{
  "entry_id": "TSP-ENT-000154",
  "slug": "clay",
  "url_path": "/types-symbols/clay/",
  "canonical_name": "Clay",
  "entry_classifications": [
    "ORDINARY_DESCRIPTION",
    "METAPHOR"
  ],
  "modules": [
    "COLORS_MATERIALS_STONES"
  ],
  "aliases": [],
  "legacy_present": true,
  "legacy_raw_wording_public": false,
  "senses": [
    {
      "sense_id": "TSP-SNS-000386",
      "label": "Clay as actual moldable material for vessels and pottery",
      "classification": "ORDINARY_DESCRIPTION",
      "definition": "Clay is first an ordinary material shaped by a potter into vessels and other objects.",
      "not_always": "Material clay is not automatically a symbol of human weakness.",
      "scope_note": "Material clay is not automatically a symbol of human weakness.",
      "claims": [
        {
          "claim_id": "TSP-CLM-000386",
          "statement": "Literal clay must be distinguished from later potter/clay and clay-vessel metaphors.",
          "asserted_classifications": [
            "ORDINARY_DESCRIPTION"
          ],
          "type_kinds": [],
          "evidence_grade": 1,
          "grade_basis": "G1_EXPLICIT_BIBLICAL_INTERPRETATION",
          "status": "REQUIRES_RECLASSIFICATION",
          "public_wording_class": "CATEGORY_OR_RECLASSIFICATION_NOTICE",
          "scope_limitation": "Material clay is not automatically a symbol of human weakness.",
          "strongest_alternative_explanation": null,
          "residual_uncertainty": "No material residual uncertainty beyond the stated scope limitation.",
          "theological_intersections": [
            "OTHER"
          ],
          "scripture_references": [
            {
              "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000618",
              "osis_start": "Jer.18.3",
              "osis_end": null,
              "display_label": "Jeremiah 18:3-4",
              "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD"
            }
          ],
          "source_citations": [
            {
              "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000146",
              "author_editor": "Bible Gateway",
              "title": "Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 18:2-6; 2 Corinthians 4:7 clay imagery",
              "publication_data": "Accessed/verified 2026-09-20",
              "locator": "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+64%3A8%3B+2+Corinthians+4%3A7%3B+Jeremiah+18%3A2-6&version=ESV",
              "verification_level": "V4_QUOTATION_VERIFIED",
              "source_function": [
                "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT"
              ],
              "locator_targets": [
                {
                  "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL",
                  "target": "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+64%3A8%3B+2+Corinthians+4%3A7%3B+Jeremiah+18%3A2-6&version=ESV"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "s8_wording_provenance": null
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "sense_id": "TSP-SNS-000387",
      "label": "Potter and clay as explicit metaphor of divine authority and creaturely dependence",
      "classification": "METAPHOR",
      "definition": "Scripture explicitly compares Israel/humanity with clay in the potter's hand to express divine authority and creaturely dependence.",
      "not_always": "The metaphor concerns maker-creature authority/dependence and must not be expanded into deterministic claims beyond the passage.",
      "scope_note": "The metaphor concerns maker-creature authority/dependence and must not be expanded into deterministic claims beyond the passage.",
      "claims": [
        {
          "claim_id": "TSP-CLM-000387",
          "statement": "The potter/clay metaphor is established in passages such as Jeremiah 18 and Isaiah 64, but it is a different claim from the legacy frailty wording.",
          "asserted_classifications": [
            "METAPHOR"
          ],
          "type_kinds": [],
          "evidence_grade": 1,
          "grade_basis": "G1_EXPLICIT_BIBLICAL_INTERPRETATION",
          "status": "ESTABLISHED",
          "public_wording_class": "SCRIPTURE_EXPLICITLY_IDENTIFIES",
          "scope_limitation": "The metaphor concerns maker-creature authority/dependence and must not be expanded into deterministic claims beyond the passage.",
          "strongest_alternative_explanation": null,
          "residual_uncertainty": "No material residual uncertainty beyond the stated scope limitation.",
          "theological_intersections": [
