Cords, Small
ArtifactsWhat is the meaning of Cords, Small in the Bible?
Small cords, referred to as 'kordz' in Greek texts, were ropes constructed from rushes or similar plant fibers. This specific type of cordage appears in the New Testament, notably as the material used to fashion the whip Jesus employed to drive merchants from the temple in John 2:15, and as the ship's cables cut by Paul and his companions to escape a storm in Acts 27:32.
SIGNIFICANCE
Recognizing that these cords were made of rushes rather than heavy hemp or metal chains illuminates the physical dynamics of key biblical scenes. It clarifies how Jesus could swiftly fashion a whip from available materials to cleanse the temple, and it underscores the desperate, improvised nature of Paul's escape, where cutting lightweight plant-fiber ropes was a viable, albeit risky, method to break free from a storm-tossed vessel.
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Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.