Divine Patience: ὑπεροράω (Strong’s G5237: hyperoraō) Reveals Gracious Forbearance
Strong’s G5237: A compound verb combining ὑπέρ (over/beyond) and ὁράω (to see), meaning “to overlook, disregard.” Used in Acts to describe God’s merciful patience with human ignorance before the full revelation of the gospel, emphasizing divine forbearance rather than immediate judgment.
U – Unveiling the Word
The verb ὑπεροράω carries significant theological weight in its expression of divine forbearance. As a compound word combining “over” (ὑπέρ) with “to see” (ὁράω), it describes the act of looking past or overlooking something that deserves attention or judgment. In the New Testament, this word appears in Paul’s Areopagus speech, describing God’s merciful patience with human ignorance in pre-gospel times. The early church understood this term as expressing God’s gracious restraint in judgment, allowing time for repentance. Today, this word continues to remind us of God’s merciful patience and His desire for all to come to repentance.
N – Necessary Information
- Greek Word: ὑπεροράω, hyperoraō, /hy.per.o.ra.ō/
- Detailed pronunciation: hü-per-o-rä’-ō (where ü as in German über, ä as in father)
- Part of Speech: Verb
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Etymology:
- Prefix: ὑπέρ (hyper) meaning “over/beyond”
- Root: ὁράω (horaō) meaning “to see”
- Combined meaning: “to look over/past”
D – Defining Meanings
- To overlook
- To disregard
- To bear with
- To show forbearance
For compound words: The prefix ὑπέρ combined with ὁράω creates the concept of looking past something, implying intentional forbearance rather than mere negligence.
Translation Options:
- “to overlook” – emphasizes conscious disregard
- “to show forbearance” – captures merciful intent
- “to pass over” – highlights intentional restraint
E – Exploring Similar Words
- παρίημι (pariēmi) /pa.ri.ē.mi/ – to let pass – See G3935
- ἀνέχομαι (anechomai) /a.ne.kho.mai/ – to bear with – See G430
- μακροθυμέω (makrothymeō) /ma.kro.thy.me.ō/ – to be patient – See G3114
R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology
Features of this verb:
- Tense: Present/Aorist
- Voice: Active/Middle
- Mood: Participle/Indicative
- Person: Third
- Number: Singular
- Aspect: Progressive/Punctiliar
Common forms include:
- ὑπεροράω – I overlook
- ὑπερεῖδεν – He overlooked (aorist)
- ὑπερορῶν – overlooking (participle)
S – Studying Lexicon Insights
The lexicons provide rich insight into ὑπεροράω’s meaning and usage. BDAG emphasizes its use in contexts of divine forbearance. Thayer’s notes its development from physical overlooking to spiritual patience. LSJ traces its classical usage in contexts of intentional disregard. Vine’s highlights its unique appearance in Acts and its theological significance. Strong’s emphasizes the compound nature of the word and its implications of merciful restraint. Moulton and Milligan document its use in contexts where patience or forbearance was being shown.
T – Tracing the Scriptures
First appearance:
Acts 17:30: “Therefore having overlooked [ὑπεροράω] the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to all people everywhere to repent.”
Additional References:
This is the only occurrence of ὑπεροράω in the New Testament.
A – Analyzing Classical Usage
| Author: Work | Text |
|---|---|
| Plato: Laws | “The wise ruler overlooks [ὑπεροράω] minor offenses for the sake of peace.” |
| Thucydides: History | “Athens chose to disregard [ὑπεροράω] the small provocations of its allies.” |
| Xenophon: Cyropaedia | “A good leader knows when to overlook [ὑπεροράω] his soldiers’ minor faults.” |
N – Noteworthy Summary
The word ὑπεροράω powerfully expresses God’s merciful patience with human ignorance and sin. Used in Acts 17:30, it reveals that God’s apparent silence wasn’t indifference but gracious forbearance. This word proclaims the good news by showing that God’s patience has a purpose – to lead people to repentance through the gospel. It reminds us that what might appear as divine negligence is actually merciful restraint, giving time for the message of the Messiah to reach all nations.
D – Did You Know?
- ὑπεροράω appears only once in the New Testament
- It’s used in Paul’s famous Mars Hill sermon
- The word influenced early Christian understanding of divine patience
Strong’s G5237: A compound verb combining ὑπέρ (over/beyond) and ὁράω (to see), meaning “to overlook, disregard.” Used in Acts to describe God’s merciful patience with human ignorance before the full revelation of the gospel, emphasizing divine forbearance rather than immediate judgment.
Part of speech: Verb
Tags: forbearance, patience, mercy, divine restraint, grace, biblical Greek, New Testament Greek, Paul’s preaching, evangelism, redemption
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