Lexical Summary pentakischilioi: Five thousand Original Word: πεντακισχίλιοι Strong's Exhaustive Concordance five thousand. From pentakis and chilioi; five times a thousand -- five thousand. see GREEK pentakis see GREEK chilioi HELPS Word-studies 4000 pentakisxílioi – 5,000. This term is also used with double entendre (i.e. with added symbolic significance). For discussion on this see: 4002 /pénte ("five"), 5507 /xílioi ("thousand"), and 5070 /tetrakisxílioi ("4,000"). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina cardinal number from pentakis and chilioi Definition five thousand NASB Translation five (1), five thousand (6). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4000: πεντακισχίλιοιπεντακισχίλιοι, πεντακισχίλιαι, πεντακισχίλια, five times a thousand, five thousand: Matthew 14:21; Matthew 16:9; Mark 6:44; Mark 8:19; Luke 9:14; John 6:10. (Herodotus, Plato, others.) Topical Lexicon Scope of the Term Strong’s Greek 4000 designates the number “five thousand,” used six times of the men present at the miraculous feeding recorded in all four Gospels and twice recalled by Jesus in later discussion with His disciples. In every occurrence it points to a specific historical crowd that witnessed Jesus multiply five barley loaves and two fish. Narrative Setting The feeding of the five thousand (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14) takes place in a deserted area near the Sea of Galilee soon after the death of John the Baptist. The disciples, weary from ministry, are invited to rest, yet the multitude follows. Compassion moves Jesus to minister first to their souls (healing and teaching) and then to their bodies by providing food. Textual Witnesses Matthew 14:21 – “About five thousand men were fed, besides women and children.” Mark 6:44 – “And there were five thousand men who had eaten the loaves.” Luke 9:14 – “About five thousand men were there.” John 6:10 – “So the men sat down, about five thousand in number.” Matthew 16:9 – “Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered?” Mark 8:19 – “When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets of pieces did you collect?” They answered, “Twelve.” Historical Reliability The uniform testimony of all four Evangelists confirms the factual nature of the event. Independent yet harmonious accounts testify to early, widespread knowledge of the miracle. The repeated references by Jesus Himself (Matthew 16:9; Mark 8:19) further anchor the feeding as a literal occurrence, not a later legend. Ministry Significance 1. Compassionate Provision: Jesus meets physical need without neglecting spiritual instruction, modeling holistic ministry. Symbolic Observations • Five loaves and five thousand men accentuate divine sufficiency over human limitation. Contrast with the Four Thousand The Gospel writers carefully distinguish this miracle from the later feeding of four thousand (Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-10). Different numbers, settings, and word choices preclude conflation and highlight Jesus’ repeated compassion toward both Jewish and Gentile crowds. Doctrinal Implications • Christ as Creator: Only the One who called the universe into being can multiply matter instantaneously. Reception in Early Church History Second-century writers such as Irenaeus cited the feeding of the five thousand as evidence of Jesus’ deity and the trustworthy transmission of the apostolic tradition. The miracle became a standard catechetical example of Christ’s power and benevolence. Liturgical and Devotional Use Hymns, art, and lectionaries of the ancient church commemorated the event, often pairing it with the Eucharist to emphasize that the same Lord who fed the multitude continues to nourish His people through Word and sacrament. Practical Application The “five thousand” invites modern disciples to offer limited resources to Christ’s service, trust Him for multiplication, and remember His past faithfulness when facing new challenges—precisely the lesson Jesus pressed upon the Twelve in Matthew 16:9 and Mark 8:19. Related Topics Bread of Life – John 6:22-59 Twelve Baskets – Symbolism of Remnant and Mission Miracles of Provision – Old Testament Precedent (Exodus 16; 2 Kings 4:42-44) Forms and Transliterations πεντακισχίλια πεντακισχίλιαι πεντακισχιλίας πεντακισχιλιοι πεντακισχίλιοι πεντακισχιλιους πεντακισχιλίους πεντακισχιλιων πεντακισχιλίων pentakischilioi pentakischílioi pentakischilion pentakischiliōn pentakischilíon pentakischilíōn pentakischilious pentakischilíousLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 14:21 Adj-NMPGRK: ἄνδρες ὡσεὶ πεντακισχίλιοι χωρὶς γυναικῶν NAS: There were about five thousand men KJV: were about five thousand men, beside INT: men about five thousand besides women Matthew 16:9 Adj-GMP Mark 6:44 Adj-NMP Mark 8:19 Adj-AMP Luke 9:14 Adj-NMP John 6:10 Adj-NMP Strong's Greek 4000 |
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