εἴκω

Pronunciation Guide: eye-KO (εἴ-κω)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1503: Εἴκω (eikō) primarily means “to be like” or “to resemble,” denoting a state of similarity or comparison between two entities. In biblical usage, it functions as a comparative term that establishes connections between visible, tangible realities and deeper spiritual truths. This word helps bridge the concrete and abstract, making complex spiritual concepts more accessible through familiar imagery.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of speech: Verb
• Root: From PIE *weik- (“to bend, wind”)
• Language origin: Classical Greek
• Primary usage: Teaching, illustrative passages, and metaphorical instruction
• Voice: Active
• Mood: Present indicative in NT occurrences
• Tense system: Present tense indicates ongoing or continuous resemblance

Εἴκω Morphology:

• εἴκω (1st person singular present) – I am like/resemble
• ἔοικα (perfect active with present meaning) – I am like/resemble
• εἴκει (3rd person singular present) – he/she/it is like/resembles
• ἐοίκασι (3rd person plural perfect with present meaning) – they are like/resemble

Origin & History

The verb εἴκω has deep roots in classical Greek literature, where it conveyed the meaning of resemblance or similarity. In Homer’s works, particularly the Iliad and Odyssey, forms of εἴκω appear frequently to draw comparisons between heroes and divine figures. Plato employs the term in his Republic (Book VI) when discussing how objects in the visible world resemble their ideal forms, establishing an important philosophical precedent for understanding similarity and representation.

In the Septuagint (LXX), derivatives of εἴκω appear in passages like Genesis 1:26, where humans are created in God’s image (εἰκών, a noun cognate), though the verb form is less common. The conceptual foundation laid in Greek philosophical thought and Hellenistic Judaism prepared for the New Testament’s use of εἴκω as a tool for communicating spiritual truths through comparison and metaphor. Church Father Clement of Alexandria later expanded on this concept in his Stromata, discussing how earthly images (εἰκόνες) serve as pedagogical tools pointing toward divine realities.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• To resemble or bear similarity to something else
• To appear as or seem like another entity
• To function as a comparative illustration
• To share qualities with something different in nature
• To serve as a metaphorical equivalent

Εἴκω Translation Options:

• “To be like” – The most direct translation, emphasizing the state of resemblance
• “To resemble” – Slightly more formal, highlighting the relationship between compared items
• “To appear as” – Focuses on the perceptual aspect of the comparison
• “To correspond to” – Emphasizes structural or functional similarity
• “To mirror” – Suggests a more complete or reflective resemblance

Biblical Usage

In the New Testament, εἴκω appears notably in James 1:6, where James uses the perfect form (ἔοικεν) to draw a powerful comparison between the doubting person and a wave of the sea. This metaphorical usage exemplifies how the term bridges concrete physical imagery (waves tossed by wind) with abstract spiritual states (doubt and instability). This establishes a visual language that makes complex spiritual concepts tangible and memorable.

James employs εἴκω again in James 1:23, comparing someone who hears the word without doing it to a person who looks at their face in a mirror and immediately forgets what they look like. These uses reveal how εἴκω serves as a crucial rhetorical tool for creating teaching metaphors that illuminate spiritual truths through familiar, everyday experiences.

• “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like [ἔοικεν] a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:6
• “For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like [ἔοικεν] a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.” James 1:23

Cultural Insights

In the ancient Mediterranean world, comparison and metaphor were fundamental pedagogical tools. Greek rhetoricians developed elaborate systems of comparison (παραβολή, parabolē) that influenced Jewish teaching methods. By the first century, rabbis commonly employed mashal (משל, parable or comparison) to make abstract Torah principles accessible. When James uses εἴκω to create vivid comparisons, he participates in this established teaching tradition that spans Greek philosophical schools and Jewish wisdom instruction.

The mirror metaphor in James 1:23 carries particular cultural significance. Mirrors in the ancient world were typically made of polished metal (usually bronze or copper) and provided less perfect reflections than modern glass mirrors. This imperfect reflection added nuance to James’s use of εἴκω—the comparison itself acknowledges how spiritual self-perception is often imperfect and fleeting without proper attention and response. The ancients understood that a mirror required careful positioning and adequate light to function properly, creating an additional layer of meaning to James’s comparison—proper self-examination in light of God’s word requires intentionality and divine illumination.

