αὐλητής (aulētēs)
aulētēs
flute player
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun aulētēs refers specifically to a flute player or wind instrument musician. In the New Testament, this term appears only twice, yet it carries significant cultural weight in both instances. It describes a professional musician whose role was central to social and religious gatherings in the ancient world.
In Matthew 9:23, Jesus arrives at a house where an aulētēs is already playing alongside mourners. This detail highlights the formal nature of the funeral rites, where music accompanied the lamentation for the dead. The presence of such a musician indicates a structured, public expression of grief that Jesus interrupts with his command for silence.
The second occurrence in Revelation 18:22 places the word in a context of judgment. Here, the voice of an aulētēs will never be heard again in Babylon, symbolizing the complete cessation of festive life and cultural celebration. The absence of this musician marks the end of an era of prosperity and social vibrancy, contrasting sharply with the earlier scene of mourning.
Etymologically, the word derives from auleō, meaning to blow or play the flute. While modern translations often simply say "musicians" or "players," retaining the specific reference to wind instruments helps readers visualize the ancient soundscape. The term underscores how deeply embedded music was in both the sorrow and joy of daily life, making its sudden silence or interruption all the more powerful.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word aulētēs reminds us that music is woven into the fabric of human emotion, marking both our deepest sorrows and our brightest celebrations. In ancient culture, a flute player was not merely background entertainment but a central figure in communal rituals, giving voice to grief or joy on behalf of the group.
When Jesus entered the house in Matthew 9:23, He encountered this professional mourner leading a loud, organized display of sadness. Rather than dismissing the grief, Jesus interrupted the performance to speak life into the situation. This shows that while our emotions are valid, they do not have the final word over reality. God’s power can bring peace even when the world insists on maintaining a facade of sorrow.
Conversely, Revelation 18:22 uses the silence of the flute player to describe the end of Babylon’s empty festivities. It serves as a sobering reminder that worldly celebrations, however vibrant, are temporary. Our hope rests not in the noise of cultural success, but in the eternal presence of God, where every tear is wiped away and true rest is found.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- flute players2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- αὐλητῶν1×
- αὐλητὰς1×
Key Verses
-
Matthew 9:23
When Jesus came into the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd in noisy disorder,
This verse highlights how the flute player represented a structured, public performance of grief that Jesus interrupted to demonstrate His authority over death.
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Revelation of John 18:22
The voice of harpists, minstrels, flute players, and trumpeters will be heard no more at all in you. No craftsman of whatever craft will be found any more at all in you. The sound of a mill will be heard no more at all in you.
Here the absence of the flute player signals the complete cessation of Babylon’s festive culture, emphasizing that worldly joy is fleeting compared to God’s eternal kingdom.