τράπεζα (trapeza)
trapeza
table
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 14 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun trapeza simply means "table," but in Scripture it carries significant weight as a symbol of provision and relationship. It most often refers to a dining table where food is shared, highlighting hospitality and fellowship. This usage appears when the Syrophoenician woman asks for crumbs from Jesus’ table (Matthew 15:27) or when Lazarus longs for scraps from the rich man’s board (Luke 16:21). The word points to the basic human need for sustenance and the social bonds formed around a meal.
Trapeza also describes the specific furniture of religious and economic life. In the temple, it held the consecrated bread of the Presence, representing God’s ongoing provision for His people (Hebrews 9:2). Conversely, Jesus overturns these tables in the temple courts to protest the commercialization of worship (Mark 11:15). This dual imagery shows how the same object can signify holy communion or corrupt exchange, depending on whether it serves life or profit.
Translators sometimes use trapeza metonymically to mean the food itself or the community that shares it. Paul warns believers against participating in "the table of demons" (1 Corinthians 10:21), contrasting pagan rituals with communion at the Lord’s table. This usage emphasizes that sharing a meal creates a binding spiritual alliance, making the table a powerful marker of identity and allegiance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When we read about a table in Scripture, we are looking at more than just furniture; we are seeing a picture of relationship and provision. In Matthew 15:27, the Syrophoenician woman asks for even the crumbs falling from Jesus’ table, showing that no one is too far outside to receive His care. This simple image reminds us that God’s grace is abundant enough to share with everyone who seeks it.
Yet the table also marks where we choose to place our loyalty. Paul warns in 1 Corinthians 10:21 that we cannot partake of both the Lord’s table and the table of demons, highlighting that sharing a meal creates a deep spiritual bond. The word trapeza invites us to examine what or who provides for our souls, urging us to find our sustenance and fellowship in Christ alone.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 14 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- table6×
- tables3×
- of [the] table2×
- table.1×
- bank,1×
- at tables.1×
- a table [for them]1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- τραπέζης6×
- τραπέζας3×
- τράπεζα2×
- τράπεζαν,1×
- τράπεζαν1×
- τραπέζης.1×
- τραπέζαις.1×
Key Verses
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Matthew 15:27
But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
This verse shows the word used metaphorically for Jesus' ministry, illustrating that even those on the margins can receive God's provision.
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Luke 22:30
that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. You will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
Jesus uses the image of sharing His table to promise future fellowship and authority in His coming Kingdom.
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Mark 11:15
They came to Jerusalem, and Jesus entered into the temple and began to throw out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves.
The physical tables in the temple are overturned to protest the corruption of worship, showing God's zeal for pure devotion.