Divine Disclosure: φανερόω (Strong’s G5319: phaneroō) Reveals God’s Hidden Glory

Strong’s G5319: A verb meaning “to make manifest, to make known, to show.” From φανερός (manifest). Used extensively in contexts of divine revelation, specifically regarding God making known His truth, character, and purposes. Particularly significant in passages about the Messiah’s manifestation.

U- Unveiling the Word

The verb φανερόω carries profound theological significance as it describes the action of making something visible or known, particularly in contexts of divine revelation. Its usage goes beyond mere physical visibility to encompass the spiritual revelation of divine truth. In the New Testament, it plays a crucial role in describing how God makes Himself known to humanity, particularly through the incarnation of Jesus the Messiah and the revelation of divine truth through the Spirit. The early church frequently employed this term when discussing God’s self-disclosure and the manifestation of spiritual realities. Today, φανερόω continues to remind us of God’s ongoing work of revealing Himself and His truth to His people.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: φανερόω, phaneroō, fan-er-o’-o
• Pronunciation Guide: fan (as in “fantastic”) + er (as in “error”) + o (as in “oh”)
• Part of Speech: Verb

Etymology:

• φανερ- (phaner-): from φανερός meaning “manifest, clear”
• -όω (-oō): causative verbal suffix
  Combined to mean “to make manifest” or “to make clear”

D – Defining Meanings

• To make visible or manifest
• To reveal or make known
• To show plainly
• To appear or become visible

For compound words:
This is not a compound word but a denominative verb

Translation Options:

• “To manifest” – emphasizes the making visible of something hidden
• “To reveal” – focuses on the disclosure aspect
• “To make known” – captures the communication aspect

E – Exploring Similar Words

• δηλόω (dēloō, day-lo’-o) – to make clear See G1213
• ἀποκαλύπτω (apokalyptō, ap-ok-al-oop’-to) – to uncover, reveal See G601
• ἐμφανίζω (emphanizō, em-fan-id’-zo) – to manifest, show See G1718

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological features as a verb:

• Tense: Present, Future, Aorist, Perfect, Perfect
• Voice: Active, Passive
• Mood: Indicative, Subjunctive, Imperative
• Person: First, Second, Third
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Aspect: Continuous (present), Punctiliar (aorist), Completed (perfect)

Examples:

• φανερῶ – I manifest (present active)
• ἐφανέρωσα – I manifested (aorist active)
• φανερωθήσεται – it will be manifested (future passive)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The major lexicons provide rich insights into φανερόω. BDAG emphasizes its use in contexts of divine revelation and the manifestation of spiritual truth. Thayer’s notes its progression from physical visibility to spiritual revelation. LSJ documents its development in classical Greek. Vine’s particularly emphasizes its use in describing the incarnation and second coming of the Messiah. Strong’s connects it to the concept of rendering apparent. Moulton and Milligan provide evidence of its use in legal documents for public declarations. The LEH highlights its frequent use in the Septuagint for divine manifestations.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Mark 4:22: “For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed [φανερόω], nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.”

Additional References:
John 1:31, John 2:11, Romans 1:19, Colossians 1:26, 1 Timothy 3:16, 1 John 1:2

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

The word φανερόω powerfully expresses God’s desire to make Himself known to humanity. From the incarnation of Jesus to the ongoing revelation of spiritual truth, this word reminds us that our God is not distant or hidden but actively reveals Himself to His people. The good news is that in King Jesus, God has fully manifested His love, truth, and salvation. This manifestation continues as the Holy Spirit reveals the reality of the Messiah in believers’ hearts, transforming them into His image.

D – Did You Know?

1. φανερόω is a key term in John’s writings, particularly regarding the manifestation of Jesus.
2. Early Christian creeds often used this word to describe the incarnation.
3. The term played a crucial role in early church discussions about divine revelation.

Strong’s G5319: A verb meaning “to make manifest, to make known, to show.” From φανερός (manifest). Used extensively in contexts of divine revelation, specifically regarding God making known His truth, character, and purposes. Particularly significant in passages about the Messiah’s manifestation.

Part of speech: Verb

Tags: revelation, manifestation, disclosure, incarnation, appearance, truth, divine-revelation, visibility, clarity, spiritual-insight, showing, unveiling, epiphany, divine-disclosure, transformation​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​