σορός

a bier, an open coffin

Definition

Σορός refers to a bier, which is a movable stand or frame used for carrying a corpse to burial. In ancient practice, this was typically an open coffin or a simple stretcher-like platform, not a sealed casket. The word emphasizes the public, visible nature of the funeral procession. In its sole New Testament occurrence in Luke 7:14, it denotes the bier carrying the widow of Nain's son, which Jesus touches to halt the procession before raising the young man.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Luke 7:14. It appears in the narrative of Jesus raising the widow's son at Nain. The context is a public funeral procession moving from the town to the burial place. The usage highlights a tangible, physical object central to a scene of profound mourning and miraculous intervention.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek verb σαίρω (sairō), meaning 'to sweep' or 'to clean.' The connection likely stems from the idea of a bier as a flat, board-like structure, perhaps akin to a 'sweeping board' or a simple pallet. It is a native Greek word, not a borrowed term.

Semantic Range

Theologically, σορός is significant because it marks the precise point of Jesus's compassionate intervention in Luke 7:14. By touching the bier—an act that rendered Him ceremonially unclean—Jesus demonstrates His authority over death and ritual purity laws. The bier, a symbol of finality and grief, becomes the stage for a display of divine power and compassion, prefiguring His own resurrection. Understanding this object enriches the reading by emphasizing the shocking, tangible nature of the miracle.

In the 1st-century Jewish world, a funeral bier (σορός) was typically an open litter or plank, not a closed coffin. The body was wrapped in cloths and spices but remained visible during the procession to the tomb, which was often a family cave. This public display of the deceased was a vital part of communal mourning. Jesus's act of touching the bier would have been culturally startling, as contact with a corpse or its carrier brought ritual impurity (Numbers 19:11).

κλίνη (klīnē, G2825) — a couch or bed, sometimes used for a sick person or for reclining at meals, but not specifically for carrying the dead. σκεῦος (skeuos, G4632) — a general term for a vessel, implement, or object; far broader and not specific to funerary use.

Word Details

Scripture References