A Brief Overview of ἀποκαραδοκία (G603): Apokaradokia

1. Brief Overview:

Transliteration: Apokaradokia

Root Words: Derived from the combination of ἀπό (apo), meaning “from” or “away from,” and καραδοκία (karadokia), which itself is a compound of καρα (kara), meaning “head” or “forehead,” and δοκία (dokía), meaning “expectation” or “hope.” Thus, ἀποκαραδοκία conveys the idea of “eager anticipation” or “expectant waiting.”

Primary Meanings:

• Eager anticipation or expectation.
• A sense of waiting with hope or earnestness, particularly for a significant event or outcome.
• In the New Testament, it often reflects the anticipation of the fulfillment of promises or the return of Christ.

2. Detailed Description:

BDAG (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich): BDAG defines ἀποκαραδοκία as “eager expectation” or “intense anticipation.” It highlights its use in the New Testament to describe the earnest anticipation of divine promises or the return of Christ. BDAG notes that the term conveys a sense of active and hopeful waiting.

Thayer’s: Thayer’s Greek Lexicon describes ἀποκαραδοκία as “eager expectation” or “intense anticipation.” It focuses on the earnest and hopeful anticipation of something awaited, particularly in a religious or eschatological context.

Vines: According to Vines’ Expository Dictionary, ἀποκαραδοκία means “eager expectation” or “waiting with outstretched head.” It conveys the idea of eagerly looking forward to a hoped-for event or fulfillment of promises.

LSJ (Liddell-Scott-Jones): LSJ defines ἀποκαραδοκία as “eager expectation” or “waiting with anticipation.” It notes the term’s use in classical Greek to express a sense of hopeful and intense waiting.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: Strong’s defines ἀποκαραδοκία as “eager expectation,” focusing on the concept of waiting with anticipation or hope.

3. Usage in Classic Greek Literature:

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Homer (The Iliad, 8th century BCE): Homer uses related terms to describe characters waiting with anticipation for important events or outcomes, reflecting the concept of eager expectation.

Sophocles (Oedipus Rex, 5th century BCE): Sophocles portrays characters experiencing intense anticipation or expectation related to crucial events, demonstrating the use of similar concepts.

Aristotle (Rhetoric, 4th century BCE): Aristotle discusses the role of anticipation and expectation in rhetoric and human emotions, illustrating the concept of eager waiting in philosophical contexts.

4. Summary:

The Greek word ἀποκαραδοκία (Apokaradokia) means “eager expectation” or “intense anticipation.” It conveys the idea of waiting with earnest hope or anticipation, particularly for a significant event or outcome. In classical Greek literature, it reflects a sense of hopeful waiting for important developments. In the New Testament, it is used to describe the anticipation of the fulfillment of divine promises or the return of Christ, emphasizing a profound sense of hopeful expectation.