### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek adverb ἑπτάκις (heptákis), Strong's `{{G2034}}`, is derived directly from the cardinal number ἑπτά (hepta), meaning "seven" (Strong's `{{G2033}}`). Its primary and most literal meaning is "seven times." As an adverb, it indicates a repetition or multiplication by the factor of seven.
While its literal sense is straightforward, the biblical context often imbues ἑπτάκις with a deeper, symbolic resonance. The number seven in biblical numerology frequently signifies completeness, perfection, divine fullness, or a sacred cycle. Therefore, "seven times" can extend beyond a mere numerical count to suggest a full, complete, exhaustive, or even abundant repetition. It can imply a totality, not necessarily an exact count that is then ceased, but rather a perfect or divinely ordained measure.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The occurrences of ἑπτάκις (heptákis) in the New Testament are notably concentrated in passages dealing with the concept of forgiveness, lending significant weight to its symbolic interpretation.
1. **[[Matthew 18:21]]**: Peter approaches Jesus with the question, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Here, Peter proposes "seven times" as a generous, perhaps even exceptional, limit to forgiveness, likely surpassing the rabbinic teaching of forgiving three times. This reflects a human attempt to quantify and limit grace.
2. **[[Luke 17:4]]**: Jesus teaches, "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' you must forgive him." This passage reinforces the teaching found in Matthew, underscoring the demanding nature of forgiveness within the Christian community. The repetition "seven times in a day" emphasizes the frequency and persistence of the need for forgiveness, both in the sinning and the forgiving.
In both instances, Jesus' response to the "seven times" question is crucial. In [[Matthew 18:22]], he replies, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven" (or "seventy-seven times," depending on the textual variant and translation of ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά `{{G1440}}`). This response dramatically expands Peter's proposed limit, transforming a finite number into an infinite, boundless capacity for forgiveness. The "seven times" thus serves as a foundational benchmark, which Jesus then transcends to illustrate the true, limitless nature of divine forgiveness that believers are called to emulate.
### Related Words & Concepts
The understanding of ἑπτάκις is greatly enhanced by examining its linguistic and conceptual relatives:
* **ἑπτά (hepta) `{{G2033}}`**: This is the root word, meaning "seven." The symbolic weight of the number seven throughout Scripture (e.g., seven days of creation, seven-branched menorah, seven churches in Revelation, seven spirits of God) directly informs the meaning of ἑπτάκις. It consistently points to completeness, perfection, divine order, and sacredness.
* **ἑβδομηκοντάκις (hebdomēkontákis) `{{G1440}}`**: Meaning "seventy times," this adverb appears in conjunction with ἑπτάκις in Jesus' famous teaching on forgiveness in [[Matthew 18:22]]. The phrase "seventy times seven" or "seventy-seven times" functions as a hyperbolic expression, signifying an immeasurable and unending quantity, thereby amplifying the concept of limitless forgiveness beyond any human calculation.
* **Forgiveness (ἀφίημι - aphiēmi `{{G863}}`, χαρίζομαι - charizomai `{{G5483}}`)**: The primary theological context for ἑπτάκις is forgiveness. The word highlights the radical nature of Christian forgiveness, which is not bounded by human limits or calculations but is to mirror God's own boundless mercy.
* **Completeness/Perfection**: These abstract concepts are intrinsically linked to the number seven and, by extension, to ἑπτάκις. When something occurs "seven times," especially in a symbolic context, it often implies that it has reached its full measure or divinely intended completion.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of ἑπτάκις is profoundly rooted in Jesus' teaching on forgiveness.
1. **The Nature of Forgiveness**: The "seven times" proposed by Peter represents a human, limited understanding of forgiveness—a generous but still finite act. Jesus' response, however, radically redefines forgiveness as an infinite, unquantifiable act. By moving beyond "seven times" to "seventy times seven," Jesus reveals that Christian forgiveness is not a matter of counting or exhausting a set number, but a posture of the heart that consistently extends grace, mirroring God's own character.
2. **Divine Mercy as a Model**: The boundless nature of forgiveness taught by Jesus reflects the boundless mercy of God. Just as God's forgiveness is not limited by the frequency or severity of human sin, so believers are called to embody a similar, limitless compassion towards one another. This teaching challenges a legalistic approach to relationships and calls for a radical, grace-filled response to repeated offenses.
3. **Discipleship and Transformation**: The command to forgive "seventy times seven" (or "seventy-seven times") is a call to profound spiritual transformation. It moves disciples beyond a tit-for-tat mentality or a desire for retribution, guiding them towards a life characterized by Christ-like love and self-sacrificial grace. It is a demand that transcends human capacity and can only be lived out through reliance on divine power and a heart conformed to God's will.
4. **Symbolic Completeness**: While the immediate context is forgiveness, the underlying symbolism of "seven times" as completeness or fullness reinforces the idea that true forgiveness is not partial or grudging, but complete and wholehearted. It is a full release of grievance, not merely a temporary suspension.
### Summary
ἑπτάκις (heptákis), Strong's `{{G2034}}`, literally means "seven times." Derived from ἑπτά (hepta) `{{G2033}}`, it carries the symbolic weight of the number seven, which often denotes completeness, perfection, or divine fullness in biblical thought. Its primary occurrences in the New Testament, specifically in [[Matthew 18:21]] and [[Luke 17:4]], are within the context of Jesus' teaching on forgiveness. Peter's question about forgiving "seven times" is met by Jesus' radical command to forgive "seventy times seven" (or "seventy-seven times"), which uses ἑπτάκις as a baseline to illustrate the truly boundless and limitless nature of Christian forgiveness. This word, therefore, serves as a pivotal point in revealing that forgiveness is not a matter of human calculation or finite limits, but a complete, exhaustive, and unending posture of grace that reflects the infinite mercy of God and is a hallmark of true discipleship.
TRV