Winnowing is an agricultural process mentioned frequently in the Bible, symbolizing separation and purification. It involves the separation of grain from chaff using wind. This process is both literal and metaphorical in the biblical text, illustrating themes of judgment, discernment, and divine purification.

Biblical Context and Process

In ancient times, winnowing was a critical step in grain harvesting. After threshing, where the grain was loosened from the husks, the mixture was tossed into the air using a winnowing fork or fan. The lighter chaff would be blown away by the wind, while the heavier grain would fall back to the ground, ready for collection. This method is vividly described in the book of Ruth, where Boaz is seen winnowing barley at the threshing floor (Ruth 3:2).

Symbolism and Spiritual Significance

Winnowing serves as a powerful metaphor for divine judgment and purification throughout Scripture. In the Old Testament, the prophets often used the imagery of winnowing to describe God's judgment upon the nations and His people. For instance, in Jeremiah 15:7, God declares, "I will winnow them with a winnowing fork at the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children; I will destroy My people, since they do not return from their ways."

The New Testament continues this theme, with John the Baptist using winnowing imagery to describe the coming ministry of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 3:12, John proclaims, "His winnowing fork is in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." This passage highlights the separation of the righteous from the wicked, emphasizing the finality and seriousness of divine judgment.

Practical and Theological Implications

Winnowing, as a biblical metaphor, calls believers to self-examination and repentance. It serves as a reminder of God's holiness and the necessity for purity in the lives of His followers. The process of winnowing reflects the ongoing work of sanctification, where God separates sin from the lives of believers, refining them to reflect His character.

Furthermore, winnowing underscores the importance of discernment within the Christian community. Just as the farmer discerns between grain and chaff, believers are called to discern truth from falsehood, righteousness from sin, and genuine faith from hypocrisy. This discernment is essential for maintaining the purity and integrity of the Church.

Conclusion

Winnowing, both as an agricultural practice and a biblical metaphor, holds significant theological weight. It illustrates God's righteous judgment and His desire for a holy people, purified and set apart for His purposes. Through the imagery of winnowing, Scripture calls believers to a life of holiness, discernment, and readiness for the coming of the Lord.Winnowing

[AGRICULTURE]

1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Winnew.

2. (n.) The act of one who, or that which, winnows.

WINNOWING

win'-o-ing.

See AGRICULTURE; FAN; THRESHING.

4425. ptuon -- a winnowing shovel
... a winnowing shovel. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: ptuon Phonetic
Spelling: (ptoo'-on) Short Definition: a simple wooden pitchfork Definition: a ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4425.htm - 6k

3039. likmao -- to winnow, to scatter
... Word Origin from likmos (a winnowing fan) Definition to winnow, to scatter NASB
Word Usage like dust (2), scatter...like dust (2). grind to powder. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3039.htm - 6k

4917. sunthlao -- to crush together
... (3039 ). The verb was used of winnowing out the chaff and then of grinding to powder.
This is the fate of him on whom this Rejected Stone falls" (, 1, 172). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4917.htm - 7k

7371. rachath -- winnowing shovel
... 7370, 7371. rachath. 7372 . winnowing shovel. Transliteration: rachath
Phonetic Spelling: (rakh'-ath) Short Definition: shovel. ...
/hebrew/7371.htm - 6k

4214. mizreh -- a pitchfork
... Word Origin from zarah Definition a pitchfork NASB Word Usage fork (2). fan. From
zarah; a winnowing shovel (as scattering the chaff) -- fan. see HEBREW zarah. ...
/hebrew/4214.htm - 6k

2219. zarah -- to scatter, fan, winnow
... 5), dispersed (1), disperses (1), north (1), scatter (13), scattered (7), scrutinize
(1), spread (4), winnow (3), winnow them with a winnowing (1), winnowed (1 ...
/hebrew/2219.htm - 6k

1250. bar -- grain, corn
... corn, wheat. Or bar {bar}; from barar (in the sense of winnowing); grain
of any kind (even while standing in the field); by extens. ...
/hebrew/1250.htm - 6k

Ruth and Naomi.
... Then one night when Boaz was to have a winnowing of barley, Naomi told Ruth to make
herself ready, putting on her best clothing, and to go to the winnowing and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/wee ones bible stories/ruth and naomi.htm

