Lexical Summary eucharistia: Thanksgiving, gratitude Original Word: εὐχαριστία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance thankfulness, thanksgiving. From eucharistos; gratitude; actively, grateful language (to God, as an act of worship) -- thankfulness, (giving of) thanks(-giving). see GREEK eucharistos HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 2169 eu NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom eucharistos Definition thankfulness, giving of thanks NASB Translation giving of thanks (3), gratefully* (1), gratitude (2), thankfulness (1), thanks (2), thanksgiving (4), thanksgivings (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2169: εὐχαριστίαεὐχαριστία, εὐχαριστίας, ἡ (εὐχάριστος, which see); 1. thankfulness: decree of the Byzantines in Demosthenes, p. 256, 19; Polybius 8, 14, 8; Additions to Esther 6:4 2. the giving of thanks: Acts 24:3; for God's blessings, 1 Corinthians 14:16; 2 Corinthians 4:15; Ephesians 5:4 (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:18); Philippians 4:6; Colossians 2:7; Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 3:9; 1 Timothy 4:3; Revelation 4:9; Revelation 7:12; with the dative of the person to whom thanks are given: τῷ Θεῷ (cf. Winers Grammar, § 31, 3; (Buttmann, 180 (156)); Kühner, § 424, 1), 2 Corinthians 9:11 (τοῦ Θεοῦ, Wis. 16:28); in plural, 2 Corinthians 9:12; 1 Timothy 2:1. Strong’s 2169 embraces the disposition and expression of heartfelt gratitude toward God. Far from a mere polite acknowledgment, it is a covenantal response that recognizes His character, works, and gifts, and it functions as both an attitude and an act of worship. Thanksgiving in Scripture is never detached from faith; it is the grateful proclamation that God is worthy of glory and that His providence is good. Occurrences in the New Testament • Acts 24:3 – Paul’s accusers ironically use the term when professing “great peace” under Felix, highlighting how thanksgiving can be misapplied when it is divorced from truth. Theological Significance Thanksgiving flows from grace: “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:15). Gratitude is both effect and evidence of grace received. It glorifies God, aligns the believer’s affections with His purposes, and testifies to the gospel’s power. Thanksgiving and Worship Revelation 4:9 and 7:12 place thanksgiving at the heart of celestial liturgy: “Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Thanksgiving thus anticipates and rehearses the eternal praise of God’s redeemed creation. Implications for Prayer Life Philippians 4:6 links thanksgiving to anxiety-free prayer: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Gratitude reorients the soul, fostering trust and contentment, and it is an indispensable ingredient of effective intercession. Connection to Stewardship and Generosity In 2 Corinthians 9:11–12, monetary gifts provoke “many thanksgivings to God.” Biblical stewardship is never merely transactional; it is a ministry that generates worship, turning material resources into spiritual fruit. Eschatological Dimension John’s visions reveal thanksgiving resounding in heaven, affirming that the church’s present gratitude participates in the final consummation. Every act of thanksgiving is an echo of that future doxology when all creation acknowledges God’s reign. Historical Use in the Early Church By the second century, εὐχαριστία had become a technical term for the Lord’s Supper, reflecting the centrality of gratitude in remembrance of Christ’s atoning work (cf. Didache 9–10). While later liturgical developments expanded the meaning, the root remains scriptural: the table is a place where the church gives thanks for redemption accomplished. Pastoral and Ministry Applications 1. Cultivate congregational habits of verbal gratitude, replacing grumbling (Ephesians 5:4). Summary Strong’s 2169 portrays thanksgiving as an all-encompassing response to God’s grace—individual and corporate, earthly and heavenly, present and future. It is the grateful heart’s language, the church’s testimony, and creation’s destiny, calling every believer to abound “with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:7). Englishman's Concordance Acts 24:3 N-GFSGRK: μετὰ πάσης εὐχαριστίας NAS: Felix, with all thankfulness. KJV: with all thankfulness. INT: with all thankfulness 1 Corinthians 14:16 N-DFS 2 Corinthians 4:15 N-AFS 2 Corinthians 9:11 N-AFS 2 Corinthians 9:12 N-GFP Ephesians 5:4 N-NFS Philippians 4:6 N-GFS Colossians 2:7 N-DFS Colossians 4:2 N-DFS 1 Thessalonians 3:9 N-AFS 1 Timothy 2:1 N-AFP 1 Timothy 4:3 N-GFS 1 Timothy 4:4 N-GFS Revelation 4:9 N-AFS Revelation 7:12 N-NFS Strong's Greek 2169 |
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