### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek verb G1551 (ἐκδέχομαι, *ekdéchomai*) is a compound word formed from the preposition ἐκ (*ek*), meaning "out of" or "from," and the verb δέχομαι (*déchomai*, `{{G1209}}`), meaning "to receive" or "to accept." This etymological foundation provides the core semantic range of ἐκδέχομαι: "to accept from some source." By natural implication, this leads to the meaning "to await," "to expect," or "to look for." The nuance is not merely passive waiting, but an active, anticipatory posture, a state of readiness to receive something that is expected to arrive or occur. It suggests a focused attention on a future event or arrival, often with a sense of certainty or hope regarding its eventual manifestation.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
G1551 appears seven times in the New Testament, each instance illuminating a facet of its meaning:
* **[[John 5:3]]**: Here, a "multitude of sick people, blind, lame, and paralyzed" are described as "waiting for the moving of the water." This portrays a hopeful, yet perhaps desperate, expectation of divine intervention for healing. The waiting is focused on a specific, anticipated event.
* **[[Acts 17:16]]**: Paul is described as "waiting for them [Silas and Timothy] at Athens." This is a straightforward use of the verb, indicating Paul's personal anticipation of his companions' arrival. It highlights a practical, personal expectation.
* **[[1 Corinthians 11:33]]**: Paul instructs the Corinthian believers, "So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another." This usage emphasizes a practical, ethical application of waiting within the Christian community. It calls for mutual consideration, patience, and order in their communal gatherings, particularly the Lord's Supper.
* **[[1 Corinthians 16:11]]**: Paul states concerning Timothy, "for I am expecting him with the brothers." Similar to [[Acts 17:16]], this reflects Paul's personal anticipation and expectation of Timothy's arrival, underscoring a relationship of trust and eagerness.
* **[[Hebrews 10:13]]**: Describing Christ's ascended state, the author writes that He is "waiting until his enemies are made a footstool for his feet." This is a profound theological statement. Christ's waiting is not a sign of weakness or uncertainty, but a posture of assured victory, resting in the Father's timing for the full manifestation of His dominion. It signifies a completed work and a certain future.
* **[[Hebrews 11:10]]**: Of Abraham, it is said, "For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God." This exemplifies faith that looks beyond the temporal to the eternal. Abraham's "waiting" was a life lived in hopeful anticipation of God's promised, heavenly city, demonstrating a forward-looking, faith-driven expectation.
* **[[James 5:7]]**: James uses an agricultural analogy: "See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains." This illustrates patient perseverance in anticipation of a guaranteed, though delayed, outcome. It serves as an exhortation for believers to exhibit similar patience until the coming of the Lord.
### Related Words & Concepts
G1551 (ekdéchomai) is part of a family of verbs related to "receiving" and "waiting."
* **δέχομαι (*déchomai*, `{{G1209}}`)**: The root verb, meaning simply "to receive" or "to accept." ἐκδέχομαι adds the nuance of receiving *from* a source or *expecting* to receive.
* **προσδέχομαι (*prosdechomai*, `{{G4327}}`)**: Meaning "to receive gladly," "to welcome," or "to wait for" with a sense of readiness. It often carries a connotation of welcoming what is expected (e.g., waiting for the consolation of Israel in [[Luke 2:25]] or the blessed hope in [[Titus 2:13]]). While similar to ἐκδέχομαι, προσδέχομαι can imply a more active, welcoming posture towards the expected arrival.
* **ἀπεκδέχομαι (*apekdechomai*, `{{G553}}`)**: This is a stronger, more intense form, meaning "to await eagerly," "to expect earnestly," or "to wait with outstretched neck." It conveys a sense of intense longing and ardent anticipation, particularly for eschatological events (e.g., the revealing of the sons of God in [[Romans 8:19]] or the redemption of our bodies in [[Romans 8:23]]). ἐκδέχομαι is a firm expectation, but ἀπεκδέχομαι adds a layer of fervent desire.
Concepts closely associated with ἐκδέχομαι include:
* **Hope (ἐλπίς, `{{G1680}}`)**: The confident expectation of what is future and good.
* **Patience/Endurance (ὑπομονή, `{{G5281}}`)**: The steadfastness under trial, often coupled with a forward-looking hope.
* **Perseverance**: The continued effort in the face of delay or difficulty, sustained by expectation.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of ἐκδέχομαι is rich and multifaceted:
1. **Eschatological Orientation**: The word profoundly shapes the understanding of Christian hope. It is not a vague optimism but a concrete expectation of future divine action. The believer is called to live in a state of active anticipation for the Lord's return and the full realization of God's promises, as seen in the examples of Abraham's waiting for the heavenly city ([[Hebrews 11:10]]) and the farmer's patient waiting for the harvest ([[James 5:7]]), which serves as an analogy for the Lord's coming.
2. **Divine Sovereignty and Certainty**: The usage in [[Hebrews 10:13]] is pivotal. Christ's "waiting" for His enemies to be made His footstool underscores the certainty of God's ultimate triumph. It implies that the outcome is already determined by God's decree, and the "waiting" is simply for the appointed time of its full manifestation. This provides immense comfort and assurance to believers.
3. **Faith and Perseverance**: ἐκδέχομαι highlights the role of faith in enduring the present while looking to the future. Abraham's faith-filled waiting in [[Hebrews 11:10]] is a prime example of living by faith, anticipating what is unseen. This active expectation fuels perseverance in the Christian life.
4. **Practical Christian Living**: Beyond grand eschatological themes, ἐκδέχομαι also speaks to the practicalities of Christian fellowship. The command to "wait for one another" in [[1 Corinthians 11:33]] transforms expectation into an ethical imperative for mutual respect, patience, and love within the community, ensuring order and consideration in communal gatherings.
### Summary
The Greek word G1551 (ἐκδέχομαι, *ekdéchomai*) signifies an active, often patient, and hopeful awaiting or expectation. Rooted in the idea of "receiving from" or "expecting to receive," it denotes a posture of readiness for an anticipated event or arrival. Its biblical occurrences reveal a spectrum of meaning, from personal anticipation to ethical community conduct, and most significantly, to profound theological truths concerning eschatological hope and divine certainty. Whether applied to Paul's expectation of Timothy, the Corinthian believers' mutual consideration, Abraham's faith-filled gaze towards the heavenly city, or Christ's assured waiting for the full subjugation of His enemies, ἐκδέχομαι consistently portrays a forward-looking, confident, and often patient expectation of that which is surely to come.
TRV