κατάβασις
descent
Definition
Katabasis refers to a descent or a going down, specifically describing a downward movement from a higher to a lower place. In its sole New Testament occurrence, Luke 19:37, it denotes the 'descent' of the Mount of Olives, describing the physical path Jesus took toward Jerusalem. In broader Greek literature, the term could also describe a military retreat or a journey to the underworld, but the biblical usage is strictly geographical. The word emphasizes the physical and directional aspect of a downward journey.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Luke 19:37, to describe the location where the disciples began to praise God as Jesus made his 'descent' from the Mount of Olives during the Triumphal Entry. Its usage is purely descriptive of a physical, topographical movement. There are no other patterns or contextual variations in biblical usage.
Etymology
Derived from the preposition κατά (kata), meaning 'down' or 'against,' combined with the root of βαίνω (bainō), meaning 'to go' or 'to step.' Literally, it means 'a going down.' It is a compound noun formed in a standard way to indicate a downward motion or path.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is a simple geographical term, its single use in Luke 19:37 is theologically significant. It marks the specific location where Jesus is publicly acclaimed as king at the start of his final journey into Jerusalem, which leads directly to the cross. Understanding this 'descent' enriches the reading by highlighting the deliberate, path-driven nature of Jesus's journey toward his sacrificial mission.
In the 1st-century context, a 'descent' from the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem was a well-known topographical feature of the landscape. For Jewish pilgrims, this route had celebratory associations with major festivals. The term itself would have been understood in its straightforward, physical sense without the mythological connotations it sometimes carried in classical Greek literature.
καταβαίνω (katabainō, G2597) — the verb form meaning 'to go down' or 'descend.' κάθοδος (kathodos, G2600 alternate) — a less common synonym also meaning 'descent' or 'way down.'
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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