### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek term ógdoos (`{{G3590}}`) is an ordinal numeral derived directly from oktō (`{{G3638}}`), meaning "eight." Its primary and literal semantic range is strictly numerical, denoting the position "eighth" in a sequence. However, in biblical thought and ancient numerology, numbers often carry symbolic significance beyond their quantitative value. Thus, while ógdoos fundamentally indicates a sequential position, its theological import often extends to concepts of new beginnings, transcendence, or a culmination beyond a complete cycle, particularly in relation to the number seven.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term ógdoos (`{{G3590}}`) appears four times in the New Testament, each instance offering a distinct yet interconnected layer of meaning:
* **Circumcision on the Eighth Day:** In [[Luke 1:59]] and [[Acts 7:8]], ógdoos refers to the "eighth day" on which a male child was to be circumcised according to the Mosaic Law ([[Genesis 17:12]]). This ritual marked the child's entry into the covenant community of Israel. The choice of the eighth day, immediately following the seven-day cycle, is highly symbolic, signifying a "new beginning" or a fresh start in the covenant relationship, distinct from the completed cycle of creation. It points to a spiritual inauguration.
* **Noah, the Eighth Person:** [[2 Peter 2:5]] states that God "saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly." Here, "eighth" refers to Noah being one of the eight individuals preserved in the ark. This usage powerfully underscores the theme of a new beginning for humanity after the judgment of the flood. Noah and his family represent a remnant from whom a new world order would emerge, highlighting God's preservation and the inauguration of a new covenant with humanity ([[Genesis 9:1-17]]).
* **The Beast as the Eighth:** The most complex and eschatological use of ógdoos is found in [[Revelation 17:11]]: "The beast that was, and is not, is himself also an eighth and is of the seven, and is going to perdition." This cryptic statement describes the final, ultimate manifestation of the beastly power in opposition to God. Being "an eighth" suggests a new, culminating, and decisive phase of this evil power, transcending or completing the previous seven manifestations. Yet, being "of the seven" indicates its intrinsic connection and continuity with what came before. This "eighth" represents a perverse, false "new beginning" or a final, ultimate stage of rebellion that leads inevitably to destruction. It is a dark mirror to the divine "eighth day" of new creation.
### Related Words & Concepts
The primary related word is oktō (`{{G3638}}`), the cardinal number "eight." However, the theological significance of ógdoos is best understood in relation to the numerical symbolism prevalent in biblical and ancient thought, particularly concerning the number seven.
* **Seven (hepta, `{{G2033}}`):** Often symbolizes completion, perfection, totality, or a full cycle (e.g., seven days of creation, seven spirits of God, seven churches).
* **Eight:** Frequently symbolizes a new beginning, resurrection, super-abundance, or transcendence of the created order.
* **New Creation/Resurrection:** The "eighth day" is the day after the Sabbath. Jesus' resurrection occurred on the first day of the week, which is the "eighth day" from the previous Sabbath. This day became the Lord's Day, signifying the inauguration of the new creation in Christ.
* **Covenant:** The circumcision on the eighth day signifies entry into a new covenant relationship with God.
* **Millennium:** While not explicitly using ógdoos, the concept of the thousand-year reign of Christ (the millennium) in Revelation is often seen as a period of new beginning or a transition to the eternal state, following a period of seven (e.g., the church age, or a series of judgments).
* **Baptism:** Early Christian theology sometimes connected baptism to the "eighth day" concept, seeing it as a spiritual circumcision and a new birth into Christ, marking a new beginning in the believer's life.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of ógdoos (`{{G3590}}`) is profound and multifaceted, primarily pointing to the concept of a "new beginning" or a "new creation" that transcends and completes an existing cycle.
* **Divine New Beginnings:** The consistent use of the eighth day for circumcision (a sign of the covenant) and the implicit connection to the resurrection of Christ on the "first day of the week" (the eighth day from the Sabbath) powerfully ties ógdoos to God's work of regeneration and renewal. It signifies a movement beyond the old order, a fresh start initiated by divine grace. This is the essence of the Christian life: a new creation in Christ ([[2 Corinthians 5:17]]).
* **Salvation and Preservation:** Noah's preservation as the "eighth" person underscores God's faithfulness in saving a righteous remnant and initiating a new humanity after judgment. This prefigures the salvation offered in Christ, where believers are brought into a new spiritual lineage.
* **Eschatological Culmination and Counterfeit:** The usage in Revelation 17:11 is crucial for understanding the ultimate battle between good and evil. The beast's manifestation as "the eighth" signifies a final, ultimate, and perhaps unprecedented display of evil power. It is a satanic parody of God's new beginnings, a false "new order" that ultimately leads to perdition. This highlights the eschatological tension between God's true new creation and the forces of rebellion that seek to establish their own counterfeit dominion.
* **The Lord's Day and Worship:** Though the term itself is not used for Sunday, the Christian practice of worship on the "first day of the week" (the eighth day) is deeply rooted in this symbolism. It commemorates Christ's resurrection and the inauguration of the new covenant, making it a day of new creation and spiritual renewal for believers.
### Summary
The Greek word ógdoos (`{{G3590}}`), meaning "eighth," carries significant theological weight beyond its simple numerical value. It consistently symbolizes a "new beginning," "resurrection," or "transcendence" beyond a completed cycle, often associated with the number seven. This is evident in the covenant practice of circumcision on the eighth day, Noah's preservation as the eighth person establishing a new humanity, and implicitly in the resurrection of Christ on the first day of the week (the eighth day from the Sabbath), inaugurating the new creation. In the book of Revelation, the beast's manifestation as "the eighth" presents a dark, eschatological counterfeit of this divine principle, representing a final, destructive culmination of evil. Ultimately, ógdoos points to God's sovereign work of continually bringing forth new life, new covenants, and new eras, culminating in the glorious new heavens and new earth.
TRV