from πρός and κυλιόω; to roll towards, i.e. block against:--roll (to).
Transliteration:proskylíō
Pronunciation:pros-koo-lee'-o
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek verb προσκυλίω (proskylíō, `{{G4351}}`) is a compound word formed from the preposition πρός (pros), meaning "towards" or "against," and the verb κυλιόω (kylioō), meaning "to roll" or "to cause to roll." Therefore, its core meaning is "to roll towards" or "to roll against." The action implied is one of moving a heavy object, typically a stone, into a position where it blocks or seals an opening. The nuance of πρός suggests not merely rolling, but rolling *into contact with* or *up against* something, thereby establishing a barrier or closure.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The verb προσκυλίω occurs only once in the New Testament, in the Gospel of Mark:
* **[[Mark 15:46]]**: "And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and **rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre**."
In this singular instance, the word describes the action of Joseph of Arimathea in sealing the tomb of Jesus. After placing Jesus' body in the rock-hewn sepulchre, Joseph προσκυλίω a large stone to the entrance. This act served to close and secure the tomb, a common practice for such burial sites. The use of προσκυλίω emphasizes the effort involved in moving a substantial stone and its ultimate function as a barrier. The subsequent narrative in [[Mark 16:3]] where the women wonder who will "roll away" (ἀποκυλίω, `{{G617}}`) the stone underscores its significant size and weight, highlighting the finality of the burial and the human inability to reverse it without divine intervention.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several words and concepts are closely related to προσκυλίω:
* **κυλίω (kylíō) / κυλίνδω (kylíndō)**: These are the base verbs for "to roll." προσκυλίω builds upon this fundamental action by adding the directional and relational component of πρός.
* **ἀποκυλίω (apokylíō, `{{G617}}`)**: This verb, meaning "to roll away," stands in direct opposition to προσκυλίω. It is used to describe the removal of the stone from Jesus' tomb in [[Matthew 28:2]], [[Mark 16:3]], and [[Luke 24:2]]. The contrast between προσκυλίω (rolling to block) and ἀποκυλίω (rolling away to open) is central to the resurrection narrative.
* **λίθος (lithos, `{{G3037}}`)**: The "stone" itself, which is the object of the rolling action. In the context of Jewish burial practices, these stones were often large, circular discs rolled in a groove, or massive rectangular blocks.
* **μνημεῖον (mnēmeion, `{{G3419}}`)**: The "tomb" or "sepulchre," the place being sealed.
* **Sealing and Guarding**: The act of προσκυλίω the stone is part of the larger concept of securing the tomb, which also included sealing it with a Roman seal and placing guards, as mentioned in [[Matthew 27:66]].
### Theological Significance
Though προσκυλίω appears only once, its theological significance is profound due to its critical placement in the Passion narrative.
1. **Finality of Death and Burial**: The act of rolling the stone προσκυλίω to the tomb entrance signifies the human understanding of death's finality. It represents the complete and irreversible closure of Jesus' earthly life. For those who laid Him in the tomb, this was the definitive end.
2. **Physical Reality of the Incarnation and Death**: The physical effort required to προσκυλίω such a stone, and the subsequent immovability of it, underscores the tangible reality of Jesus' human death and burial. It counters any notion that His death was merely an illusion, affirming the full humanity of Christ.
3. **Setting the Stage for Resurrection**: Paradoxically, this act of sealing is essential for the dramatic revelation of the resurrection. The stone, rolled προσκυλίω to block the entrance, becomes the very obstacle whose removal (ἀποκυλίω) demonstrates divine power and the triumph of life over death. The greater the perceived impossibility of moving the stone, the greater the miraculous nature of its removal.
4. **Human Action vs. Divine Power**: Joseph's act of προσκυλίω is a human action, a final gesture of reverence and sorrow. The subsequent rolling away of the stone is a divine act, signifying God's sovereign power over death and the grave. The human sealing is overcome by divine unsealing.
### Summary
The Greek verb προσκυλίω (proskylíō, `{{G4351}}`) precisely describes the action of rolling something, specifically a heavy stone, *towards* or *against* an opening to block or seal it. Its singular occurrence in [[Mark 15:46]] is pivotal, depicting Joseph of Arimathea sealing Jesus' tomb. This seemingly simple action carries immense theological weight, representing the human finality of death and burial, affirming the physical reality of Christ's death, and crucially, setting the stage for the miraculous and divinely orchestrated rolling away of the stone that testifies to the resurrection. Thus, προσκυλίω is a word that, despite its rarity, encapsulates a moment of profound significance in the biblical narrative.
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