The word θύινον (thuïnon) designates wood from the fragrant tree now identified with Tetraclinis articulata, sometimes called citrus, thuya, or Thyine wood. In the Roman world it was prized for its aroma, attractive grain, and suitability for inlaid work. Its scarcity and high price made it a status symbol among the wealthy.

Occurrence in Scripture

Revelation 18:12 records the single New Testament appearance: “cargo of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet fabric; all kinds of citron wood, articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble”. The verse forms part of the judgment oracle against “Babylon the great,” a picture of the culmination of worldly arrogance and opulence. Citron wood is listed among luxury imports that suddenly become worthless when God ends the system that traffics in them.

Historical Background and Trade Significance

1. Roman Luxury Commerce
• Thuine wood was imported from North Africa and southern Spain.
• Roman authors such as Pliny the Elder speak of tables veneered with this wood fetching extravagant sums.
• Its fragrance intensified when warmed by lamps, adding to its appeal at banquets and in reception halls.

2. Trade Routes and Ports
• Merchant fleets carried it through Mediterranean ports like Carthage and Alexandria to Rome and the provincial capitals.
• The mention in Revelation suggests that Asia Minor believers, living along major trade corridors, knew its value and rarity.

3. Social Stratification
• Only elites could afford citron-wood furnishings, so possession of such items signaled power and privilege.
• John’s inclusion of the wood in the list underlines the gulf between the rich merchants of Babylon and the ordinary people exploited by their commerce (Revelation 18:11, 13).

Symbolic and Theological Implications

1. Vanity of Worldly Splendor
• The Spirit catalogs luxury goods not to admire them but to display the emptiness of wealth when God judges.
• Citron wood, though fragrant and beautiful, is reduced to mere cargo headed for ruin.

2. Echoes of Old Testament Prophets
• Ezekiel 27 itemizes Tyre’s merchandise in a similar lament. The parallel forms a prophetic pattern: proud commercial centers boast in rare goods until divine judgment dismantles their economy.

3. Finality of Divine Judgment
• The sudden collapse of the market—“no one buys their cargo any longer” (Revelation 18:11)—illustrates how quickly human security evaporates.
• The single occurrence of the term intensifies its effect: luxury is fleeting, but the word of God endures.

Pastoral Application

• Stewardship over Indulgence: Believers are warned not to measure success by possessions, even the most exquisite.
• Hope in Eternal Riches: Citron wood’s earthly glory fades, but the saints inherit “a kingdom that cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28).
• Separation from Babylon: Revelation 18:4 calls, “Come out of her, My people,” urging the church to refuse complicity in systems that idolize wealth.

Typological Connections

• Contrast with Tabernacle Materials: Whereas the tabernacle used acacia wood to manifest God’s presence among His people (Exodus 25:10), Babylon’s citron wood upholds pride. One exemplifies worship, the other worldliness.
• Aroma Imagery: Paul likens believers to “the fragrance of Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:15). The pleasant smell of Thyine wood becomes a foil; true fragrance belongs not to objects of commerce but to lives dedicated to Christ.

Related Old Testament Imagery

• Cedar of Lebanon (1 Kings 10:17): Like citron wood, cedar furnished royal palaces, yet Solomon’s splendor pales beside the glory of the greater King (Matthew 12:42).
• Ships of Tarshish (Isaiah 2:16): Vessels laden with valuables will be humbled “in the day of the Lord.” Citron wood fits into this wider biblical portrayal of luxury undone by divine majesty.

Conclusion

Strong’s Greek 2367, though appearing only once, invites reflection on the transient nature of material wealth and the certain triumph of God’s kingdom. Citron wood stood at the pinnacle of ancient luxury; Revelation places it on the auction block of a doomed economy. The church is thereby exhorted to prize heavenly treasures, live distinctly from Babylon’s allure, and proclaim a Gospel that promises riches imperishable.