Divine Exaltation: ὑψόω (Strong’s G5312: hypsoo) Reveals Christ’s Victory Path

Strong’s G5312: From hypsos (height), hypsoo means to lift up, elevate, or exalt. In NT usage, it particularly describes Jesus’ exaltation through crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, revealing the paradoxical path of divine glory through humble sacrifice.

U- Unveiling the Word

The verb ὑψόω (hypsoo) carries profound theological significance in its dual meaning of physical lifting up and spiritual exaltation. Most powerfully, it appears in John’s Gospel where Jesus speaks of being “lifted up” on the cross, creating a deliberate double meaning that connects His crucifixion with His glorification. This paradoxical connection between suffering and glory became a cornerstone of early Christian theology. The early church fathers extensively used this word to explain how Christ’s apparent defeat became His supreme victory. Today, it continues to challenge our understanding of true exaltation, showing how God’s ways often invert human expectations of glory and success.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: ὑψόω, hypsoo, hoop-SO-o
• Detailed Pronunciation: hoop (as in “hoop”) – SO (as in “so”) – o (as in “oh”)
• Part of Speech: Verb

Etymology:
From ὕψος (hypsos) – height:

• Root word: ὕψος – height
• -όω (-oo) – verb-forming suffix indicating “to make”

D – Defining Meanings

• To lift up physically
• To exalt, elevate in status
• To raise to a position of honor

For compound words:
Not a compound word; formed from noun ὕψος with verbal suffix

Translation Options:

• “lift up” – Best captures physical aspect
• “exalt” – Emphasizes glorification aspect
• “raise up” – Combines physical and metaphorical meanings

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ἐπαίρω (epairo, ep-AI-ro) – to lift up, raise
  See G1869
• ἀνυψόω (anuypsoo, an-hoop-SO-o) – to lift up, exalt
  See G441
• μετεωρίζω (meteorizo, me-te-o-RID-zo) – to raise high
  See G3349

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

For this verb:

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

Example forms:

• ὑψῶ – I lift up (Present Active Indicative)
• ὑψωθήσεται – will be exalted (Future Passive Indicative)
• ὑψώθη – was lifted up (Aorist Passive Indicative)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

Lexical study reveals ὑψόω’s rich theological significance. BDAG emphasizes its dual meaning in John’s Gospel regarding crucifixion and glorification. Thayer’s notes its development from physical elevation to spiritual exaltation. LSJ documents its classical usage for both literal and metaphorical elevation. Vine’s highlights its importance in describing Christ’s three-fold lifting up: on the cross, in resurrection, and in ascension. Moulton and Milligan cite papyri showing its use in honorary contexts. Strong’s connects it to the concept of raising high, while LEH notes its Septuagint usage for divine exaltation. This evidence shows a term central to Christian theology of glory through suffering.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Matthew 11:23 “And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted [ὑψόω] unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell”

Additional References:
John 3:14, John 8:28, John 12:32, Acts 2:33, Acts 5:31, Philippians 2:9

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

The word ὑψόω powerfully captures the paradox of Christ’s exaltation through humiliation. It teaches that true glory comes through sacrifice, and that God’s path to exaltation often involves descent. This word proclaims the good news by showing how Christ’s being “lifted up” on the cross becomes the means of drawing all people to Himself. It reminds us that in God’s kingdom, the way up is down, and true exaltation comes through humble service.

D – Did You Know?

1. In John’s Gospel, this word creates a deliberate double meaning about Christ’s crucifixion and glorification.
2. Early church architecture often reflected this concept with high crosses symbolizing both suffering and glory.
3. The term influenced early Christian understanding of martyrdom as a path to glory.

Strong’s G5312: From hypsos (height), hypsoo means to lift up, elevate, or exalt. In NT usage, it particularly describes Jesus’ exaltation through crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, revealing the paradoxical path of divine glory through humble sacrifice.

Part of speech: Verb

Tags: exaltation, crucifixion, glorification, lifting-up, ascension, humility, divine-glory, resurrection, suffering-and-glory, paradox, cross, christ’s-exaltation​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​