Strong’s G4003: From πέντε (five), καί (and), and δέκατος (tenth); meaning “fifteenth.” Used uniquely in Luke to precisely date John the Baptist’s ministry. Demonstrates Luke’s attention to historical detail and places biblical events in verifiable historical context.

U- Unveiling the Word

Πεντεκαιδέκατος represents precise historical dating in Luke’s gospel. Used to establish the chronological setting of John the Baptist’s ministry during Tiberius Caesar’s reign. Early church writers saw this precision as evidence of Luke’s historical reliability. Today, it helps anchor biblical events in verifiable history and demonstrates Scripture’s historical accuracy.

N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: πεντεκαιδέκατος, pentekaideaktos, [pen-te-kai-DE-ka-tos]
• Detailed pronunciation: pen-teh-kai-DEH-ka-tos
• Part of Speech: Adjective (Ordinal Number)

Etymology:

• πέντε (five)
• καί (and)
• δέκατος (tenth)
• Forms compound ordinal number

D – Defining Meanings

• Fifteenth
• The fifteenth in sequence
• Number fifteen in order

For compound words:

• πέντε contributes five
• καί joins numbers
• δέκατος adds tenth
• Combined meaning: fifteenth

Translation Options:

• Fifteenth – Standard translation
• Fifteen in sequence – Ordinal emphasis
• Number fifteen – Alternative form

E – Exploring Similar Words

• πεντεκαίδεκα [pentekaideka, pen-te-KAI-de-ka] – fifteen
• δέκατος [dekatos, DEH-ka-tos] – tenth
• πέμπτος [pemptos, PEMP-tos] – fifth

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

• Ordinal Adjective
• Three Gender Forms:
• Masculine: πεντεκαιδέκατος
• Feminine: πεντεκαιδεκάτη
• Neuter: πεντεκαιδέκατον
• Regular ordinal endings
• Cross-references: πέντε (five), δέκα (ten)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes historical dating usage. Thayer’s notes precise chronology. LSJ traces administrative usage. Vine’s highlights historical context. Moulton and Milligan show documentary evidence.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
“Now in the fifteenth [πεντεκαιδέκατος] year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea…” (Luke 3:1)

Additional References:
No other biblical references

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Πεντεκαιδέκατος demonstrates how God works within precise historical moments. Luke’s careful dating shows that the gospel message is grounded in real history, encouraging us that our faith rests on historical facts, not myths.

D – Did You Know?

1. Used in ancient administrative documents
2. Important for establishing NT chronology
3. Key to dating John the Baptist’s ministry

Strong’s G4003: From πέντε (five), καί (and), and δέκατος (tenth); meaning “fifteenth.” Used uniquely in Luke to precisely date John the Baptist’s ministry. Demonstrates Luke’s attention to historical detail and places biblical events in verifiable historical context.

Part of speech: Adjective (Ordinal Number)

Tags: #Numbers #BiblicalChronology #LukeGospel #History #Dating #JohnTheBaptist #TiberiusCaesar #BiblicalHistory #HistoricalContext #Ordinals​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​