τριακόσιοι
three hundred
Definition
The Greek adjective τριακόσιοι (triakosioi) means 'three hundred.' It is a cardinal number used to denote a specific quantity, appearing only twice in the New Testament. In both instances, it quantifies a sum of money: three hundred denarii. A denarius was a day's wage for a common laborer, making this a substantial amount, equivalent to nearly a year's income. The word functions purely as a numerical descriptor without additional metaphorical or symbolic meaning in its biblical usage.
Biblical Usage
This word is used in two parallel Gospel accounts to emphasize the high monetary value of an act of devotion. In Mark 14:5 and John 12:5, certain disciples (some in Mark, Judas Iscariot in John) object that the expensive perfume used to anoint Jesus could have been sold for 'three hundred denarii' and the money given to the poor. The specific figure underscores the perceived wastefulness of the act from a practical, economic perspective, heightening the contrast with Jesus's affirmation of the woman's prophetic and worshipful gesture.
Etymology
The word τριακόσιοι is a compound adjective formed from τρία (tria, 'three') and ἑκατόν (hekaton, 'hundred'). It follows a standard Greek pattern for forming hundreds, similar to English 'three hundred.' It is derived from the Proto-Indo-European root for 'three' and is a cognate with Latin 'trecenti.'
Semantic Range
The cultural weight of 'three hundred denarii' is significant. A denarius was the standard daily wage for a soldier or agricultural worker (see Matthew 20:2). Therefore, three hundred denarii represented approximately a year's wages, assuming a six-day workweek. This context makes the objection in the Gospel narratives financially understandable—it was a small fortune. Understanding this economic value deepens our appreciation for the extravagant, sacrificial nature of the anointing at Bethany, which Jesus defends as a beautiful preparation for his burial (Mark 14:6-8).
τρία (tria, G5140) — The cardinal number 'three,' the base component of 'three hundred.' ἑκατόν (hekaton, G1540) — The cardinal number 'one hundred,' the other component of the compound.
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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