Worldly Power Confronted: Φαραώ (Strong’s G5328: Pharaō) Reveals God’s Sovereignty

Strong’s G5328: A title meaning “Great House,” derived from Egyptian per-aa. Used for Egyptian kings in biblical narratives. Particularly significant in Acts and Hebrews, representing human authority opposing God’s purposes. Symbolizes worldly power confronted by divine sovereignty.

U- Unveiling the Word

The title Φαραώ carries profound theological significance in biblical narrative and early church understanding. While literally meaning “Great House” in Egyptian, it represents the pinnacle of human authority and often, opposition to God’s purposes. In the New Testament, it appears in contexts that recall the Exodus narrative, where God’s power triumphs over human resistance. The early church saw in Φαραώ a paradigmatic example of human pride and opposition to God’s will, while simultaneously demonstrating God’s sovereign power to accomplish His purposes even through resistant rulers. Today, this word continues to remind us that all earthly authority ultimately serves God’s redemptive plans.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: Φαραώ, Pharaō, far-ah-o’
• Pronunciation Guide: far (as in “far”) + ah (as in “ah”) + o (as in “oh”)
• Part of Speech: Proper Noun

Etymology:

• Transliteration of Egyptian per-aa meaning “Great House”
  No Greek morphological components as it is a borrowed term

D – Defining Meanings

• Title of Egyptian kings
• Supreme ruler of Egypt
• Representative of worldly power

For compound words:
This is not a compound word but a transliterated Egyptian title

Translation Options:

• “Pharaoh” – traditional transliteration
• “King of Egypt” – functional equivalent
• “Great House” – literal meaning

E – Exploring Similar Words

• βασιλεύς (basileus, bas-il-yooce’) – king See G935
• ἄρχων (archōn, ar’-khone) – ruler See G758
• δυνάστης (dynastēs, doo-nas’-tace) – potentate See G1413

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a proper noun:

• Indeclinable
• Always maintains the same form
• Used with or without article

The word remains unchanged morphologically:

• Nominative: Φαραώ
• Genitive: Φαραώ
• Dative: Φαραώ
• Accusative: Φαραώ

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The lexicons provide rich understanding of Φαραώ. BDAG emphasizes its use as a title rather than a personal name. Thayer’s notes its Egyptian origin and significance in biblical history. LSJ documents its usage in Hellenistic literature regarding Egyptian history. Vine’s particularly emphasizes its representation of opposition to God’s purposes. Strong’s connects it to its Egyptian etymology. Moulton and Milligan provide evidence of its usage in Egyptian papyri as a formal title. The LEH shows its consistent use in the Septuagint for Egyptian monarchs.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Acts 7:10: “and delivered him out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh [Φαραώ], king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.”

Additional References:
Acts 7:13, Romans 9:17, Hebrews 11:24

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

The word Φαραώ powerfully illustrates how God works His sovereign purposes even through resistant human authorities. While representing the height of earthly power and opposition to God’s plans, Pharaoh ultimately served to display God’s glory and accomplish His redemptive purposes. The good news is that King Jesus has triumphed over all earthly powers, demonstrating that no human authority can thwart God’s salvation plans. This reminds us that God remains sovereign over all earthly rulers.

D – Did You Know?

1. The title Φαραώ originally referred to the palace before becoming a royal title.
2. Early Christian art often depicted Pharaoh as a type of spiritual opposition.
3. The word influenced early Christian discussions about church-state relations.

Strong’s G5328: A title meaning “Great House,” derived from Egyptian per-aa. Used for Egyptian kings in biblical narratives. Particularly significant in Acts and Hebrews, representing human authority opposing God’s purposes. Symbolizes worldly power confronted by divine sovereignty.

Part of speech: Proper Noun

Tags: Egypt, kingship, authority, opposition, sovereignty, exodus, Moses, Joseph, divine-purpose, rulers, worldly-power, providence, resistance, divine-triumph, redemption​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​