### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek adverb hosákis (`{{G3740}}`) is derived from the relative pronoun hos (`{{G3739}}`) and fundamentally conveys the idea of frequency or repetition. Its core meaning can be rendered as "as often as," "how many times," or "whenever." It functions to introduce a clause that specifies the frequency or the conditional recurrence of an action or event. Often found in conjunction with particles like ean (`{{G1437}}`) or an (`{{G302}}`), it forms indefinite temporal or conditional clauses, emphasizing the recurring nature of the preceding or following action. The term highlights the multiplicity of an event, distinguishing it from a singular occurrence, and points to a pattern or repeated instance.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
hosákis (`{{G3740}}`) appears a limited number of times in the New Testament, yet each instance carries profound theological weight, emphasizing the recurring nature of divine action, human response, or commanded practice.
* **[[Matthew 23:37]]**: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, *how often* I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing."
* Here, hosákis powerfully conveys Jesus' lament over Jerusalem's persistent and repeated rejection of God's messengers. It underscores the *multiplicity* of His attempts to gather them, highlighting His enduring compassion and their consistent unwillingness. The adverb amplifies the sense of divine patience and human obstinacy over a long historical period.
* **[[1 Corinthians 11:25-26]]**: "In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; *do this, whenever you drink it*, in remembrance of me.' For *whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup*, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes."
* These verses are perhaps the most significant occurrences of hosákis. The repetition of "as often as" (or "whenever") establishes the ongoing, repeated nature of the Lord's Supper. It is not a one-time observance but a perpetual command for the church. This recurring action serves two primary purposes: continuous remembrance of Christ's atoning sacrifice and an ongoing proclamation of His death until His return. The frequency implied by hosákis underscores the enduring relevance of the new covenant and the centrality of the cross to Christian worship and identity.
* **[[Revelation 11:6]]**: "These have power to shut up the sky so that no rain will fall during the time of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague *as often as* they wish."
* In this apocalyptic vision, hosákis describes the unrestricted and repeated exercise of the two witnesses' divine power. Their ability to inflict plagues is not limited to a single act but can be carried out repeatedly, "as often as they wish," demonstrating the comprehensive and sovereign nature of the authority granted to them by God in executing judgment.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **hos (`{{G3739}}`)**: The relative pronoun from which hosákis is derived, signifying "who," "which," or "what." The adverb extends this relative sense to frequency.
* **pollakis (`{{G4178}}`)**: Meaning "often" or "many times," this adverb directly expresses a high frequency, similar in concept to hosákis but without the specific conditional or relative nuance. While pollakis states that something happens frequently, hosákis specifies "as often as" a certain condition is met or "whenever" a particular action occurs.
* **aiei (`{{G104}}`)**: "Always," "ever." This adverb denotes continuous action without interruption, a stronger sense of perpetuity than hosákis, which implies repetition at intervals rather than constant action.
* **Covenantal Remembrance and Proclamation**: The concept of repeated acts of remembrance, particularly in the context of the Lord's Supper, links hosákis to the broader biblical theme of memorializing God's saving acts. This resonates with Old Testament commands for recurring feasts and observances (e.g., Passover) to ensure that future generations remember God's faithfulness.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of hosákis (`{{G3740}}`) is multi-faceted, primarily emphasizing:
1. **Divine Persistence and Longsuffering**: In [[Matthew 23:37]], Jesus' use of hosákis reveals God's enduring patience and persistent desire for humanity's reconciliation, despite repeated rejection. It underscores the depth of divine love that continually reaches out, even when met with stubborn refusal. This is a profound expression of God's lament over unfulfilled grace.
2. **The Enduring Nature of the New Covenant and Sacramental Practice**: The most profound theological impact of hosákis is found in its application to the Lord's Supper in [[1 Corinthians 11:25-26]]. By commanding its observance "as often as" believers eat the bread and drink the cup, the term establishes the perpetual nature of this ordinance. It ensures that the atoning work of Christ on the cross remains the central, recurring focus of Christian worship and communal identity. This repeated act serves as a continuous proclamation of Christ's death, grounding the church in the historical reality of salvation and pointing forward to His eschatological return. It signifies that the efficacy of Christ's sacrifice is not a past event to be merely recalled, but an active, living reality to be continually embraced and proclaimed.
3. **Sovereign Authority and Unrestricted Judgment**: In [[Revelation 11:6]], hosákis highlights the comprehensive and repeated exercise of divine judgment through God's appointed agents. This demonstrates God's absolute sovereignty and the certainty that His will, particularly in judgment, will be carried out fully and repeatedly as He deems necessary.
In summary, hosákis transcends mere temporal frequency; it underscores the profound patterns of divine interaction with humanity—whether in persistent grace, commanded remembrance, or sovereign judgment—revealing the steadfastness of God's character and purposes.
### Summary
The Greek adverb hosákis (`{{G3740}}`), meaning "as often as" or "whenever," denotes the repeated nature or frequency of an action or condition. Though it appears infrequently in the New Testament, its occurrences are highly significant. In [[Matthew 23:37]], it poignantly expresses Jesus' persistent, yet repeatedly rejected, desire to gather Jerusalem. Crucially, in [[1 Corinthians 11:25-26]], hosákis establishes the enduring command for the repeated observance of the Lord's Supper, thereby ensuring the continuous remembrance and proclamation of Christ's atoning death until His return, solidifying the perpetual efficacy of the new covenant. Finally, in [[Revelation 11:6]], it describes the repeated exercise of divine power and judgment. Ultimately, hosákis emphasizes the consistent character of God in His patience, the ongoing centrality of Christ's sacrifice in Christian life, and the unwavering execution of His sovereign will through recurring events.
TRV