Spreading News: φήμη (Strong’s G5345: phēmē) Proclaims Messiah’s Power

Strong’s G5345: A noun meaning “fame, report, news,” derived from φημί (to speak). Used to describe the spreading of news about Jesus’ miracles. Represents the natural dissemination of information about divine acts. Significant in showing how testimony about Jesus spreads organically.

U- Unveiling the Word

The noun φήμη describes the natural spread of news or reports, particularly regarding remarkable events. In the New Testament, it appears in contexts of Jesus’ miracles spreading through public discussion. The word carries the sense of spontaneous dissemination rather than formal proclamation, showing how divine acts naturally generate discussion and testimony. The early church recognized in this word the power of informal witness about God’s works. Today, φήμη reminds us that genuine encounters with divine power naturally lead to testimony and discussion that spreads through social networks.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: φήμη, phēmē, fay’-may
• Pronunciation Guide: fay (as in “fate”) + may (as in “may”)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• From φημί (to speak, say)
• -μη (-mē): noun-forming suffix
  Combined to mean “that which is spoken about”

D – Defining Meanings

• Fame
• Report
• News
• Rumor

For compound words:
This is not a compound word but a derived noun

Translation Options:

• “Fame” – emphasizes widespread knowledge
• “Report” – stresses information spreading
• “News” – captures current information aspect

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ἀκοή (akoē, ak-o-ay’) – hearing, report See G189
• λόγος (logos, log’-os) – word, report See G3056
• ἀγγελία (angelia, ang-el-ee’-ah) – message See G31

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological features as a noun:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: First declension

Examples:

• Nominative: φήμη
• Genitive: φήμης
• Dative: φήμῃ
• Accusative: φήμην

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The lexicons provide rich understanding of φήμη. BDAG emphasizes its use in describing the spread of news about Jesus’ works. Thayer’s notes its connection to informal communication. LSJ documents its classical usage for public opinion and reports. Vine’s particularly emphasizes its role in Gospel narratives. Strong’s connects it to the basic concept of speaking. Moulton and Milligan provide evidence of its use in describing how news spreads naturally through communities.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Matthew 9:26: “And the report [φήμη] of this went out into all that land.”

Additional References:
Luke 4:14

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

The word φήμη beautifully illustrates how divine acts naturally generate testimony and discussion. When Jesus performed miracles, people couldn’t help but talk about what they had seen and heard. The good news is that King Jesus continues to work in ways that prompt natural testimony. This word reminds us that authentic encounters with God’s power naturally lead to organic witness, as people share what they have experienced.

D – Did You Know?

1. φήμη gives us the English word “fame.”
2. It was often personified as a goddess in classical literature.
3. Early church writers saw it as evidence of divine works’ self-authenticating nature.

Strong’s G5345: A noun meaning “fame, report, news,” derived from φημί (to speak). Used to describe the spreading of news about Jesus’ miracles. Represents the natural dissemination of information about divine acts. Significant in showing how testimony about Jesus spreads organically.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: fame, report, news, testimony, witness, miracles, spreading-news, divine-acts, natural-witness, testimony, public-opinion, Jesus-miracles, organic-spread, communication, witness​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​