### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word G5184 (Τύρος, Týros) is a proper noun, directly transliterated from the Hebrew `{{H6865}}` (צֹר, Tsor). The Hebrew root `{{H6865}}` means "rock" or "fortress," a highly descriptive designation for the ancient Phoenician city-state of Tyre. This city was renowned for its natural fortifications, originally built on an island and later connected to the mainland by Alexander the Great. While G5184 itself simply denotes the geographical location, its semantic range is enriched by the city's historical and prophetic significance. It carries connotations of immense wealth, maritime power, international trade, human pride, and, frequently, a recipient of divine judgment.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The city of Tyre is extensively mentioned throughout the Old Testament under its Hebrew name `{{H6865}}`, providing crucial background for its New Testament appearances under G5184. In the Old Testament, Tyre initially enjoyed a period of alliance with Israel, notably with King David and King Solomon, providing skilled craftsmen and materials for the construction of the Temple ([[2 Samuel 5:11]], [[1 Kings 5:1-12]]). However, its later history is marked by prophetic denunciations from prophets such as Isaiah ([[Isaiah 23:1-18]]), Jeremiah ([[Jeremiah 25:22]], [[Jeremiah 47:4]]), Ezekiel ([[Ezekiel 26:1-28:19]]), Joel ([[Joel 3:4-8]]), Amos ([[Amos 1:9-10]]), and Zechariah ([[Zechariah 9:2-4]]). These prophecies frequently condemn Tyre for its pride, its oppressive trade practices (including slave trading), its idolatry, and its eventual destruction.
In the New Testament, G5184 (Τύρος) appears in several key contexts:
* **Jesus' Denunciations:** In [[Matthew 11:21-22]] and [[Luke 10:13-14]], Jesus contrasts the unrepentant cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida with Tyre and Sidon, stating that if these Gentile cities had witnessed His miracles, they would have repented. This highlights Tyre's reputation for wickedness, yet surprisingly suggests a capacity for repentance if exposed to divine truth.
* **Jesus' Ministry to Gentiles:** Jesus travels to the region of Tyre and Sidon in [[Matthew 15:21]] and [[Mark 7:24]], where He encounters the Syrophoenician woman ([[Mark 7:26]]). This demonstrates Jesus' ministry extending beyond the traditional Jewish territories, bringing the light of the Gospel to Gentile lands.
* **Early Church History:** [[Acts 12:20]] describes Herod Agrippa I's conflict with Tyre and Sidon, illustrating the ongoing political and economic dynamics of the region. Most significantly, [[Acts 21:3-7]] records the apostle Paul landing at Tyre on his journey to Jerusalem and staying with a community of disciples there for seven days. This demonstrates the successful establishment of the Christian faith in Tyre, fulfilling, in part, the potential for repentance Jesus had alluded to, and showcasing the Gospel's penetration into traditionally Gentile areas.
### Related Words & Concepts
The study of G5184 is enriched by understanding its connections to several related words and concepts:
* **Sidon (`{{G4605}}`):** Tyre's sister city and frequent companion in biblical texts, often sharing similar prophetic destinies and characteristics (e.g., [[Matthew 11:21]], [[Acts 12:20]]).
* **Phoenicia (`{{G5403}}`):** The broader geographical and cultural region to which Tyre belonged, known for its maritime prowess and distinctive civilization.
* **Trade and Wealth:** Tyre was preeminently a mercantile hub, and its immense wealth often serves as a biblical symbol of worldly prosperity and its inherent dangers of pride and corruption ([[Ezekiel 27:1-36]]).
* **Pride and Arrogance:** A central theme in the Old Testament prophecies against Tyre, particularly in [[Ezekiel 28:1-19]], where the "King of Tyre" is depicted as embodying a profound, almost satanic, arrogance against God.
* **Gentile Nations:** Tyre represents the broader Gentile world, often presented in opposition to Israel, but ultimately becoming a recipient of God's judgment and, through the Gospel, His redemptive grace.
* **Repentance and Salvation:** Jesus' words in [[Matthew 11]] and the presence of a Christian community in [[Acts 21]] highlight the surprising capacity for even hardened Gentile cities like Tyre to respond to God's call to repentance and embrace the salvation offered in Christ.
### Theological Significance
The biblical narrative concerning Tyre offers profound theological insights:
* **Divine Sovereignty over Nations:** The extensive and precise prophecies against Tyre in the Old Testament (e.g., Ezekiel 26-28) serve as a powerful testament to God's absolute sovereignty over all nations. The rise and fall of even the most formidable human powers, like Tyre, are ultimately under His control, demonstrating His foreknowledge and omnipotence.
* **The Perils of Worldly Power and Pride:** Tyre stands as a potent biblical archetype of human pride, self-sufficiency, and the deceptive allure of worldly wealth. Its prophesied and historical downfall illustrates the futility of trusting in material possessions or military might rather than in God. The "King of Tyre" in [[Ezekiel 28]] is often interpreted as a typological figure, highlighting the spiritual roots of such pride and its ultimate origin in the adversary.
* **The Universal Scope of God's Grace:** Despite its history of opposition and condemnation, Tyre becomes a place where Jesus ministers and where a vibrant Christian community is established in the early church. This demonstrates the expansive nature of the Gospel and God's desire for all peoples, regardless of their past enmity or cultural background, to come to repentance and faith. The faith of the Syrophoenician woman in the region of Tyre further underscores this extension of grace to the Gentiles.
* **Fulfillment of Prophecy:** The trajectory of Tyre, from being a primary subject of judgment in the Old Testament to a location of Christian presence in the New Testament, illustrates the complex and multi-faceted outworking of God's prophetic word. It encompasses both the certainty of divine judgment against sin and the boundless offer of salvation through Christ.
### Summary
G5184 (Τύρος), or Tyre, is a proper noun denoting the ancient Phoenician city, whose name derives from the Hebrew `{{H6865}}` ("rock" or "fortress"). Historically, Tyre was a formidable maritime power, frequently condemned in Old Testament prophecy for its pride, wealth, and unrighteousness, serving as a powerful symbol of human arrogance and divine judgment. The detailed prophecies against it underscore God's absolute sovereignty over nations. In the New Testament, Tyre appears in the context of Jesus' ministry, where He alludes to its potential for repentance and where He extends His ministry to Gentiles. Crucially, it later becomes a location where the apostle Paul finds a community of disciples, demonstrating the universal reach of the Gospel and God's redemptive grace extending even to historically condemned Gentile cities. Thus, Tyre encapsulates profound biblical themes of divine judgment, the dangers of worldly pride, and the expansive nature of God's redemptive plan for all humanity.
TRV