Brief Overview of πτύον (Strong’s G4425: ptuon)

Strong’s G4425: A neuter noun meaning “winnowing fan” or “winnowing shovel,” used in agricultural contexts for separating grain from chaff. In the New Testament, appears metaphorically in John the Baptist’s description of Christ’s judgment, symbolizing the separation of the righteous from the unrighteous.

U- Unveiling the Word

πτύον represents a common agricultural implement that carried profound metaphorical significance in biblical teaching. The winnowing fan or shovel was used to toss grain into the air, allowing the wind to separate the valuable grain from the worthless chaff. John the Baptist employed this familiar agricultural image to describe Christ’s role in spiritual judgment and purification. Early church fathers frequently used this metaphor when discussing divine judgment and the purification of the church. Today, this word continues to illustrate the reality of Christ’s role in separating true believers from those who merely profess faith.

N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: πτύον, ptuon, /ptoo-on/
• Detailed pronunciation: p-TOO-on (with initial ‘p’ pronounced)
• Part of Speech: Noun (neuter)

Etymology:

• Root: Related to πτύω (ptuo) – “to spit out, reject”
• Possible connection to the action of tossing up grain
• No prefixes or suffixes
• Basic agricultural term

D – Defining Meanings

• Winnowing fan
• Winnowing shovel
• Agricultural implement for grain separation

For compound words: Not a compound word

Translation Options:

• “Winnowing fork” – Traditional translation
• “Winnowing fan” – Alternative focusing on the fanning action
• “Winnowing shovel” – More precise description of the tool’s shape

E – Exploring Similar Words

• λικμάω (likmao) /lik-mah-oh/ – “to winnow” – See G3039
• διακαθαρίζω (diakatharizo) /dee-ak-ath-ar-id-zo/ – “to thoroughly cleanse” – See G1245
• σινιάζω (siniazo) /sin-ee-ad-zo/ – “to sift” – See G4617

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a neuter noun of the second declension, πτύον exhibits:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular and Plural
• Gender: Neuter
• Declension: Second

Examples of morphological changes:

• Nominative: τὸ πτύον (the winnowing fan)
• Genitive: τοῦ πτύου (of the winnowing fan)
• Dative: τῷ πτύῳ (with/by the winnowing fan)
• Accusative: τὸ πτύον (the winnowing fan)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes its agricultural usage and metaphorical significance. Thayer’s details its practical use in grain processing. LSJ documents its use in agricultural contexts throughout Greek literature. Vine’s connects it to judgment imagery. Strong’s emphasizes its role in separation. Moulton and Milligan cite examples from agricultural papyri. LEH discusses its appearance in the Septuagint’s agricultural contexts.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Matthew 3:12 “Whose fan [πτύον] is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Additional References:
Luke 3:17

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

πτύον powerfully illustrates Christ’s role as divine judge. Just as the winnowing fan separates valuable grain from worthless chaff, Christ will separate true believers from those who merely profess faith. This agricultural metaphor proclaims both the reality of judgment and the good news that Christ’s purpose is to gather His people to Himself, preserving what is valuable while removing what is worthless.

D – Did You Know?

1. The πτύον was typically wooden with a broad, shovel-like end for tossing grain.
2. The tool’s design remained largely unchanged from ancient times until mechanical threshers.
3. Early Christian art sometimes depicted Christ holding a πτύον as a symbol of judgment.

Strong’s G4425: A neuter noun meaning “winnowing fan” or “winnowing shovel,” used in agricultural contexts for separating grain from chaff. In the New Testament, appears metaphorically in John the Baptist’s description of Christ’s judgment, symbolizing the separation of the righteous from the unrighteous.

Part of speech: Noun (neuter)

Tags: agriculture, judgment, winnowing, separation, farming tools, John the Baptist, divine judgment, harvest imagery, agricultural metaphors, wheat and chaff, spiritual purification, farming implements