Divine Terror: φοβερός (Strong’s G5398: phoberos) Reveals God’s Awesome Holiness

Strong’s G5398: From phobos (fear), denoting that which causes fear, terror, or reverent awe. In biblical usage, particularly emphasizes the terrifying aspects of divine judgment and the awesome nature of God’s holiness, power, and majesty.

U- Unveiling the Word

The term φοβερός (phoberos) carries profound theological weight in Scripture, expressing both terror and reverent awe. Its primary meaning conveys the idea of something or someone that inspires fear, but this fear isn’t merely about being scared—it encompasses a deep, reverential response to divine holiness. In the New Testament, particularly in Hebrews, it describes the terrifying aspects of God’s judgment while simultaneously pointing to His magnificent holiness. The early church understood this term as expressing the proper response to encountering the living God. Today, this word challenges our often-casual approach to worship, reminding us that while God is our loving Father, He remains the awesome, holy, and terrifying God whose presence causes even the seraphim to cover their faces.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: φοβερός, phoberos, fo-be-ROS
• Pronunciation Guide: fo (as in “foe”) – be (as in “bet”) – ros (as in “rose”)
• Part of Speech: Adjective

Etymology:

• φόβος (phobos) – root meaning “fear, terror, reverence”
• -ρος (-ros) – adjectival suffix indicating possession of a quality

D – Defining Meanings

• Fearful, terrible, causing fear
• Awesome, inspiring reverence
• Dreadful, formidable

For compound words:
The root φόβος provides the core meaning of fear, while the suffix -ρος indicates the quality or characteristic of causing this response.

Translation Options:

• “Terrifying” – emphasizes the fear-inducing aspect
• “Awe-inspiring” – captures the reverent response
• “Dreadful” – combines both fear and respect

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ἔκφοβος (ekphobos) [EK-fo-bos] – exceedingly afraid, emphasizing intense fear See G1630
• φοβέω (phobeō) [fo-BEH-oh] – to fear or be afraid See G5399
• περίφοβος (periphobos) [pe-RI-fo-bos] – thoroughly frightened See G4047

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

• Case: Nominative, Accusative, Genitive, Dative
• Number: Singular and Plural forms
• Gender: Masculine, Feminine, Neuter
• Declension: Second declension

Examples:

• Nominative: φοβερός (phoberos)
• Genitive: φοβεροῦ (phoberou)
• Plural: φοβεροί (phoberoi)

Cross-reference:

• Related noun: φόβος (phobos)
• Related verb: φοβέω (phobeō)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The lexicons provide rich insight into φοβερός. BDAG emphasizes its connection to both divine judgment and reverence, while Thayer’s highlights its development from classical usage to biblical significance. LSJ traces its evolution from simple fear to holy terror in religious contexts. Vine’s connects it to the broader biblical theme of the fear of the Lord. Strong’s emphasizes its connection to reverential awe, while LEH provides valuable insights from Septuagint usage, particularly in describing divine appearances. Moulton and Milligan’s papyrological evidence shows how the term was elevated in biblical usage to express encounters with divine holiness.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Hebrews 10:27 “but a certain [φοβερός] fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.”

Additional References:
Hebrews 10:31
Hebrews 12:21

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

The concept of φοβερός reminds us that encountering the living God is both terrifying and awe-inspiring. This dual nature of holy fear perfectly aligns with the good news of King Jesus, Who makes it possible for sinful humans to approach the holy God. Through the Messiah’s sacrificial work, we can draw near to this awesome God with confidence, while maintaining appropriate reverence for His holiness. This tension between intimate access and holy fear characterizes mature Christian spirituality.

D – Did You Know?

1. The word appears most frequently in Hebrews, emphasizing the awesome nature of the new covenant.
2. Ancient Greek temples often had inscriptions using φοβερός to warn uninitiated persons against entering sacred spaces.
3. Early Christian martyrs were described using this term when facing death with supernatural courage.

Strong’s G5398: From phobos (fear), denoting that which causes fear, terror, or reverent awe. In biblical usage, particularly emphasizes the terrifying aspects of divine judgment and the awesome nature of God’s holiness, power, and majesty.

Part of speech: Adjective

Tags: fear, awe, reverence, divine judgment, holiness, worship, divine attributes, God’s character, spiritual formation, Hebrew epistle, covenant theology, divine presence​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​