A door is the movable entrance to a house, room, city gate, or sacred enclosure. Scripture also uses the image figuratively for Christ, access to salvation, opportunity, and spiritual service.
Definition
A door is a movable entrance to a house, room, city gate, or sacred enclosure. It may be made of wood, covered with metal, or formed from a stone slab; it commonly turns on pivots and is secured by a bolt, lock, or key. A doorway includes the threshold, posts, and lintel, and doors may have two leaves or fold.
Biblical Usage
Scripture uses the door literally for houses, city gates, and the temple. Figuratively, Christ is the door into the gospel ministry and the kingdom of God. The image also expresses His appeal to people, opportunity for service, and freedom or power for ministry.
Historical Background
Doors in the ancient setting were fitted into sockets above and below. Doorposts were also associated with the command to place written words of the Law upon them. Excavations in the Hauran have shown examples of doors made from stone slabs.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>dor: Most commonly the rendering of Hebrew pethach, "doorway," deleth, "door" proper (the two distinguished in Ge 19:6), or of Greek thura, which represents both meanings. The door proper was usually of wood, frequently sheeted with metal, sometimes of one slab of stone, as shown in excavations in the Hauran. It turned on pivots (the "hinges" of Pr 26:14) working in sockets above and below, and was provided with a bolt (2Sa 13:17) or with lock and key (Jud 3:23). The doorway was enclosed by the stone threshold (1Ki 14:17), the two doorposts on either side, and the lintel above (Ex 12:7). Doors were frequently two-leaved, and folding ones are mentioned in connection with the temple (1Ki 6:34). Where "door" is used in connectio with city gates (Ne 3:1 ff) it refers to the door proper which swings on its hinges as distinguished from the whole structure. The custom of fastening to the doorposts small cases containing a parchment inscribed with the words of De 6:4-9; 11:13-21 had its origin in the command there given. See also GATE; HOUSE.</p><p>Figurative:</p><p>(1) Christ is "the door" into the gospel ministry (Joh 10:1,2,7); ministers must receive their authority from Him, and exercise it in His spirit.</p><p>(2) `Through faith in Him also both shepherds and sheep enter into the kingdom of God (Joh 10:9), and find all their spiritual needs supplied.'</p><p>(3) The figure in Re 3:20 is expressive of Christ's patient, persistent and affectionate appeal to men.</p><p>(4) Elsewhere also of opportunity (Mt 25:10; Ac 14:27; 1Co 16:9; 2Co 2:12; Re 3:8).</p><p>(5) Of freedom and power (Col 4:3). See also ACHOR; SHEPHERD.</p><p>Benjamin Reno Downer</p>
