θύρα

θύρα — thýra

θύρα, θύρας, ἡ (from θύω to rush in, properly, that through which a rush is made; hence, German Thür (English door; Curtius, § 319)) (from Homer down), the Sept. for דֶּלֶת and פֶּתַח, sometimes also for שַׁעַר; a (house) door; (in plural equivalent to Latinfores, folding doors; cf. Winers Grammar, 176 (166); Buttmann, 24 (21); cf. πύλη);

a. properly: κλείειν, etc. τήν θύραν, Mat 6:6; Luk 13:25; passive, Mat 25:10; Luk 11:7; Joh 20:19; Joh 20:26; Act 21:30; ἀνοίγειν, Act 5:19; passive Act 16:26 f; κρούειν, Act 12:13; διά τῆς θυρης, Joh 10:1 f; πρός τήν θύραν, Mar 1:33; Mar 11:4 (Tr WH omit τήν; cf. Winer's Grammar, 123 (116)); Act 3:2; τά πρός τήν θύραν the vestibule (so Buttmann, § 125, 9; others the space or parts at (near) the door), Mar 2:2; πρός τῇ θύρα Joh 18:16; ἐπί τῇ θύρα, Act 5:9; πρό τῆς θύρας, Act 12:6; ἐπί τῶν θυρῶν, Act 5:23 (R G πρό).

b. θύρα is used of any opening like a door, an entrance, way or passage into: ἡ θύρα τοῦ μνημείου, of the tomb, Mat 27:60; Mat 28:2 R G; Mar 15:46; Mar 16:3, (Homer, Odyssey 9, 243; 12, 256; others).

c. in parable and metaphorically, we find α. ἡ θύρα τῶν προβάτων, the door through which the sheep go out and in, the name of him who brings salvation to those who follow his guidance, Joh 10:7; Joh 10:9; cf. Christ. From Fritzsche in Fritzschiorum opuscc., p. 20ff; (in Ignatius ad Philad. 9 [ET] Christ is called ἡ θύρα τοῦ πατρός, δἰ ἧς ἐισερχονται Ἀβραάμ... καί οἱ προφῆται; cf. Harnack on Clement of Rome, 1 Cor. 48, 3f [ET]). β. 'an open door' is used of the opportunity of doing something: τῆς πίστεως, of getting faith, Act 14:27; open to a teacher, i. e. the opportunity of teaching others, 2Co 2:12; Col 4:3; by a bold combination of metaphor and literal language, the phrase θύρα μεγάλη καί ἐνεργής (A. V. a great door and effectual) is used of a large opportunity of teaching a great multitude the way of salvation, and one encouraging the hope of the most successful results: 1Co 16:9. γ. the door of the kingdom of heaven (likened to a palace) denotes the conditions which must be complied with in order to be received into the kingdom of God: Luk 13:24 (for Rec. πύλης); power of entering, access into, God's eternal kingdom, Rev 3:8 cf. Rev 3:7 (but others besides; add here Rev 4:1). δ. he whose advent is just at hand is said ἐπί θύραις εἶναι, Mat 24:33; Mar 13:29, and πρό θυρῶν ἑστηκεναι, Jas 5:9. ε. ἑστηκώς ἐπί τήν θύραν καί κρούων is said of Christ seeking entrance into souls, and they who comply with his entreaty are said ἀνοίγειν τήν θύραν, Rev 3:20.