### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word *hápax* (ἅπαξ, `{{G530}}`) derives from *hápas* (ἅπας), meaning "all" or "every," suggesting a totality or completeness in its singular application. Its base definition is "once" or "a single time." This can function in two primary ways:
1. **Numerically/Temporally:** Indicating an action that occurred on one occasion, or a single instance in a series of events (e.g., "once and again").
2. **Conclusively/Definitively:** Emphasizing the unique, final, and unrepeatable nature of an event, often translated as "once for all." This usage carries significant theological weight, highlighting the absolute sufficiency and permanence of the action.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
*Hápax* appears approximately 14 times in the New Testament, with its most profound theological usage concentrated in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
Examples of numerical or temporal usage include:
* [[Philippians 4:16]]: "for even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities." Here, *hápax* denotes a singular instance that was repeated.
* [[2 Corinthians 11:25]]: "Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked..." A simple numerical count of an event in Paul's sufferings.
The conclusive or definitive usage of *hápax* carries immense theological import:
* **Hebrews 7:27]]:** "who has no need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for those of the people, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself." This verse contrasts the repeated, daily sacrifices of the Old Covenant priests with Christ's singular, perfect self-offering.
* **Hebrews 9:26]]:** "He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the culmination of the ages He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." This highlights the definitive, unrepeatable nature of Christ's historical advent and atoning work.
* **Hebrews 9:27-28]]:** "And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many." The parallel structure emphasizes the finality of both human mortality and Christ's atoning sacrifice.
* **Hebrews 10:10]]:** "By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." This powerfully asserts the complete and permanent sanctification achieved through Christ's singular act.
* **Jude 1:3]]:** "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." Here, *hápax* signifies that the core Christian faith is a singular, complete, and unalterable revelation, not subject to ongoing additions or revisions.
* **1 Peter 3:18]]:** "For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit." This affirms the unique and decisive nature of Christ's suffering as the basis for bringing humanity to God.
### Related Words & Concepts
* **Contrast with Repetition:** *Hápax* often functions in contrast to actions that are repeated, cyclical, or ongoing. In Hebrews, it directly contrasts with the repeated sacrifices and daily duties of the Old Covenant priesthood, emphasizing the superiority and finality of Christ's single offering.
* **Related Greek Terms:**
* *Hápas* (ἅπας, `{{G530}}`): The root word meaning "all" or "every," reinforcing the idea of totality or completeness in the single instance.
* *Ephápax* (ἐφάπαξ, `{{G2076}}`): An intensified form meaning "once for all," which further underscores the absolute finality and completeness of an action. It is used synonymously with *hápax* in contexts like [[Romans 6:10]], [[Hebrews 7:27]], [[Hebrews 9:12]], and [[Hebrews 10:10]], often interchangeably with *hápax* to stress the definitive nature of Christ's work.
* *Heis* (εἷς, `{{G1520}}`): The cardinal number "one," which denotes singularity but lacks the "conclusive" or "definitive" aspect inherent in *hápax*.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of *hápax* is profound, particularly in its application to the person and work of Jesus Christ.
1. **The Finality and Sufficiency of Christ's Sacrifice:** The most prominent theological use of *hápax* is to declare that Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross was a complete, perfect, and unrepeatable act. It was "once for all" ([[Hebrews 7:27]], [[Hebrews 9:26]], [[Hebrews 10:10]]), standing in stark contrast to the continuous, insufficient sacrifices of the Old Covenant. This signifies that Christ's single offering fully accomplished salvation, leaving no need for further atonement.
2. **The Uniqueness of Christ's Redemptive Work:** *Hápax* highlights that Christ's incarnation, suffering, death, and resurrection constitute a singular, historical event that will not be replicated. His appearance "at the culmination of the ages" ([[Hebrews 9:26]]) was a unique divine intervention.
3. **The Definitive Nature of the Gospel:** The phrase "the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" ([[Jude 1:3]]) underscores that the core tenets of Christian belief are a fixed, unchangeable revelation. The truth of the Gospel is a complete deposit, not subject to ongoing revision or new dispensations.
4. **Human Mortality and Divine Judgment:** The parallel drawn in [[Hebrews 9:27-28]] between humanity's single appointment with death and Christ's single offering for sin links the finality of human life and subsequent judgment to the definitive nature of Christ's atoning work, highlighting the ultimate consequences and the singular path to reconciliation.
### Summary
The Greek word *hápax* (ἅπαξ, `{{G530}}`) means "once" or "a single time." While it can denote a simple numerical occurrence, its profound theological significance lies in its use to describe a conclusive, definitive, and unrepeatable act. Preeminently, in the New Testament, especially in the Epistle to the Hebrews, *hápax* underscores the absolute finality and sufficiency of Jesus Christ's redemptive work. His sacrifice on the cross was "once for all," a perfect and complete offering that permanently accomplished salvation, rendering all prior sacrifices obsolete. This singular act of atonement fully purifies believers and establishes an eternal covenant. Furthermore, *hápax* emphasizes the unique historical appearance of Christ and the definitive, unchangeable nature of the Christian faith as a revelation "once for all delivered to the saints." It is a powerful term that conveys the finished work of Christ and the enduring truth of the Gospel.
TRV