Understanding ἀποβλέπω (apoblepō) Strong’s G578: The Power of Looking Away to Focus on Greater Eternal Rewards

Pronunciation Guide: ah-po-BLEH-pō (ἀποβλέπω)

Basic Definition

Strong’s G578: A compound verb combining ἀπό (away from) and βλέπω (to look), meaning to turn one’s gaze away from other things to focus intently on something specific. In biblical usage, it particularly describes the action of looking away from temporal circumstances to fix one’s attention on eternal spiritual realities, especially future divine rewards.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of Speech: Verb
• Root Components: ἀπό (away from) + βλέπω (to look, see)
• Primary Usage: Narrative and teaching passages
• Language Origin: Classical Greek
• Literary Context: Often used in contexts of spiritual vision and eternal perspective

ἀποβλέπω Morphology:

• ἀποβλέπω (present active indicative) – I look away to/toward
• ἀπέβλεπεν (imperfect active indicative) – he was looking away to/toward
• ἀποβλέπων (present active participle) – looking away to/toward
• ἀποβλέψαι (aorist active infinitive) – to look away to/toward

Origin & History

The compound verb ἀποβλέπω emerged in classical Greek literature as a vivid way to describe the act of turning one’s attention away from immediate surroundings to focus on something specific. Xenophon employed it in his “Memorabilia” (4.1.3) to describe how one fixes their gaze on a particular object while deliberately ignoring others. In the Septuagint, though rare, it appears in 4 Maccabees 17:10 describing martyrs who looked away from present sufferings to focus on heavenly rewards.

The preposition ἀπό adds the nuance of separation or detachment, while βλέπω contributes the basic meaning of visual perception. This combination creates a word that emphasizes not just seeing something, but deliberately turning away from other things to focus complete attention on a specific object or goal.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• To look away from everything else to fix one’s gaze upon something specific
• To concentrate attention exclusively on a particular object or goal
• To detach one’s focus from immediate circumstances to contemplate future realities

ἀποβλέπω Translation Options:

• “to look away to/toward” – Emphasizes the dual action of turning from one thing to focus on another
• “to fix one’s gaze upon” – Captures the intensity of focused attention
• “to look intently at” – Highlights the deliberate nature of the action
• “to concentrate attention on” – Emphasizes the exclusivity of focus

Biblical Usage

The most significant usage of ἀποβλέπω occurs in Hebrews 11:26, where it describes Moses’ spiritual vision that enabled him to reject Egyptian treasures in favor of eternal rewards. The author uses the imperfect tense (ἀπέβλεπεν) to indicate Moses’ sustained focus on divine recompense, suggesting an ongoing attitude rather than a momentary decision.

The word appears only once in the New Testament, but its usage is theologically rich and purposeful. The context of Hebrews 11 emphasizes the faith of Old Testament saints who maintained eternal perspective amid temporal challenges.

• “for he looked away to [ἀπέβλεπεν] the reward.” Hebrews 11:26

Cultural Insights

In the ancient Mediterranean world, the concept of visual focus had particular significance in religious and philosophical contexts. Greek philosophers often used visual metaphors to describe the pursuit of truth and wisdom. The idea of turning one’s gaze away from temporal distractions to focus on eternal realities was a common theme in both Hellenistic and Jewish wisdom literature.

The author of Hebrews employs this culturally resonant metaphor to describe Moses’ choice in terms his Greek-speaking Jewish audience would understand deeply. The word picture would have been especially powerful for those familiar with the Jewish tradition of meditation (הגה, hagah) which involved fixing one’s attention completely on Torah.

Theological Significance

The use of ἀποβλέπω in Hebrews 11:26 reveals profound theological truth about the nature of faith and spiritual vision. It demonstrates that genuine faith involves not just believing in unseen realities but actively turning our attention away from visible temporal circumstances to focus on eternal promises.

This word choice beautifully illustrates how Yahweh enables His people to see beyond present circumstances to eternal realities. Moses’ example shows that spiritual vision involves both a negative and positive aspect – turning away from worldly attractions and fixing our gaze on divine rewards. This dual action of faith challenges believers to cultivate eternal perspective in their daily choices.

Personal Application

In our modern context, ἀποβλέπω challenges believers to develop spiritual vision that sees beyond immediate circumstances. Just as Moses deliberately looked away from Egyptian treasures to focus on eternal rewards, we’re called to cultivate the spiritual discipline of eternal perspective.

This might mean choosing to focus on eternal impact rather than temporary comfort, or viewing current trials through the lens of future glory. The word encourages us to make conscious choices about where we fix our attention, recognizing that what we consistently focus on shapes our decisions and character.

Related Words

• βλέπω (blepō) – to see, look at – The base word without the intensified focus implied by ἀπό. See G991
• ἀφοράω (aphoraō) – to look away from one thing to another – Similar compound using different root for seeing. See G872
• σκοπέω (skopeō) – to look at, consider, contemplate – Emphasizes careful observation. See G4648
• θεωρέω (theōreō) – to behold, look at, observe – Suggests sustained attention. See G2334

Did you Know?

• The compound structure of ἀποβλέπω (ἀπό + βλέπω) mirrors a common pattern in modern languages where “looking away” often metaphorically describes redirecting attention, as in “looking past difficulties” or “looking beyond problems.”
• The imperfect tense used in Hebrews 11:26 (ἀπέβλεπεν) suggests Moses maintained this eternal perspective consistently throughout his life, not just in the moment of choosing between Egypt and exile.
• This word’s singular appearance in the New Testament makes it a hapax legomenon (occurring only once), yet its strategic placement in Hebrews 11’s “Hall of Faith” gives it extraordinary theological significance.

Remember This

ἀποβλέπω embodies the transformative power of purposefully turning our gaze away from temporal distractions to fix our complete attention on eternal rewards, following Moses’ example of faith-filled spiritual vision.