πεντακόσιοι

five hundred

Definition

The Greek adjective πεντακόσιοι (pentakosioi) means 'five hundred' and is used exclusively as a cardinal number. It denotes a specific, large quantity. In its two New Testament occurrences, it functions identically, quantifying a group of people. In Luke 7:41, it describes a debt of five hundred denarii, a massive sum used by Jesus in a parable to illustrate the magnitude of forgiveness. In 1 Corinthians 15:6, it specifies the group of over five hundred witnesses to the resurrected Christ, emphasizing the historical reliability of the resurrection event.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only twice in the New Testament, in two distinct contexts. In Luke 7:41, it appears in a parable of Jesus about two debtors, quantifying a financial obligation to highlight a spiritual principle of grace. In 1 Corinthians 15:6, it is used in a historical, evidential argument by Paul, quantifying the number of people who saw the risen Jesus, many of whom were still alive at the time of writing. Both uses leverage the large, specific number to add weight and credibility to the point being made.

Etymology

Derived from the Greek words πέντε (pente, 'five') and ἑκατόν (hekaton, 'hundred'), combined to form the compound adjective πεντακόσιοι. It follows a standard pattern for forming multiples of a hundred in Greek, similar to English 'five hundred.'

Semantic Range

While a simple number, its use in 1 Corinthians 15:6 is theologically significant. Paul cites the 'five hundred brothers' as a key piece of evidence for the physical, historical resurrection of Jesus, a cornerstone of Christian doctrine. The specificity and scale of the witness list were meant to counter early skepticism and establish the resurrection as a public, verifiable event, not a private vision. Understanding this precise number enriches the reading by highlighting the apologetic strength of the early Christian proclamation.

In Luke 7:41, the sum of 'five hundred denarii' represented approximately a year and a half's wages for a common laborer, an impossibly large debt for most people. This cultural understanding of its value makes the parable's contrast with a smaller debt (fifty denarii) and the lesson on proportional gratitude for forgiveness far more impactful.

πέντε (pente, G4002) — the cardinal number 'five', the root component of the larger number. ἑκατόν (hekaton, G1540) — the cardinal number 'one hundred', the other root component.

Word Details

Scripture References