2234. hédeós

Lexical Summary

hédeós: Gladly, willingly, with pleasure

Original Word: ἡδέως
Part of Speech: Adverb
Transliteration: hédeós
Pronunciation: hay-deh-oce'
Phonetic Spelling: (hay-deh'-oce)
KJV: gladly
NASB: most gladly, enjoy, enjoyed, gladly
Word Origin: [adverb from a derivative of the base of G2237 (ἡδονή - pleasures)]

1. sweetly
2. (figuratively) with pleasure

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

gladly.

Adverb from a derivative of the base of hedone; sweetly, i.e. (figuratively) with pleasure -- gladly.

see GREEK hedone

HELPS Word-studies

2234 hēdéōs (an adverb derived from hēdys, "sweetly") – properly, sweet; (figuratively) highly agreeable (enjoyable), i.e. gladly received because so sweet to the beholder.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
adverb from hédus (sweet)
Definition
sweetly, gladly
NASB Translation
enjoy (1), enjoyed (1), gladly (1), most gladly (2).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 2234: ἡδέως

ἡδέως, adverb (from ἡδύς sweet, pleasant), with pleasure, gladly: Mark 6:20; Mark 12:37; 2 Corinthians 11:19. (From Sophocles, Plato down.)

Topical Lexicon

Usage in Scripture

Strong’s Greek 2234 (ἡδέως) appears three times in the New Testament and consistently conveys willing, positive receptivity.
• Mark 6:20 – Herod “heard him gladly,” revealing a conflicted heart that nevertheless felt genuine attraction to John’s call to righteousness.
• Mark 12:37 – “The large crowd listened to Him with delight,” illustrating the magnetic authority of Jesus Christ that drew ordinary people despite religious opposition.
• 2 Corinthians 11:19 – Paul admonishes, “You gladly tolerate fools,” exposing an uncritical enthusiasm that left the Corinthian church vulnerable to boasting intruders.

Thematic Threads

1. Receptive Hearing: Each occurrence centers on listening rather than speaking. The term highlights not simply auditory attention but an inner pleasure at receiving a message.
2. Moral Ambiguity: Herod’s enjoyment of John’s preaching did not translate into obedience. The word therefore warns that delight without repentance can end in tragic compromise.
3. Popular Response to Truth: The crowds’ delight at Jesus’ teaching underscores the inherent attractiveness of divine revelation when unencumbered by self-interest.
4. Vulnerability of Unchecked Enthusiasm: Corinth’s “glad tolerance” demonstrates that pleasure in discourse must be balanced by discernment if the church is to remain doctrinally sound.

Historical Background

In first-century Greco-Roman rhetoric, public speakers sought not merely to inform but to move hearers toward goodwill (εὔνοια). Ἡδέως fits that cultural milieu, describing the emotional readiness that effective orators aimed to elicit. Yet Scripture showcases a higher standard: genuine gladness should lead to transformed lives, not superficial applause. Herod’s palace, Jerusalem’s temple courts, and Corinth’s civic assembly represent three social spheres where persuasive speech flourished, and ἡδέως shades each scene with its distinctive challenge.

Ministry Implications

• Preaching That Captures Hearts: Mark 12:37 encourages ministers to proclaim Christ with clarity and grace, trusting that the gospel still produces delight among seekers.
• Discerning Delight: Paul’s rebuke in 2 Corinthians 11 cautions leaders to differentiate between joy rooted in truth and excitement stirred by charisma or novelty.
• Shepherding the Interested: Herod’s example shows that those who appear intrigued by spiritual matters may still resist repentance; pastoral care must press for concrete steps of faith.

Pastoral Reflections

The same word that marks Herod’s conflicted curiosity also marks Corinth’s gullibility and the crowd’s sincere joy. Thus, glad hearing is spiritually neutral until tested by obedience and discernment. The Spirit-filled church cultivates an environment where delight in the Word consistently matures into holiness (James 1:22-25).

Key Takeaways

1. Ἡδέως underscores Scripture’s call to listen with eager hearts.
2. Delight must move beyond emotion to action; otherwise it is powerless.
3. Sound doctrine safeguards congregations from the hazards of uncritical enthusiasm.
4. Faithful proclamation of Christ remains inherently winsome, drawing multitudes who long for truth.

Forms and Transliterations

ηδεως ηδέως ἡδέως edeos ēdeōs hedeos hedéos hēdeōs hēdéōs

Englishman's Concordance

Mark 6:20 Adv
GRK: ἠπόρει καὶ ἡδέως αὐτοῦ ἤκουεν
NAS: perplexed; but he used to enjoy listening
KJV: heard him gladly.
INT: did and gladly him heard

Mark 12:37 Adv
GRK: ἤκουεν αὐτοῦ ἡδέως
NAS: crowd enjoyed listening
KJV: heard him gladly.
INT: heard him gladly

2 Corinthians 11:19 Adv
GRK: ἡδέως γὰρ ἀνέχεσθε
NAS: tolerate the foolish gladly.
KJV: fools gladly, seeing ye [yourselves] are
INT: gladly indeed you bear with

Strong's Greek 2234
3 Occurrences

ἡδέως — 3 Occ.