Lexical Summary hendeka: Eleven Original Word: ἕνδεκα Strong's Exhaustive Concordance eleven. From (the neuter of) heis and deka; one and ten, i.e. Eleven -- eleven. see GREEK heis see GREEK deka NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origincardinal number from the neut. of heis and deka Definition eleven NASB Translation eleven (6). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1733: ἕνδεκαἕνδεκα, οἱ, αἱ, τά, eleven: οἱ ἕνδεκα, the eleven apostles of Christ remaining after the death of Judas the traitor, Matthew 28:16; Mark 16:14; Luke 24:9, 33; Acts 1:26; Acts 2:14. (From Homer down.) Topical Lexicon Numerical Identity and Symbolic Resonanceἕνδεκα designates the number eleven. Within the New Testament this figure consistently identifies the apostolic company after Judas Iscariot’s defection and before Matthias’ appointment. The number therefore marks a liminal moment—neither the original twelve nor a diminished remnant, but a body in transition awaiting restored fullness. Eleven thus conveys both continuity (the disciples remain a recognizable group) and incompleteness (their ranks are one short of covenantal perfection represented by twelve). Occurrences in the Canonical Narrative Matthew 28:16: “Meanwhile, the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain Jesus had designated.” Mark 16:14: “Later Jesus appeared to the eleven as they were reclining at the table; He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart…” Luke 24:33 & 24:9 present the risen Lord’s witnesses reporting “to the eleven and to all the rest.” Acts 1:26 records Matthias being “counted with the eleven apostles,” while Acts 2:14 depicts “Peter, standing up with the eleven,” on the Day of Pentecost. These six references span Resurrection appearances, the Ascension interval, and Pentecost, binding the term to crucial redemptive-historical events. Historical Setting: From Betrayal to Restoration The betrayal by Judas disrupted the symbolic completeness of the Twelve, a number echoing the tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28). During the forty days of post-resurrection instruction, Jesus repeatedly engages “the eleven,” affirming their ongoing commission despite their temporary deficiency (Matthew 28:18-20). The vacancy is addressed in Acts 1:15-26, where prayer, Scriptural appeal (Psalms 69 and 109), and providential casting of lots restore the full apostolic complement. Until that moment, every mention of the eleven underscores both urgency and expectancy: they are charged to wait, pray, and receive power (Acts 1:4-8). Apostolic Unity and Witness Luke presents “Peter, standing up with the eleven” (Acts 2:14) as a visible sign of restored unity. Their corporate stance lends apostolic weight to Peter’s Pentecost proclamation. While only Peter speaks, the presence of the eleven silently validates the sermon, displaying collegial authority rather than individual charisma. The singular occurrence of ἕνδεκα after Matthias’ election (Acts 2:14) highlights how quickly the narrative shifts back to the language of twelve (Acts 6:2), showing that eleven functioned strictly as a transitional title. Theological and Ministerial Implications 1. Integrity of Divine Plan: Scripture records the temporary imperfection of eleven without embarrassment, illustrating God’s sovereignty in using flawed circumstances to advance His redemptive program. Application for Contemporary Discipleship Believers today often labor in conditions of “eleven”: seasons marked by loss, transition, or apparent incompleteness. The narrative of the eleven encourages churches to: • Embrace honest acknowledgment of deficiency without despair. In every passage where ἕνδεκα occurs, the risen Christ is either present or imminently at work. Thus, eleven ultimately points beyond itself to the Lord who turns insufficiency into abundance and equips His people for mission “to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Forms and Transliterations ενδεκα ένδεκα ἕνδεκα endeka hendeka héndekaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 28:16 AdjGRK: Οἱ δὲ ἕνδεκα μαθηταὶ ἐπορεύθησαν NAS: But the eleven disciples proceeded KJV: Then the eleven disciples went away INT: moreover [the] eleven disciples went Mark 16:14 Adj Luke 24:9 Adj Luke 24:33 Adj Acts 1:26 Adj Acts 2:14 Adj |
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