κέραμος (keramos)
keramos
clay roof tile
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun keramos refers to clay or earthenware, but in the New Testament it specifically denotes a roof tile. Its usage is rare, appearing only once in Luke 5:19. In that scene, friends lower a paralyzed man through the tiles of a crowded house to reach Jesus. This detail highlights the construction style of the region, where flat roofs were often built with layers of clay or brick tiles rather than wood or stone.
The word likely derives from the root for mixing clay and water, linking it to the work of a potter. While it can broadly mean any earthen vessel, its specific application here points to the physical barrier between the outside world and the interior space. Translators render it as "roof" or "tiles," capturing both the material and the structure itself.
This single occurrence provides a vivid image of determination. The friends did not just break through; they carefully removed individual tiles. It reminds readers that the physical setting of Scripture often reflects daily life, where simple materials like clay played a central role in home construction and community interaction.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word keramos refers to a clay roof tile, appearing only once in the New Testament at Luke 5:19. In that moment, friends of a paralyzed man removed individual tiles from a flat roof to lower their companion to Jesus. This specific detail highlights the determination required to reach Christ when crowds block the door. It shows that faith often involves creative effort and persistence, breaking through physical barriers to find healing.
While the object itself is simple earthenware, its role in this story underscores the value of community support. The friends did not give up; they climbed onto the roof and carefully dismantled part of their neighbor's home to help. This act reminds us that reaching out for spiritual help may require unconventional methods. It invites you to consider how you might persist in seeking God, even when the path seems blocked by obstacles or crowds.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- tiles1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- κεράμων1×
Key Verses
-
Luke 5:19
Not finding a way to bring him in because of the multitude, they went up to the housetop and let him down through the tiles with his cot into the middle before Jesus.
This verse uniquely uses keramos to describe the specific material friends removed from a roof to lower a paralyzed man, highlighting the physical effort and determination involved in bringing him to Jesus.