ἑβδομηκοντάκις

seventy times

Definition

The Greek word ἑβδομηκοντάκις is an adverb meaning 'seventy times' or 'seventy-fold.' It is used exclusively in Matthew 18:22, where Jesus tells Peter to forgive not merely seven times, but 'seventy times seven' (or 'seventy-seven times,' depending on translation). This expression functions not as a literal numerical limit but as a hyperbolic figure of speech denoting limitless, extravagant forgiveness. The word emphasizes the boundlessness of mercy that should characterize the Christian community, moving far beyond any legalistic counting of offenses.

Biblical Usage

This word appears only once in the New Testament, in Matthew 18:22. It is used in a direct teaching from Jesus to Peter about the nature of forgiveness within the fellowship of believers. The context is a conversation about how often one must forgive a brother who sins against them. Jesus contrasts Peter's suggestion of a generous 'seven times' with the vastly greater 'seventy times seven,' establishing a pattern of inexhaustible grace rather than a quantifiable rule.

Etymology

Derived from the cardinal number ἑβδομήκοντα (hebdomēkonta, G1440), meaning 'seventy,' combined with the adverbial suffix -άκις, which indicates frequency or repetition (meaning 'times'). Thus, it literally means 'seventy times.' It is a compound word built specifically to express a high multiple, similar in formation to words like ἑπτάκις (heptakis, 'seven times').

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it anchors Jesus's radical teaching on unlimited forgiveness. It moves discipleship from a ledger of offenses to a posture of relentless grace, mirroring God's forgiveness toward us. Understanding this Greek term highlights that Jesus is not setting a new, higher legal limit (490 times) but is using a symbolic number (seven, representing completeness, multiplied by seventy) to communicate that forgiveness should be as boundless as God's covenant faithfulness. It directly relates to the doctrines of grace, reconciliation, and the character of the Kingdom of Heaven.

In first-century Jewish culture, the number seven held deep symbolic meaning, representing completeness, perfection, and divine fulfillment (e.g., the seven days of creation). The number seventy also carried symbolic weight, recalling the seventy nations of Genesis 10 or the seventy years of Babylonian exile. By using 'seventy times seven,' Jesus would have been heard as invoking a sense of ultimate, covenantal completeness, far surpassing Peter's already generous offer of sevenfold forgiveness, which may have been based on a misinterpretation of Amos 1:3. The phrase dismantles any notion of keeping score in relationships.

ἑπτάκις (heptakis, G2034) — means 'seven times'; a lower, finite number used by Peter as a contrast to Jesus's limitless command.

Word Details

Scripture References