Original Word: ἀντίδικος
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: antidikos
Pronunciation: an-TEE-dee-kos
Phonetic Spelling: (an-tid'-ee-kos)
Definition: Adversary, opponent
Meaning: an opponent (at law), an adversary.

Word Origin: From ἀντί (anti, meaning "against") and δίκη (dike, meaning "justice" or "right")

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: The Hebrew equivalent often associated with the concept of an adversary is שָׂטָן (satan, Strong's Hebrew 7854), which means "adversary" or "accuser."

Usage: The term "antidikos" is used in the New Testament to denote an adversary or opponent, particularly in a legal context. It conveys the idea of someone who stands against another in a dispute or conflict, often with the connotation of a legal adversary in a court setting. In a broader spiritual sense, it is used to describe Satan as the adversary of believers.

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Greek culture, the term "antidikos" was commonly used in legal settings to refer to an opponent in a lawsuit. The legal system of the time was adversarial, with each party presenting their case before a judge or jury. This term would have been familiar to early Christians, many of whom lived in Roman and Hellenistic societies where legal disputes were a part of daily life. The concept of an adversary was also well understood in Jewish thought, where Satan was often depicted as the accuser or opponent of God's people.

476 antídikos (from 473 /antí, "against, off-set" and 1349 /díkē, "justice, a judge") – properly, a prosecuting attorney arguing a case-at-law; an "opponent at law" (TDNT).

476 /antídikos ("an accuser, adversary") brings formal charges, i.e. as they are binding to exact penalty. Satan acts as such an adversary, bringing the "(law)suit" of darkness against believers for their eternal damnation (cf. 1 Pet 5:8). Offsetting this is the perfect sacrifice of Christ (Jn 19:30)!

[476 (antídikos) is "an adversary in a lawsuit," from anti/"against," and dīkē/"a lawsuit," WS, 319.

476 (antidikos) is a technical legal term used in antiquity of an adversary in a courtroom, i.e. someone seeking official (formal, binding) damages.

The papyri (Pl Phdr 237) used 476 (antídikos) of an opponent in a law suit.]

Word Origin
from anti and diké
Definition
an opponent, adversary
NASB Translation
adversary (1), opponent (3), opponent at law (1).

STRONGS NT 476: ἀντίδικος

ἀντίδικος, ἀντίδικον (δίκη); as a substantive ὁ ἀντίδικος a. an opponent in a suit at law: Matthew 5:25; Luke 12:58; Luke 18:3 (Xenophon, Plato, often in the Attic orators).

b. universally, an adversavy, enemy (Aesehyl. Ag. 41; Sir. 33:9; 1 Samuel 2:10; Isaiah 41:11, etc.): 1 Peter 5:8 (unless we prefer to regard the devil as here called ἀντίδικος because he accuses men before God).

adversary.

From anti and dike; an opponent (in a lawsuit); specially, Satan (as the arch-enemy) -- adversary.

see GREEK anti

see GREEK dike

αντίδικοί αντιδίκοις αντίδικον αντίδικόν αντιδικος αντίδικος ἀντίδικος αντιδικου αντιδίκου ἀντιδίκου αντιδίκους αντιδικω αντιδίκω ἀντιδίκῳ αντίζηλον αντίζηλος antidiko antidikō antidíkoi antidíkōi antidikos antídikos antidikou antidíkouInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts