New Testament: One instance in 1 Corinthians 3:12.

Septuagint: Appears repeatedly for the Hebrew concepts of straw, stubble, or chaff (for example, Exodus 5:12; Job 13:25; Isaiah 5:24; Isaiah 33:11; Hosea 13:3; Nahum 1:10; Malachi 4:1).

Old Testament Imagery of Stubble

• Symbol of impotence before divine judgment. “They are like straw before the wind, carried off like chaff by a storm” (Job 21:18).
• Picture of swift destruction by fire. “As tongues of fire lick up straw … their root will decay” (Isaiah 5:24).
• Emblem of the worthless and transient. “The day is coming … burning like a furnace, when all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff” (Malachi 4:1).

Throughout the Law, Prophets, and Writings, straw or stubble is that which is left after the harvest, useful only for kindling. The Spirit-inspired writers consistently set it over against the fruitful grain that God gathers to Himself.

New Testament Application in 1 Corinthians 3

Paul’s single use sharpens the Old Testament background. “If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw” (1 Corinthians 3:12). In the context, Christ is the foundation; Christian workers are builders; the Day will expose each work “because it will be revealed by fire” (1 Corinthians 3:13). Straw represents ministry efforts and personal deeds that may appear adequate in the present but will not withstand eschatological testing. The passage does not speak of losing salvation (the builder “will be saved, but only as one being snatched from the fire,” 1 Corinthians 3:15) but of forfeiting reward.

Theological Themes

1. Impermanence of Flesh-Driven Effort

Human wisdom, popularity, numeric growth, or mere activity can be stubble. Only Spirit-wrought, Christ-honoring labor counts eternally.
2. Certainty of Evaluation

The fiery Day is as sure as the foundation itself. Public acclaim can neither prevent nor postpone the test.
3. Reward and Loss

Scripture teaches both positive reward (“each will receive his wages according to his labor,” 1 Corinthians 3:8) and real loss. The doctrine guards against presumption while motivating diligence.
4. Continuity with Prophetic Warnings

Paul’s imagery echoes Isaiah and Malachi, showing one redemptive message from Law through Gospel: the wicked and the worthless are consumed, the righteous and their righteous deeds endure.

Historical Interpretation

• Early Church: Clement of Alexandria distinguished moral philosophy (wood, hay, straw) from true knowledge in Christ (gold, silver).
• Patristic Consensus: Passage refers to believers; fire signifies purifying judgment, not purgatorial punishment.
• Reformation: Reformers cited straw to contrast man-made religious works with the gold of justification by faith.
• Modern Evangelical Exposition: Emphasis falls on the Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10) and stewardship of spiritual gifts.

Practical Ministry Implications

• Preaching: Evaluate content and motive—Christ-centered exposition is gold; entertainment-driven or ego-driven sermons are straw.
• Discipleship: Train believers to seek the Spirit’s fruit rather than external metrics alone.
• Church Administration: Programs must serve the Great Commission; otherwise, time, finances, and energy become combustible refuse.
• Personal Devotion: Daily self-examination anticipates the Day, fostering humility and perseverance.

Homiletical Suggestions

• Contrast the six building materials of 1 Corinthians 3:12 in two columns—imperishables versus perishables.
• Tie Isaiah 33:11 (“You conceive chaff, you give birth to stubble”) to Paul’s warning: conception governs outcome.
• Use agricultural imagery familiar to many congregations: straw’s lightness illustrates how trivial pursuits are blown away.

Related Words and Concepts

• Chaff (ἄχυρον, Matthew 3:12): what the winnowing fork removes.
• Grass (χόρτος, 1 Peter 1:24): withers, echoing human frailty.
• Fire as divine assay (πῦρ, Hebrews 12:29): God Himself is the consuming fire.

Together these motifs build a canonical theology of spiritual authenticity: only what originates in God, aims at His glory, and abides in His word will survive.

Concluding Summary

Strong’s Greek 2562, though occurring only once in the New Testament, gathers a rich biblical tradition. Stubble warns every generation that activity minus abiding substance is destined for flame, while simultaneously assuring believers that Christ’s unshakable foundation makes enduring, precious work both possible and worthwhile.