ταμεῖον

a secret chamber

Definition

The Greek word ταμεῖον (tameion) primarily refers to a private, inner room or storage chamber within a house. In its most common biblical sense, it denotes a secluded, personal space, such as a storeroom, closet, or inner chamber, used for privacy or safekeeping. In Matthew 6:6, Jesus uses it metaphorically for a private room where one prays in secret, contrasting with public displays of piety. Elsewhere, it retains its literal sense of a storage area for goods, as seen in Luke 12:24, where God provides for sparrows without them having such storehouses. In prophetic warnings (Matthew 24:26, Luke 12:3), it can imply a hidden, secluded place, emphasizing that Christ's return will not be in secret corners but openly.

Biblical Usage

Ταμεῖον is used four times in the New Testament, exclusively in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. It appears in two distinct contexts: first, in teachings on piety and prayer (Matthew 6:6), where it symbolizes a private, hidden place for communion with God. Second, it is used in teachings about provision and eschatology, referring literally to a storage chamber (Luke 12:24) or metaphorically to a hidden location in prophetic warnings (Matthew 24:26, Luke 12:3). The usage patterns highlight contrasts between the hidden and the revealed, the private and the public.

Etymology

Ταμεῖον derives from the Greek root related to cutting or dividing (τέμνω, temnō), suggesting a sectioned-off or partitioned space. It is a noun form meaning 'a storehouse' or 'inner chamber,' historically used for private rooms, storage areas, or treasuries. The term reflects the ancient domestic architecture where such rooms were common for securing valuables or ensuring privacy.

Semantic Range

This word holds theological significance in teachings on prayer and divine providence. In Matthew 6:6, it enriches the concept of sincere, private prayer versus hypocritical public display, emphasizing God's attention to the heart. In Luke 12:24, it contrasts human reliance on stored resources with God's faithful provision, underscoring trust in Him. Understanding ταμεῖον deepens appreciation for Jesus' imagery of hiddenness and revelation in spiritual life and eschatology.

In first-century Jewish and Greco-Roman culture, a ταμεῖον was typically a small, windowless inner room in a home, used for storing grain, valuables, or as a private retreat. Unlike modern closets, these chambers were essential for security and privacy in compact living spaces. This context clarifies Jesus' instructions in Matthew 6:6, where retreating to such a room symbolized complete seclusion from public view.

ἀποθήκη (apothēkē, G596) — a larger barn or granary for storing harvests; ταμιεῖον (tamieion, G5009 variant) — an alternate spelling with the same meaning; κρυπτός (kryptos, G2927) — meaning 'hidden' or 'secret,' often used adjectivally rather than for a physical space.

Word Details

Scripture References