Brief Overview of ἑβδομηκοντάκις (G1441: hebdomēkontákis)

Introduction:

Understanding Greek words in the New Testament is crucial for uncovering the deeper meanings and cultural contexts behind Biblical texts. One such word is ἑβδομηκοντάκις (G1441: hebdomēkontákis), which plays an important role in conveying the concept of frequency and magnitude in ancient Greek language and thought. This term is particularly significant in the New Testament, where it is used to express an idea of repeated action to a great extent, often to illustrate the boundlessness of forgiveness or other virtues. Delving into the meaning and usage of ἑβδομηκοντάκις enhances our understanding of Jesus’ teachings and provides insight into the hyperbolic language used to emphasize moral and ethical principles in the ancient world.

Key Information:

• Greek Word: ἑβδομηκοντάκις (hebdomēkontákis) [heb-do-may-kon-tah’-kis]
• Etymology: Derived from ἑβδομήκοντα (hebdomēkonta), meaning “seventy,” combined with the suffix -κις (-kis), which is used to denote multiplicity or frequency. The word ἑβδομηκοντάκις literally translates to “seventy times.”
• Part of Speech: Adverb
• The F.O.G Word Choice: Coming Soon

Primary Meanings:

• Seventy Times: The word is used to indicate something that occurs seventy times, often in a hyperbolic sense to imply an exceedingly high number of repetitions.

Similar Words:

• ἑβδομήκοντα (hebdomēkonta) [heb-do-may’-kon-ta]: Meaning “seventy,” this is the base word from which ἑβδομηκοντάκις is derived, used to specify the number seventy.
• πολλάκις (pollákis) [pol-lah’-kis]: This word means “many times” and is used similarly to ἑβδομηκοντάκις but without specifying a particular number. It indicates frequency in a more general sense.

Further Insights:

• Morphological Insights:
• ἑβδομηκοντάκις is an adverb, meaning it modifies verbs to indicate how many times an action occurs. Unlike nouns or verbs, adverbs like ἑβδομηκοντάκις do not change form based on case, number, or gender.
• The use of the suffix -κις signifies repetition or multiplicity, which is a common feature in Greek to express frequency of action.

Lexicon Insights:

BDAG: ἑβδομηκοντάκις is defined as “seventy times,” with the lexicon noting its use in hyperbolic expressions within the New Testament. The word is used to emphasize the idea of repeated actions, particularly in the context of forgiveness.

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Thayer’s: Thayer’s lexicon describes ἑβδομηκοντάκις as an adverb meaning “seventy times.” The lexicon highlights its application in New Testament passages where the repetition of an action is emphasized for rhetorical effect.

Vine’s: ἑβδομηκοντάκις is noted as an adverb that indicates frequency, specifically “seventy times.” Vine’s discusses its significance in teachings where the magnitude of repetition is used to underscore moral or ethical lessons.

LSJ: In classical Greek, ἑβδομηκοντάκις is recognized as an adverb meaning “seventy times,” commonly used in literature and rhetoric to convey the idea of an action being performed multiple times.

Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance: ἑβδομηκοντάκις is listed as “seventy times,” with emphasis on its Biblical usage in passages where the word is used to convey the notion of repeated action, particularly in the context of forgiveness.

Scripture References:

• Matthew 18:22: “Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times (ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά).'”

Classical Usage:

Summary of ἑβδομηκοντάκις (G1441: hebdomēkontákis):

The adverb ἑβδομηκοντάκις (G1441: hebdomēkontákis) plays a significant role in the New Testament, particularly in passages that emphasize the repetition of actions. This term, meaning “seventy times,” is used in a hyperbolic sense to stress the importance of actions like forgiveness, where Jesus teaches that forgiveness should be extended far beyond the literal number of seventy times. Understanding ἑβδομηκοντάκις provides valuable insights into the rhetorical and ethical teachings of the New Testament, where the frequency of an action is highlighted to convey the depth of moral principles. Additionally, its usage in classical Greek literature shows that this word was commonly employed to express repetition and magnitude, further demonstrating its importance in both sacred and secular texts.

Did You Know?

Did You Know? The use of ἑβδομηκοντάκις in Matthew 18:22, where Jesus speaks of forgiving “seventy times seven,” is often interpreted not as a literal number but as an expression of boundless forgiveness. This teaching reflects the Jewish tradition of using numbers symbolically, where seventy often signifies completeness or perfection, thus emphasizing that forgiveness should have no limits.