Lexical Summary ennuchos: By night, nocturnal Original Word: ἐννύχῳ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance by night, before day. Neuter of a compound of en and nux; (adverbially) by night -- before day. see GREEK en see GREEK nux NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom en and nux Definition nightly, neut. as adv. by night NASB Translation while it was... dark (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1773: ἔννυχοςἔννυχος, ἔννυχον (νύξ), nightly, nocturnal (Homer, Pindar, Tragg.). Neuter adverbially, by night: Mark 1:35, where L T Tr WH have neuter plural ἔννυχα (cf. Winers Grammar, 463 (432); Buttmann, § 128, 2). Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope Ἔννυχα marks the span of deepest darkness just before dawn, emphasizing a time distinguished neither by the bustle of day nor by the solitude of full night. Scripture employs the term to spotlight deliberate spiritual activity carried out when ordinary life is still, demonstrating a purposeful separation unto God. Occurrence in Scripture Mark 1:35 employs the adverb: “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went off to a solitary place to pray.”. Although the word appears only here, its placement at the opening of Mark’s Gospel imbues it with programmatic force, portraying the Servant-King shaping His ministry in prayer before the day’s public demands. Nighttime Devotion in Biblical Theology Scripture consistently presents the hours of darkness as an arena for divine encounter: These texts converge with Mark 1:35 to underscore that God hears and answers in the stillness when human strength is lowest, magnifying dependence on Him. Christ's Pattern of Early Morning Prayer Mark’s concise narrative highlights four linked actions: rising, departing, seeking solitude, and praying. The first verb (anastas) shows intentional initiative; ἔννυχα indicates the cost (sleep sacrificed); the “solitary place” (erēmos topos) recalls the wilderness where Jesus triumphed over temptation (Mark 1:13), suggesting sustained victory through fellowship with the Father. The pattern repeats in Mark 6:46-48 and parallels Matthew 14:23, John 6:15. In each case powerful public ministry follows private communion, establishing that authority in proclamation rests on intimacy in prayer. Implications for Discipleship and Ministry 1. Prioritization: Allocating the first and costliest moments to God signals that everything subsequent flows from Him (Proverbs 3:6). Historical and Rabbinic Context First-century Jews divided night into four Roman watches (Mark 13:35). The third watch (approx. 3-6 a.m.) framed customary morning sacrifices and recitation of the Shema. Jesus’ pre-sacrifice prayer thus aligns with Israel’s liturgical heartbeat yet exceeds it, revealing filial intimacy rather than mere ritual. Rabbinic writings commend rising “before the sun” to study Torah; the Gospel shows the incarnate Word communing with the Father, fulfilling the ideal Torah student (Deuteronomy 6:7). Applications in Worship and Spiritual Discipline • Personal: Setting alarms earlier for Scripture and prayer, imitating David and the greater Son of David. Theological Summary Ἔννυχα encapsulates the paradox of strength through weakness: when human faculties are dim, divine fellowship is bright. The single occurrence in Mark lights a path for all believers—enter the day from the presence of God, and the works accomplished will bear the fragrance of heaven. Forms and Transliterations εννυχα ἔννυχα έννυχον ενοικείωται ennucha ennycha énnychaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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