Theological Significance

The theological use of εἴκω reveals God’s pedagogical approach to humanity—divine truth is often communicated through comparison with familiar realities. This pattern reflects יהוה’s character as a master teacher who meets humans where they are, using the visible world to illuminate invisible spiritual realities. The Messiah Jesus exemplified this approach in His parables, frequently saying “The kingdom of heaven is like…” (ὁμοία ἐστὶν, a conceptual parallel to εἴκω), demonstrating how comparison serves divine revelation.

James’s specific applications of εἴκω highlight critical theological truths about faith and obedience. The wave comparison (1:6) reveals God’s perspective on doubt—not as mere intellectual questioning but as a fundamentally unstable spiritual state that prevents receiving from God. The mirror comparison (1:23) illuminates the relationship between hearing and doing in God’s economy—mere intellectual engagement with God’s word without corresponding action creates a spiritually forgetful and unfruitful life. Through these comparisons, εἴκω becomes a vehicle for profound theological insight about faith’s nature and authentic spiritual formation.

Personal Application

Understanding εἴκω challenges us to examine the comparisons that shape our spiritual self-understanding. When James says the doubter “is like” a wave, he invites us to visualize our own spiritual instability when we waver between trust and doubt. This imagery can serve as both warning and diagnostic tool—in moments of prayer or decision-making, we might ask ourselves: “Am I standing firm in faith, or am I being tossed like a wave, unstable in all my ways?”

The mirror metaphor likewise offers practical spiritual guidance. Each time we encounter Scripture, we face the choice between mere observation and transformative application. We might establish a reflective practice after Bible reading by asking: “What have I seen about myself in God’s word today, and what specific action will ensure I don’t ‘walk away and forget’?” By internalizing these powerful comparisons, we allow the imagery of εἴκω to reshape our spiritual habits, moving us from instability to steadfastness, from forgetfulness to faithful action.

Related Words

• ὅμοιος (homoios, HO-moy-os) – similar, resembling; expresses similarity but often in a more general sense than εἴκω, which can imply a deeper correspondence or metaphorical relationship. See G3664
• παραβολή (parabolē, pa-ra-bo-LAY) – a comparison, parable; represents the extended narrative form of comparison, while εἴκω typically establishes more immediate resemblances. See G3850
• εἰκών (eikōn, eye-KONE) – image, likeness; the noun cognate of εἴκω, referring to a visual representation or embodiment of something else. See G1504
• τύπος (typos, TOO-pos) – type, pattern, model; similar to εἴκω in establishing connections but specifically focusing on prefigurative relationships where one reality foreshadows another. See G5179
• μιμέομαι (mimeomai, mi-MEH-o-my) – to imitate, mimic; while εἴκω concerns natural resemblance, μιμέομαι involves intentional imitation of behavior or character. See G3401

Did you Know?

• Did you know that in ancient Greek rhetorical theory, comparisons using forms of εἴκω were considered one of the most powerful persuasive devices? Aristotle in his Rhetoric specifically notes that metaphors and comparisons (which would employ forms of εἴκω) bring “things before the eyes” of listeners, making abstract concepts vivid and immediate. James’s masterful use of this rhetorical device reflects sophisticated Greek educational influence blended with Jewish wisdom traditions, demonstrating how early Messianic teaching integrated multiple cultural streams to communicate divine truth effectively.
• Did you know that the perfect form ἔοικα (the form used in James) had special significance in Greek philosophical writings? Plato frequently employed this exact form when discussing how objects in the physical world “resemble” their ideal forms. This Platonic background enriches our understanding of James’s usage—he adapts a term laden with philosophical meaning to communicate how certain spiritual states “resemble” physical realities, effectively baptizing Greek philosophical language for Kingdom purposes. This demonstrates the Holy Spirit’s work in transforming cultural concepts into vehicles for divine revelation.
• Did you know that in Hebrew thought, comparisons (משל, mashal) were considered not just illustrative but revelatory? The rabbis taught that when something is compared to another thing, the comparison reveals hidden dimensions of reality rather than merely illustrating what is already known. This perspective illuminates why James uses εἴκω—his comparisons don’t simply clarify; they reveal spiritual truths that might otherwise remain hidden. The wave and mirror metaphors thus function as windows into spiritual reality, allowing believers to perceive what would otherwise remain invisible to spiritual understanding.

Remember This

Εἴκω reminds us that God communicates profound spiritual truths through familiar imagery—inviting us to see beyond mere comparisons to the divine realities they illuminate, transforming how we understand both our faith and the world around us.