            "ANTHROPOLOGY"
          ],
          "scripture_references": [
            {
              "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000619",
              "osis_start": "Jer.18.6",
              "osis_end": null,
              "display_label": "Jeremiah 18:5-6",
              "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD"
            },
            {
              "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000233",
              "osis_start": "Isa.64.8",
              "osis_end": null,
              "display_label": "Isaiah 64:8",
              "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD"
            }
          ],
          "source_citations": [
            {
              "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000146",
              "author_editor": "Bible Gateway",
              "title": "Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 18:2-6; 2 Corinthians 4:7 clay imagery",
              "publication_data": "Accessed/verified 2026-09-20",
              "locator": "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+64%3A8%3B+2+Corinthians+4%3A7%3B+Jeremiah+18%3A2-6&version=ESV",
              "verification_level": "V4_QUOTATION_VERIFIED",
              "source_function": [
                "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT"
              ],
              "locator_targets": [
                {
                  "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL",
                  "target": "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+64%3A8%3B+2+Corinthians+4%3A7%3B+Jeremiah+18%3A2-6&version=ESV"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "s8_wording_provenance": null
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "sense_id": "TSP-SNS-000388",
      "label": "Clay-vessel imagery as human frailty and weakness",
      "classification": "METAPHOR",
      "definition": "Paul places treasure in jars of clay so that the surpassing power is seen to belong to God rather than to the human vessel.",
      "not_always": "This is a contextual clay-vessel metaphor and should not be imposed on every occurrence of clay.",
      "scope_note": "This is a contextual clay-vessel metaphor and should not be imposed on every occurrence of clay.",
      "claims": [
        {
          "claim_id": "TSP-CLM-000388",
          "statement": "The legacy association of clay with human frailty/weakness is explicitly supported in 2 Corinthians 4:7 when restricted to clay-vessel imagery.",
          "asserted_classifications": [
            "METAPHOR"
          ],
          "type_kinds": [],
          "evidence_grade": 1,
          "grade_basis": "G1_EXPLICIT_BIBLICAL_INTERPRETATION",
          "status": "ESTABLISHED",
          "public_wording_class": "SCRIPTURE_EXPLICITLY_IDENTIFIES",
          "scope_limitation": "This is a contextual clay-vessel metaphor and should not be imposed on every occurrence of clay.",
          "strongest_alternative_explanation": null,
          "residual_uncertainty": "No material residual uncertainty beyond the stated scope limitation.",
          "theological_intersections": [
            "ANTHROPOLOGY"
          ],
          "scripture_references": [
            {
              "passage_ref_id": "TSP-PAS-000620",
              "osis_start": "2Cor.4.7",
              "osis_end": null,
              "display_label": "2 Corinthians 4:7",
              "versification_system": "ENGLISH_STANDARD"
            }
          ],
          "source_citations": [
            {
              "source_id": "TSP-SRC-000146",
              "author_editor": "Bible Gateway",
              "title": "Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 18:2-6; 2 Corinthians 4:7 clay imagery",
              "publication_data": "Accessed/verified 2026-09-20",
              "locator": "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+64%3A8%3B+2+Corinthians+4%3A7%3B+Jeremiah+18%3A2-6&version=ESV",
              "verification_level": "V4_QUOTATION_VERIFIED",
              "source_function": [
                "TEXT_ESTABLISHMENT"
              ],
              "locator_targets": [
                {
                  "kind": "EXTERNAL_URL",
                  "target": "https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+64%3A8%3B+2+Corinthians+4%3A7%3B+Jeremiah+18%3A2-6&version=ESV"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "s8_wording_provenance": null
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "lexeme_mappings": [],
  "canonical_relationships": [],
  "negative_guardrails": []
}