### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word μύλος (mýlos, `{{G3458}}`) primarily denotes a "mill" or, more specifically, a "millstone." Its base definition suggests a potential etymological connection to μόλις (mólis), meaning "with difficulty" or "scarcely," which subtly evokes the laborious and arduous nature of the grinding process. The term refers to the heavy, circular stone used in a mill to crush grain into flour. While it can refer to the entire grinding apparatus, its most prominent usage in the New Testament emphasizes the *stone* itself, particularly its weight and crushing power. The semantic range is thus narrow, focusing on this specific implement and its inherent properties of grinding, crushing, and sinking due to its mass.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term μύλος appears in several key New Testament passages, consistently conveying a sense of severe judgment and irreversible consequence.
* **[[Matthew 18:6]], [[Mark 9:42]], [[Luke 17:2]]:** These parallel synoptic passages contain Jesus' stark warning against causing "one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble." The punishment described is to have "a large millstone" (specifically, μύλος ὀνικὸς, a "donkey millstone," indicating a stone so massive it required an animal to turn it) hung around one's neck and be drowned in the depth of the sea.
* **Context:** This imagery conveys the utter finality and severity of the judgment for spiritual harm. Drowning with such a heavy stone ensures no recovery, symbolizing a complete and inescapable destruction. It underscores the profound value God places on the vulnerable in faith and the immense accountability of those who might corrupt or lead them astray. The "donkey millstone" emphasizes the extreme weight of the consequence, far beyond a simple hand-mill.
* **[[Revelation 18:21]]:** In this apocalyptic vision, a mighty angel takes up "a stone like a great millstone" and throws it into the sea, proclaiming, "So will Babylon be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer."
* **Context:** Here, μύλος serves as a powerful symbol of swift, complete, and irreversible judgment against "Babylon the Great," representing the oppressive worldly system. Just as a heavy millstone sinks without a trace, so too will this corrupt power be utterly annihilated and disappear forever. This reinforces the finality and totality of God's righteous judgment against evil.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **`{{G3459}}` (μυλικός / mylikos):** An adjective meaning "pertaining to a mill."
* **`{{G3460}}` (μυλών / mylōn):** A noun referring to a "mill-house" or the place where grinding is done.
* **`{{H7347}}` (רֵחַיִם / rehayim):** The common Hebrew word for "millstones," often used in the dual form (referring to the upper and lower stones). The Old Testament emphasizes the vital role of millstones in daily life, considering them essential for survival (e.g., [[Deuteronomy 24:6]] prohibits taking them as security for a loan). The New Testament's use of μύλος for destruction thus subverts its life-sustaining function.
* **Stumbling Block (σκάνδαλον / skandalon `{{G4625}}`):** The millstone is the consequence for those who cause others to stumble, highlighting the severe nature of spiritual offense.
* **Judgment and Destruction:** The consistent biblical use of μύλος is intrinsically linked to divine judgment, irreversible destruction, and the crushing power of God's wrath.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of μύλος is profound, primarily serving as a potent symbol of divine judgment and the irreversible consequences of sin, particularly those that harm the vulnerable.
1. **Severity of Judgment for Spiritual Harm:** The image of the millstone around the neck, cast into the sea, is one of the most vivid and terrifying warnings from Jesus. It underscores the immense value God places on "these little ones" (believers, especially the vulnerable or new converts) and the extreme gravity of causing them to stumble spiritually. This is not merely a metaphor for a difficult consequence but for a fate so utterly destructive and inescapable that it is preferable to physical death. It reveals God's fierce protection of His flock and the severe accountability of those who might exploit or corrupt them.
2. **Irreversible Divine Retribution:** In Revelation, the millstone symbolizes the absolute and final nature of God's judgment against oppressive worldly systems. The act of throwing the stone into the sea signifies a complete and permanent removal, with no possibility of recovery or return. This imagery offers both a dire warning to the unrighteous and a powerful reassurance to those suffering under oppressive powers that God's justice will ultimately prevail and be complete.
3. **Symbol of Crushing Power:** The inherent function of a millstone is to crush and grind. This physical property is leveraged metaphorically to convey the overwhelming and destructive power of divine wrath. There is no escape or recovery once the judgment symbolized by the millstone is enacted; it signifies a total undoing.
### Summary
The Greek term μύλος (mýlos, `{{G3458}}`) refers to a "millstone," an implement whose primary function is to grind and crush. In the New Testament, it transcends its literal meaning to become a powerful and chilling symbol of severe, irreversible divine judgment. Jesus employs the image of a "large millstone" around the neck, leading to drowning, to underscore the terrifying consequences for those who cause "little ones" to stumble spiritually ([[Matthew 18:6]], [[Mark 9:42]], [[Luke 17:2]]). This highlights God's profound care for His vulnerable followers and the immense accountability of those who might harm them. Similarly, in [[Revelation 18:21]], a great millstone cast into the sea symbolizes the swift, violent, and utterly final destruction of "Babylon the Great." The theological significance of μύλος thus centers on the unyielding nature of God's justice, the sanctity of His people, and the absolute finality of His righteous judgment against sin and rebellion.
TRV