from πρός and δέχομαι; to admit (to intercourse, hospitality, credence, or (figuratively) endurance); by implication, to await (with confidence or patience):--accept, allow, look (wait) for, take.
Transliteration:prosdéchomai
Pronunciation:pros-dekh'-om-ahee
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek verb προσδέχομαι (prosdéchomai, `{{G4327}}`) is a compound word formed from the preposition πρός (pros), meaning "toward" or "in addition to," and the verb δέχομαι (dechomai, `{{G1209}}`), meaning "to receive" or "to accept." This etymology is crucial for understanding its rich semantic range. Unlike a simple reception, προσδέχομαι implies a reception that is directed, intentional, and often accompanied by an attitude of anticipation or welcome.
Its core meaning encompasses two primary facets:
1. **Active Reception or Admission:** This refers to the act of welcoming, accepting, or allowing someone or something. It can denote hospitality, as in receiving guests, or the acceptance of a concept, belief, or testimony. This aspect highlights a posture of openness and willingness to embrace.
2. **Expectant Waiting or Awaiting:** This is a significant nuance, particularly in eschatological contexts. It describes not merely a passive waiting, but an active, confident, and often patient expectation of something or someone. The waiting is characterized by hope and a forward-looking orientation.
Thus, προσδέχομαι conveys a dynamic sense of receiving that is either outwardly welcoming or inwardly anticipatory, always with an element of readiness and purpose.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The verb προσδέχομαι appears frequently in the New Testament, illustrating both facets of its meaning:
* **Active Reception/Admission:**
* In the context of hospitality, it describes welcoming people. For instance, in [[Luke 15:2]], the Pharisees grumble that Jesus receives (προσδέχεται) sinners and eats with them, highlighting His welcoming posture towards the marginalized. Similarly, in [[Acts 28:7]], Publius received (προσεδέξατο) Paul and his company into his home, demonstrating hospitality.
* It can also denote the acceptance of a person's character or testimony. In [[Romans 16:2]], Paul exhorts the Roman believers to receive (προσδέξησθε) Phoebe in the Lord, implying a full and honorable acceptance of her as a fellow believer and servant.
* In [[Hebrews 11:35]], the phrase "women received (προσεδέξαντο) their dead by resurrection" speaks of the miraculous acceptance back of life, a profound act of God's power and faithfulness.
* **Expectant Waiting/Awaiting:** This usage is particularly prominent in passages related to eschatology and the Kingdom of God. The waiting is not passive but active and hopeful.
* The most common usage is in relation to awaiting or looking for the Kingdom of God. Joseph of Arimathea is described in [[Mark 15:43]] and [[Luke 23:51]] as one who was waiting for (προσδεχόμενος) the Kingdom of God, indicating his devout anticipation of God's reign. Similarly, Simeon in [[Luke 2:25]] was waiting for (προσδεχόμενος) the consolation of Israel.
* Jesus uses the term in [[Luke 12:36]] to describe servants who are waiting for (προσδεχομένους) their master's return, emphasizing readiness and vigilance.
* In [[Acts 24:15]], Paul states his belief in a future resurrection, stating he has "hope toward God, which they themselves also accept (προσδέχονται), that there will be a resurrection of the dead." Here, the sense is both of accepting the belief and awaiting its fulfillment.
* The concept of looking for the blessed hope is powerfully articulated in [[Titus 2:13]], where believers are exhorted to be "looking for (προσδεχόμενοι) the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." This highlights the active anticipation of Christ's return.
* In [[Jude 1:21]], believers are urged to "keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for (προσδεχόμενοι) the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life," underscoring patience and perseverance in hope.
### Related Words & Concepts
προσδέχομαι stands in close relation to several other Greek terms, each with distinct nuances:
* **δέχομαι (dechomai, `{{G1209}}`):** As the base verb, δέχομαι means "to receive" or "to accept." προσδέχομαι adds the directional πρός, suggesting a more active, intentional, or expectant reception than a simple δέχομαι. While δέχομαι can be passive (e.g., receiving a gift), προσδέχομαι often implies a welcoming posture or an eager anticipation.
