ΕΚΔΗΜΙΑ
The term ekdemia (ἐκδημία), meaning "a going out from one's country" or "departure," acquires profound theological significance in the New Testament, particularly in the writings of the Apostle Paul. Here, it symbolizes death as the soul's exit from the body and its transition towards the Lord. Its lexarithmos (88) suggests a balance between two realms, that of corruption and eternity.
REPORT ERRORDefinition
According to the Liddell-Scott-Jones Lexicon, the original meaning of ἐκδημία is "a going forth from one's people, a sojourning abroad, a journey to a foreign country." The word is composed of the preposition "ek" (out of, from) and the noun "demos" (people, country, place). In classical Greek literature, it primarily refers to the act of leaving one's homeland to travel or settle elsewhere, without necessarily carrying a negative connotation.
The meaning of the word evolves significantly in Hellenistic and, especially, in Christian literature. In the New Testament, and particularly in the epistles of the Apostle Paul, ἐκδημία acquires a deep theological dimension. It no longer refers merely to a geographical journey but to the soul's departure from the body at death, understood as a transition from earthly life into the presence of God.
This metaphorical usage underscores the transience of earthly existence and the anticipation of a higher, spiritual reality. Death is not an end but a "departure" from the present world to another, better one. Thus, ἐκδημία becomes synonymous with the "falling asleep" or "translation" of the righteous, a concept central to Christian eschatology.
Etymology
Cognate words sharing the root dem- include the verb "ekdemeō" (to go abroad, leave one's country), its opposite "endemia" (residence in a place) and "endemeō" (to reside in a place), as well as "demos" itself (people, country). Other related words are "demosios" (public, belonging to the people) and "demokratia" (rule by the people).
Main Meanings
- Departure from one's people/country, sojourning abroad — The original, literal meaning, i.e., leaving one's homeland to travel or live elsewhere.
- Travel to a foreign country — The act of moving to a foreign land.
- Exile, expatriation — In some contexts, it can imply forced removal from one's place.
- Death as a departure — The theological meaning in the New Testament, where death is considered the soul's exit from the body.
- Transition from the earthly to the heavenly — The metaphorical sense of moving from the present, corruptible life to a spiritual, eternal existence.
- Separation from the body — Specifically in Paul, the idea that the soul "departs" from the body.
- Spiritual alienation — More rarely, a sense of detachment from the world or worldly concerns.
Word Family
dem- (root of the noun δῆμος, meaning "people, country, place")
The root dem- originates from the ancient Greek noun δῆμος, which refers both to the people as a political entity and to a geographical region or country. From this root, a rich family of words developed, relating to community, habitation, departure, and return to a place. The addition of prefixes such as ek- (out of) and en- (in, among) expanded the semantic field, creating antithetical pairs that describe movement and residence.
Philosophical Journey
Although initially a secular term, the word ἐκδημία acquires its deeper meaning through the evolution of Greek thought and, primarily, Christian theology.
In Ancient Texts
The theological significance of ἐκδημία is primarily highlighted in the following passages from the New Testament:
Lexarithmic Analysis
The lexarithmos of the word ΕΚΔΗΜΙΑ is 88, from the sum of its letter values:
88 decomposes into 80 (tens) + 8 (units).
The 18 Methods
Applying the 18 traditional lexarithmic methods to the word ΕΚΔΗΜΙΑ:
| Method | Result | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Isopsephy | 88 | Base lexarithmos |
| Decade Numerology | 7 | 8+8=16 → 1+6=7 — The Heptad, the number of perfection and spiritual completion, signifying the culmination of the earthly journey and entry into a new state. |
| Letter Count | 7 | 7 letters (E-K-D-E-M-I-A) — The Heptad, the number of perfection, rest, and spiritual fullness, symbolizing the completion of the earthly course. |
| Cumulative | 8/80/0 | Units 8 · Tens 80 · Hundreds 0 |
| Odd/Even | Even | Feminine force |
| Left/Right Hand | Left | Material (<100) |
| Quotient | — | Comparative method |
| Notarikon | E-K-D-H-M-I-A | Exodou Karpos Dikaios Hemon Mellei Ischyein Aei (interpretive: "The righteous fruit of departure shall ever prevail for us") |
| Grammatical Groups | 3V · 4C · 0S | 3 vowels (E, I, A), 4 consonants (K, D, M). The balance of vowels and consonants suggests fluidity and transition. |
| Palindromes | Yes (numeric) | Number reads same reversed |
| Onomancy | — | Comparative |
| Sphere of Democritus | — | Divination with lunar day |
| Zodiacal Isopsephy | Mars ♂ / Leo ♌ | 88 mod 7 = 4 · 88 mod 12 = 4 |
Isopsephic Words (88)
Words from the Liddell-Scott-Jones Lexicon with the same lexarithmos (88) as ἐκδημία, but from different roots, offer an interesting glimpse into the coincidences of numerology:
The LSJ lexicon contains a total of 16 words with lexarithmos 88. For the full catalog and AI semantic filtering, see the interactive tool.
Sources & Bibliography
- Liddell, H. G., Scott, R., Jones, H. S. — A Greek-English Lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1940.
- Bauer, W., Arndt, W. F., Gingrich, F. W., Danker, F. W. — A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BDAG). 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000.
- Thayer, J. H. — A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. New York: American Book Company, 1889.
- Paul, Apostle — Second Epistle to the Corinthians. New Testament.
- Xenophon — Cyropaedia.
- Plutarch — Moralia: On Exile.