πεντακισχίλιοι

five thousand

Definition

The Greek adjective πεντακισχίλιοι (pentakischilioi) means 'five thousand' and is used exclusively as a specific, large numerical count in the New Testament. It appears in all four Gospels to describe the number of men fed by Jesus in the miraculous feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:21, Mark 6:44, Luke 9:14, John 6:10). In two later passages (Matthew 16:9, Mark 8:19), Jesus uses the number rhetorically to remind his disciples of this miracle, questioning their lack of faith and understanding. The term carries no symbolic or metaphorical meaning beyond its literal numerical value.

Biblical Usage

This word is used exclusively in the context of Jesus's miracles and the disciples' recollection of them. All six occurrences are found in narratives about the feeding of the multitude, making it a specific technical term within these miracle accounts. In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) and John, it serves to emphasize the scale of the miracle. In Matthew 16:9 and Mark 8:19, its usage shifts slightly to a rhetorical device, as Jesus cites the number to challenge the disciples' memory and faith.

Etymology

Derived from the combination of two Greek elements: πέντε (pente, G4002), meaning 'five', and χίλιοι (chilioi, G5507), meaning 'a thousand'. It is a compound numeral formed in a standard Greek pattern, literally 'five-thousand'. It is related to other numerical compounds like τετρακισχίλιοι (tetrakischilioi, G5070) meaning 'four thousand'.

Semantic Range

While the word itself is a simple number, its consistent use across all four Gospels to describe a specific miracle gives it theological significance. It anchors the feeding of the five thousand as a concrete, historical event of immense scale, demonstrating Jesus's divine authority and compassion. Understanding that this specific Greek term is used highlights the Gospel writers' shared emphasis on the factual reality of this sign, which points to Jesus as the bread of life (John 6:35) and the provider for his people.

In the 1st-century context, a crowd of five thousand men (not counting women and children, as noted in Matthew 14:21) represented a massive, almost military-sized gathering. This scale would have been immediately impressive to original readers, underscoring the magnitude of Jesus's miraculous provision. The specific counting of men may reflect cultural conventions for estimating crowd size.

χίλιοι (chilioi, G5507) — The root word meaning 'a thousand', used for the general concept. τετρακισχίλιοι (tetrakischilioi, G5070) — The compound numeral meaning 'four thousand', used in the parallel account of the feeding of the four thousand (e.g., Matthew 15:38).

Word Details

Scripture References