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MILLSTONE
A. Noun.
$
(
"
, 3458) denotes “a handmill,” consisting of two circular stones, one
above the other, the lower being fixed. From the center of the lower a wooden pin passes
through a hole in the upper, into which the grain is thrown, escaping as flour between the
stones and falling on a prepared material below them. The handle is inserted into the
upper stone near the circumference. Small stones could be turned by one woman
(millgrinding was a work deemed fit only for women and slaves; cf. Judg. 16:21); larger
ones were turned by two (cf. Matt. 24:41, under
MILL
), or more.
Still larger ones were turned by an ass (
), Matt. 18:6,
RV
, “a great millstone”
(marg., “a millstone turned by an ass”), indicating the immediate and overwhelming
drowning of one who causes one young believer to stumble; Mark 9:42 (where some mss.
have
$
, “a stone of a mill,” as in Luke 17:2); Rev. 18:22 (some mss. have it
in v. 21, see below).¶
B. Adjectives.
1.
$
(
, 3457), “of a mill,” occurs in Luke 17:2 (see above).¶
2.
$
(3458(v)), “made of millstone,” is used with
, “a stone”; and with the
adjective
, “great,” in the best mss. in Rev. 18:21 (some have the word
$ ;
see
A).¶
MIND (Noun and Verb)
A. Nouns.
1.
$
(
, 3563), “mind,” denotes, speaking generally, the seat of reflective
consciousness, comprising the faculties of perception and understanding, and those of
feeling, judging and determining.
Its use in the NT may be analyzed as follows: it denotes (a) the faculty of knowing,
the seat of the understanding, Luke 24:45; Rom. 1:28; 14:5; 1 Cor. 14:15, 19; Eph. 4:17;
Phil. 4:7; Col. 2:18; 1 Tim. 6:5; 2 Tim. 3:8; Titus 1:15; Rev. 13:18; 17:9; (b) counsels,
purpose, Rom. 11:34 (of the “mind” of God); 12:2; 1 Cor. 1:10; 2:16, twice (1) of the
thoughts and counsels of God, (2) of Christ, a testimony to His Godhood; Eph. 4:23; (c)
the new nature, which belongs to the believer by reason of the new birth, Rom. 7:23, 25,
where it is contrasted with “the flesh,” the principle of evil which dominates fallen man.
Under (b) may come 2 Thess. 2:2, where it stands for the determination to be steadfast
amidst afflictions, through the confident expectation of the day of rest and recompense
mentioned in the first chapter.¶
2.
(
1
, 1271), lit. “a thinking through, or over, a meditation, reflecting,”
signifies (a) like No. 1, “the faculty of knowing, understanding, or moral reflection,” (1)
with an evil significance, a consciousness characterized by a perverted moral impulse,
Eph. 2:3 (plural); 4:18; (2) with a good significance, the faculty renewed by the Holy
Spirit, Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27; Heb. 8:10; 10:16; 1 Pet. 1:13; 1 John 5:20;
(b) “sentiment, disposition” (not as a function but as a product); (1) in an evil sense, Luke
1:51, “imagination”; Col. 1:21; (2) in a good sense, 2 Pet. 3:1.¶