Brief Overview of πέντε (Strong’s G4002: pente)

Strong’s G4002: Cardinal number meaning “five.” Appears significantly in NT narratives, especially in the feeding of five thousand and parables. Often used symbolically in biblical numerology. In ancient culture, represented God’s grace and human incompleteness when contrasted with divine perfection.

U- Unveiling the Word

Πέντε represents both literal and symbolic significance in Scripture. Most notably used in the feeding miracle with five loaves, but also appears in various parables and teachings. Early church writers saw symbolic meaning in the number five, relating it to the Torah, human senses, and divine grace. Today, it reminds us how God multiplies our insufficient resources for His purposes.

N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: πέντε, pente, [PEN-te]
• Detailed pronunciation: PEN-teh
• Part of Speech: Adjective (Cardinal Number)

Etymology:

• Indo-European root *penkwe
• Related to Latin quinque
• Primary numeral
• Universal Indo-European word

D – Defining Meanings

• Five
• The number five
• Fivefold

For compound words: Not applicable as this is a primary number

Translation Options:

• Five – Direct translation
• Fivefold – Multiplicative sense
• Quintuple – Formal usage

E – Exploring Similar Words

• πεντάς [pentas, pen-TAS] – group of five
• πεμπταῖος [pemptaios, pemp-TAY-os] – on the fifth day
• πενταπλοῦς [pentaplous, pen-ta-PLOOS] – fivefold

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

• Indeclinable Numeral
• No gender forms
• Fixed form πέντε
• Used as adjective or substantive
• Cross-references: πεντάκις (five times), πέμπτος (fifth)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes literal usage. Thayer’s notes symbolic significance. LSJ traces mathematical usage. Vine’s highlights NT contexts. Moulton and Milligan show commercial applications.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“And they said to Him, ‘We have here only five [πέντε] loaves and two fish.'” (Matthew 14:17)

Additional References:
Mark 6:38, Luke 9:13, John 6:9, Revelation 17:10

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

Author: Work	Text
Plato: Republic	“The city has five [πέντε] classes.”
Herodotus: Histories	“Five [πέντε] generals led the army.”
Aristotle: Politics	“The council of five [πέντε] hundred.”

N – Noteworthy Summary

Πέντε reminds us how God can work miracles with limited resources. Whether five loaves feeding thousands or five talents multiplied through faithful stewardship, this number teaches us about divine provision and human responsibility in God’s economy.

D – Did You Know?

1. Five was considered a number of grace in early church numerology
2. Represented incompleteness compared to perfect numbers
3. Frequently appears in ancient measurement systems

Strong’s G4002: Cardinal number meaning “five.” Appears significantly in NT narratives, especially in the feeding of five thousand and parables. Often used symbolically in biblical numerology. In ancient culture, represented God’s grace and human incompleteness when contrasted with divine perfection.

Part of speech: Adjective (Cardinal Number)

Tags: #Numbers #FeedingMiracle #BiblicalNumerology #Grace #Provision #Multiplication #Parables #FiveLoaves #Divine #Mathematics​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​