from ἑκατόν and ἔτος; centenarian:--hundred years old.
Transliteration:hekatontaétēs
Pronunciation:hek-at-on-tah-et'-ace
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word ἑκατονταέτης (hekatontaétēs, `{{G1541}}`) is a compound adjective formed from ἑκατόν (hekaton, "hundred" `{{G1540}}`) and ἔτος (etos, "year" `{{G2094}}`). Its core meaning is highly precise and literal: "one hundred years old" or "a centenarian." It describes a person who has attained the age of a century. Unlike many words with broad semantic fields, ἑκατονταέτης is semantically restricted to this specific numerical age, emphasizing the advanced stage of life. Its directness conveys a factual, almost stark, declaration of age.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term ἑκατονταέτης occurs only once in the New Testament, found in Paul's Epistle to the Romans:
* **[[Romans 4:19]]**: "And without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the barrenness of Sarah’s womb."
In this pivotal passage, Paul is expounding on the nature of Abraham's faith as the paradigm for justification. The phrase "about a hundred years old" (ἑκατονταέτης) is crucial for understanding the magnitude of Abraham's belief. At this advanced age, from a human perspective, Abraham's body was "as good as dead" (νενεκρωμένον), making the prospect of fathering a child naturally impossible. The inclusion of Sarah's barrenness further compounds the human impossibility. The word ἑκατονταέτης thus serves to underscore the profound human limitation that Abraham faced, thereby magnifying the extraordinary character of his faith. He did not waver or doubt God's promise, even when all natural signs pointed to its unfulfillment. This contextual analysis reveals that the word is not merely a descriptive detail but a vital component in highlighting the divine power at work, transcending all human biological and chronological constraints.
### Related Words & Concepts
The primary components of ἑκατονταέτης are ἑκατόν (hekaton, "hundred" `{{G1540}}`) and ἔτος (etos, "year" `{{G2094}}`), both common Greek terms for numerical quantity and temporal duration, respectively.
Related concepts include:
* **Age and Longevity:** The word directly engages with the concept of advanced human age, a theme also prominent in the Old Testament patriarchal narratives where individuals lived for many centuries (e.g., Noah, Methuselah, Abraham).
* **Human Limitation:** The advanced age of Abraham (and Sarah's barrenness) highlights the boundaries of human capacity and natural processes. This sets the stage for the demonstration of divine power.
* **Faith (πίστις, pistis `{{G4102}}`):** The context of [[Romans 4:19]] inextricably links Abraham's ἑκατονταέτης state with his unwavering faith. His age provides the backdrop against which his exceptional belief is illuminated.
* **Divine Promise (ἐπαγγελία, epangelia `{{G1860}}`):** The word is used in relation to God's promise to Abraham, emphasizing that God's ability to fulfill His word is not contingent upon human biological viability.
* **Hope (ἐλπίς, elpis `{{G1680}}`):** Paul famously states that Abraham "in hope believed against hope" ([[Romans 4:18]]), a hope that directly confronted the reality of his ἑκατονταέτης condition.
While ἑκατονταέτης is a Greek word, the Old Testament often describes the ages of patriarchs using phrases like "son of X years" (e.g., "בן מאה שנה" for "a hundred years old"), conveying the same concept of specific ages.
### Theological Significance
The singular use of ἑκατονταέτης in [[Romans 4:19]] carries profound theological weight.
1. **Exemplar of Justifying Faith:** The word anchors Abraham's experience in a concrete, humanly impossible reality. His being "about a hundred years old" underscores that his faith was not based on human strength or natural ability, but solely on the power and faithfulness of God. This makes him the perfect paradigm for justification by faith, demonstrating that righteousness is imputed to those who believe God's promises, irrespective of their own capacity or works.
2. **God's Sovereignty Over Creation:** The description of Abraham's body as "as good as dead" (νενεκρωμένον) at a century old, juxtaposed with God's promise, powerfully testifies to God's absolute sovereignty over life and death, creation and procreation. God is able to bring life out of what is dead, demonstrating His power to transcend natural laws. This resonates with the resurrection of Christ, where God also raised "the dead" ([[Romans 4:17]]).
3. **Hope Against All Odds:** The ἑκατονταέτης condition of Abraham provides the stark contrast against which his "hope against hope" ([[Romans 4:18]]) shines. It illustrates that true biblical hope is not naive optimism, but a tenacious trust in God's character and power, even when all human circumstances seem to contradict the possibility of fulfillment. It is a hope grounded in God's omnipotence and faithfulness, rather than human potential.
### Summary
The Greek word ἑκατονταέτης (hekatontaétēs, `{{G1541}}`) precisely denotes "one hundred years old" or "a centenarian." Its sole New Testament appearance in [[Romans 4:19]] is profoundly significant, describing Abraham's advanced age when he believed God's promise of a son. This specific detail is not incidental; it serves to magnify the extraordinary nature of Abraham's faith, which did not waver despite his extreme old age and Sarah's barrenness, both rendering the promise humanly impossible. Theologically, ἑκατονταέτης underscores God's boundless power to fulfill His promises, even against natural impossibilities, and powerfully illustrates the concept of justification by faith. It highlights that genuine faith rests not on human capacity or favorable circumstances, but solely on the omnipotence and unwavering faithfulness of God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
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