On Earthly Things
... [Matt.3:12]. The winnowing fork is the testing of the righteous by God; in
the Gospel: whose winnowing fork is in his hand. [ibid.]. ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/iii on earthly things.htm

The Holy Spirit and the one Church
... He wants to have as much as possible"to have as little loss as possible in
the winnowing, and yet to have it as well winnowed as may be. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the holy spirit and the.htm

Wrath came to Rebuke, the Greedy who in the Midst of Peace ...
... When our delights crowded on us, then crowded on us our ills. At the time
of winnowing of wheat, came the winnowing of cities,. 4 ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn vii wrath came to.htm

The First Disciples.
... The question put by Jesus to the following disciples, "What seek ye?" was the first
breath of the winnowing fan which the Baptist had warned them the Messiah ...
/.../the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol i/iv the first disciples.htm

Petilianus Said: "But if You Say that we Give Baptism Twice Over.. ...
... How much better will you do to betake yourself to true confusion, saying, Every
one of us shall bear his own burden, and the winnowing fan at the last day ...
/.../chapter 23 51 petilianus.htm

Psalm LII.
... But there will come time of winnowing, when both are to be severed with greatest
diligence, in order that no grain may pass over unto the heap of chaff that is ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm lii.htm

A People Prepared for the Lord
... He is coming who uses the great winnowing fan; be the true wheat, or else be blown
away." He put the truth so pointedly, and so earnestly, that he did by that ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 41 1895/a people prepared for the.htm

The Herald of the King
... a denunciation of 'the wrath to come,' set forth with a tremendous wealth of imagery
as the axe lying at the root of the trees, the fan winnowing the wheat ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the herald of the king.htm

My Brother Fabius
... This is that fan which even now cleanses the Lord's threshing-floor"the Church,
I mean"winnowing the mixed heap of believers, and separating the grain [1134 ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/de fuga in persecutione/my brother fabius.htm

Winnowing (7 Occurrences)
...WINNOWING. win'-o-ing. ...Winnowing (7 Occurrences). Matthew 3:12 His winnowing fork
is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. ...
/w/winnowing.htm - 9k

Winnowing-shovel (2 Occurrences)
Winnowing-shovel. Winnowing-fan, Winnowing-shovel. Winnows .
Multi-Version Concordance Winnowing-shovel (2 Occurrences). ...
/w/winnowing-shovel.htm - 7k

Winnowing-fan (1 Occurrence)
Winnowing-fan. Winnowing, Winnowing-fan. Winnowing-shovel . Multi-Version
Concordance Winnowing-fan (1 Occurrence). Luke 3:17 whose ...
/w/winnowing-fan.htm - 6k

Fan (8 Occurrences)
... A winnowing shovel by which grain was thrown up against the wind that it might be
cleansed from broken straw and chaff (Isaiah 30:24; Jeremiah 15:7; Matthew 3 ...
/f/fan.htm - 12k

Threshing-floor (36 Occurrences)
... mizreh, Arabic midra, for separating straw from wheat; (3) shovel, meghraphah, Arabic
mirfashat, for tossing the wheat into the air in winnowing; (4) broom, maT ...
/t/threshing-floor.htm - 21k

Chaff (24 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The glumes or husks of grains and grasses separated from the seed by threshing
and winnowing, etc. ... See AGRICULTURE; STRAW; WINNOWING. JAMES A. Patch. ...
/c/chaff.htm - 18k

Threshingfloor (18 Occurrences)
... mizreh, Arabic midra, for separating straw from wheat; (3) shovel, meghraphah, Arabic
mirfashat, for tossing the wheat into the air in winnowing; (4) broom, maT ...
/t/threshingfloor.htm - 15k

Store (134 Occurrences)
... Matthew 3:12 His winnowing-shovel is in His hand, and He will make a thorough clearance
of His threshing-floor, gathering His wheat into the storehouse, but ...
/s/store.htm - 39k

Storehouse (12 Occurrences)
... Matthew 3:12 His winnowing-shovel is in His hand, and He will make a thorough clearance
of His threshing-floor, gathering His wheat into the storehouse, but ...
/s/storehouse.htm - 10k

Shovel (3 Occurrences)
... Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. SHOVEL. shuv'-l: (1) rachath, is a wooden shovel
used on the threshing-floor for winnowing the grain (Isaiah 30:24). ...
/s/shovel.htm - 8k

What is the meaning of chaff in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What is a threshing floor? | GotQuestions.org

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Winnowing: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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