ἐκδοχή

a waiting for, expectation

Definition

ἐκδοχή refers to a state of waiting or expectation, specifically a focused anticipation for something that is coming. In its single New Testament occurrence, it carries the sense of an intense, expectant waiting for a future event, often with an element of apprehension or certainty about its arrival. The word implies not just passive waiting, but an active, watchful posture oriented toward a known outcome. This is distinct from a vague hope; it is an expectation based on a promise or a known reality.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Hebrews 10:27. There, it describes the terrifying 'expectation' of judgment that awaits those who deliberately continue in sin after receiving knowledge of the truth. The context is eschatological, framing this expectation as a certain and dreadful reality that one awaits. Its singular use highlights the severity and inevitability of divine judgment for the apostate.

Etymology

Derived from the verb ἐκδέχομαι (ekdechomai, G1551), which means 'to receive from,' 'to accept,' or 'to wait for.' It is a compound of the preposition ἐκ (ek, 'out of') and the root related to δέχομαι (dechomai, 'to receive'). Thus, ἐκδοχή literally conveys the idea of 'a receiving out,' which developed into the nuanced sense of an expectant waiting for something to come forth or be revealed.

Semantic Range

ἐκδοχή is theologically significant as it encapsulates the biblical concept of certain future judgment. In Hebrews 10:27, it is not a mere possibility but a settled expectation. This enriches the reading of Hebrews by emphasizing the seriousness of apostasy and the objective reality of God's coming judgment. It serves as a sober counterpoint to the believer's blessed hope, reminding readers that expectation in Scripture can be either a promise of terror or of joy, depending on one's relationship to God.

In the Greco-Roman world, the concept of expectation (προσδοκία, prosdokia) was common, but ἐκδοχή, with its root in 'receiving,' may have carried a stronger sense of something being due or impending. The author of Hebrews uses this specific term to frame divine judgment not as a random act but as the inevitable 'receiving' of a due consequence, a concept understandable in a culture familiar with legal and transactional outcomes.

προσδοκία (prosdokia, G4329) — a more general term for expectation or anticipation, often used in a neutral sense. ἀποκάλυψις (apokalypsis, G602) — emphasizes the revelation or unveiling of what is expected, rather than the state of waiting itself.

Word Details

Scripture References