
Semantic Range
Sinai is theologically crucial as the symbolic location of the Mosaic Law. In Galatians, Paul contrasts the covenant associated with Sinai (law, slavery) with the new covenant of promise and freedom in Christ. Understanding this contrast is key to Paul's argument against legalism and for justification by faith. The Greek term anchors this powerful theological metaphor in a concrete, historical place.
For first-century Jews and Christians, Mount Sinai was not just a geographical location but the foundational site of Israel's identity as God's covenant people under the Law. It was the place of divine revelation and the establishment of the Torah. Paul's allegorical use in Galatians would have been a striking and provocative reinterpretation of this central symbol for his audience.
νόμος (nomos, G3551) — The 'law' given at Sinai, focusing on the commandments themselves. ὄρος (oros, G3735) — A general term for 'mountain'; Sinai is a specific, named mountain.
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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