### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word `{{G1540}}` (hekatón) functions as a cardinal numeral, primarily signifying "one hundred." Its core meaning is straightforwardly quantitative, denoting a precise numerical value. While its etymological affinity is noted as uncertain, its semantic range within the New Testament is consistently applied to counts of objects, people, or measures. Beyond mere enumeration, `{{G1540}}` often carries a sense of significant quantity, whether representing a large but definite number, a substantial measure, or, in certain contexts, an extraordinary abundance or yield. It serves as a foundational building block for larger numbers and can, by implication, contribute to concepts of completeness or fullness when used in symbolic or hyperbolic expressions.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
`{{G1540}}` appears numerous times in the New Testament, illustrating its diverse applications:
* **Abundance and Fruitfulness:** Most notably, in the Parable of the Sower, `{{G1540}}` describes the highest yield of fruit from good soil: "still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown" ([[Matthew 13:8]]; cf. [[Matthew 13:23]], [[Mark 4:8]], [[Mark 4:20]], [[Luke 8:8]]). This "hundredfold" yield is a hyperbole signifying extraordinary divine blessing and spiritual fruitfulness. Similarly, in the context of rewards for discipleship, Jesus promises those who sacrifice for His sake that they "will receive a hundred times as much" ([[Matthew 19:29]]; cf. [[Mark 10:30]]).
* **Numerical Grouping and Order:** In the account of the feeding of the five thousand, Jesus instructs His disciples to have the crowds sit down "in groups of hundreds and fifties" ([[Mark 6:40]]). Here, `{{G1540}}` denotes a practical organizational unit, facilitating distribution and demonstrating order amidst a large multitude.
* **Precise Quantity:** The word is used to specify a definite number, such as the "hundred sheep" in the Parable of the Lost Sheep ([[Matthew 18:12]]; cf. [[Luke 15:4]]). This represents a complete flock, emphasizing the value of each individual lost sheep. In the burial of Jesus, Nicodemus brings "a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds" ([[John 19:39]]), indicating a substantial and costly quantity of burial spices.
* **Symbolic Measurement:** In the description of the New Jerusalem, the wall is measured as "a hundred and forty-four cubits" ([[Revelation 21:17]]). While part of a larger symbolic number (12 x 12 x 1000 for the 144,000 redeemed), the "hundred" here contributes to a precise, divinely ordained dimension, hinting at perfection and completeness.
### Related Words & Concepts
As a cardinal number, `{{G1540}}` is inherently related to other numerical terms and concepts of quantity. It stands alongside other multiples of ten and one hundred, such as `{{G1176}}` (deka - ten) and larger numbers like `{{G5505}}` (chilias - thousand). The concept of "hundredfold" connects it to ideas of multiplication (`{{G4129}}` - plethos, multitude; `{{G4183}}` - polys, much/many) and abundance, often in a spiritual context. Its use in measurement links it to units of weight or length, though not directly to specific Greek words for those units. The theological implications of `{{G1540}}` often intersect with biblical numerology, where numbers can carry symbolic weight (e.g., completeness, divine order, or overwhelming blessing).
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{G1540}}` is most profoundly expressed in its association with divine abundance and the extraordinary nature of God's kingdom. The "hundredfold" yield in the parables serves as a powerful metaphor for the exponential fruitfulness that results from receiving and responding to God's Word in good soil. It underscores the truth that God's blessings and the returns on spiritual investment far exceed human expectation or natural capacity. This is not merely a quantitative increase but a qualitative demonstration of God's overflowing grace and power to multiply.
Furthermore, the "hundredfold" promise to those who sacrifice for Christ's sake ([[Matthew 19:29]]) highlights God's faithfulness to reward devotion generously, even in this life, and eternally. The use of `{{G1540}}` in the context of the lost sheep emphasizes the immense value God places on each individual, signifying a complete flock from which not one is to be lost. In the New Jerusalem, the "hundred and forty-four" cubits contribute to a vision of divine perfection, order, and the comprehensive nature of God's redemptive plan. Thus, `{{G1540}}` subtly points to God's generosity, His meticulous order, and the vastness of His kingdom's blessings.
### Summary
`{{G1540}}` (hekatón) denotes "one hundred," a cardinal number used in the New Testament to signify precise quantity, large groupings, and, most notably, extraordinary abundance. Its appearance in the Parable of the Sower and promises of reward for discipleship powerfully illustrates the "hundredfold" blessing—a theological concept emphasizing God's overflowing generosity, the exponential fruitfulness of His kingdom, and the abundant returns on spiritual commitment. Beyond mere enumeration, `{{G1540}}` contributes to a reverent understanding of divine order, immense value, and the comprehensive nature of God's redemptive work.
TRV