τοῖχος (toichos)
toichos
wall
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun toichos refers specifically to a wall, particularly one belonging to a house rather than a city fortification. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in Acts 23:3, where Paul strikes the high priest and is rebuked for insulting "God's wall." This usage highlights the word’s concrete sense of a structural barrier that protects or defines a domestic space.
While the related term teichos often denotes city walls, toichos distinguishes itself by focusing on residential architecture. The sources note its frequent appearance in the Septuagint for the Hebrew qir, reinforcing this connection to household structures. By using this specific word, the text emphasizes the personal nature of the offense against authority within a private or semi-private setting.
Its singular occurrence underscores the gravity of the moment. Paul’s action was not just physical but symbolic, violating the integrity of the leader’s position much like breaching a home's wall. The distinction between house and city walls adds depth to the narrative, showing how even small structural elements carry significant weight in biblical storytelling.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word toichos refers specifically to a house wall, distinguishing it from the larger fortifications of a city. In Acts 23:3, Paul uses this term when rebuking the high priest, calling him a "whitewashed wall." This metaphor highlights the contrast between an outward appearance of purity and an inner reality that lacks integrity. A house wall defines a private space, suggesting that true righteousness must be consistent in both public duties and private character.
For your faith, this word reminds us that God values honesty over polished appearances. It is easy to maintain a respectable exterior while neglecting the heart’s condition. This passage invites you to examine where you might be presenting a false front to others or even to yourself. True spiritual health requires that what is seen matches what is hidden within.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- wall1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- τοῖχε1×
Key Verses
-
Acts 23:3
Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to judge me according to the law, and command me to be struck contrary to the law?”
Paul uses this specific term for a house wall to contrast the high priest's whitewashed exterior with his unjust actions, emphasizing the hypocrisy of violating the law while claiming authority.