* **λαμβάνω (lambanō, `{{G2983}}`):** To take, grasp, or receive, often with the implication of taking possession or acquiring something. προσδέχομαι is less about taking and more about welcoming or awaiting.
* **ἀποδέχομαι (apodechomai, `{{G588}}`):** To receive gladly, welcome. This term shares the warmth of reception with προσδέχομαι but typically lacks the strong element of future anticipation.
* **προσκαρτερέω (proskartereō, `{{G4342}}`):** To persevere, continue steadfastly, be devoted to. While not a direct synonym, this word shares the sense of steadfastness and persistence that can be found in the "patient waiting" aspect of προσδέχομαι, particularly in the context of enduring hope.
Theologically, προσδέχομαι is deeply connected to concepts such as:
* **Hope (ἐλπίς, elpis):** The active, confident expectation of future good.
* **Patience (ὑπομονή, hypomonē):** Steadfast endurance in waiting.
* **Perseverance:** The continued pursuit of faith despite challenges.
* **Hospitality (φιλοξενία, philoxenia):** The welcoming of strangers, mirroring God's own welcoming nature.
* **Eschatology:** The study of end times, as προσδέχομαι frequently describes the believer's posture towards the culmination of God's redemptive plan.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of προσδέχομαι is profound, shaping both the believer's inner disposition and outward actions.
1. **The Nature of Christian Hope:** Most significantly, προσδέχομαι defines Christian hope not as a passive wish, but as an active, confident, and patient waiting for the fulfillment of God's promises. It underscores the eschatological orientation of Christian faith, where believers are constantly looking forward to the Kingdom of God, the return of Christ, and the resurrection. This waiting is not born of uncertainty but of conviction in God's faithfulness and power. It provides a framework for enduring present difficulties, knowing that a glorious future awaits.
2. **Divine Sovereignty and Human Response:** The use of προσδέχομαι in relation to God's actions (e.g., awaiting the Kingdom) highlights God's sovereign initiative in bringing about His purposes. The human response is one of humble, expectant reception. It is a posture of faith that trusts in God's timing and plan, rather than attempting to force or manipulate outcomes.
3. **The Call to Hospitality and Acceptance:** In its sense of active reception, προσδέχομαι illuminates a crucial aspect of Christian ethics. The example of Jesus receiving sinners sets a precedent for the church to be a welcoming community, open to all who seek God. It calls believers to actively embrace and accept one another, fostering unity and love within the body of Christ, and extending compassion to the world. This welcoming spirit is an outward manifestation of the inward hope.
4. **Perseverance in Faith:** The element of "patient waiting" inherent in προσδέχομαι speaks to the necessity of perseverance in the Christian life. It acknowledges that the fulfillment of God's promises may not be immediate, requiring steadfastness and endurance. This patient expectation strengthens believers against discouragement and temptation, anchoring them in the certainty of God's ultimate victory.
### Summary
προσδέχομαι (prosdéchomai, `{{G4327}}`) is a dynamic Greek verb that encapsulates both active reception and expectant waiting. Its etymology, combining πρός (toward) and δέχομαι (to receive), highlights an intentional and often anticipatory posture. In its first sense, it denotes a welcoming admission, whether of people in hospitality or the acceptance of a truth or testimony. In its second, and perhaps most prominent, sense, it describes a confident, patient, and active awaiting of future realities, particularly the Kingdom of God and the return of Christ. This word profoundly shapes the understanding of Christian hope, portraying it not as a passive wish but as a vigilant, forward-looking expectation rooted in God's faithfulness. It calls believers to both an outward posture of welcoming others and an inward disposition of enduring hope, profoundly impacting their eschatological outlook and practical living.
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