Sacrificial Poverty: ὑστέρησις (Strong’s G5304: husteresis) Reveals True Kingdom Wealth

Strong’s G5304: From hustereo, husteresis denotes the state or condition of lacking, particularly describing deep poverty. In NT usage, it specifically appears in Mark’s account of the widow’s offering, highlighting how true giving stems from sacrificial poverty.

U- Unveiling the Word

The noun ὑστέρησις (husteresis) describes a state of deep lack or want, particularly emphasizing the ongoing condition of poverty rather than a temporary deficiency. Its appearance in Mark’s Gospel occurs at the pivotal moment of the widow’s offering, where Jesus highlights how true giving is measured not by amount but by sacrifice. The word carries profound theological significance as it reveals God’s upside-down kingdom economics where the poorest can be the most generous. Early church fathers frequently referenced this word when teaching about sacrificial giving and true wealth in God’s kingdom. Today, it continues to challenge our materialistic understanding of wealth and poverty, reminding us that true riches are measured by what we give, not what we keep.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: ὑστέρησις, husteresis, hoo-STEH-ray-sis
• Detailed Pronunciation: hoo (as in “who”) – STEH (as in “step”) – ray (as in “ray”) – sis (as in “sis”)
• Part of Speech: Noun (Feminine)

Etymology:
From ὑστερέω (hustereo):

• Root word: ὕστερος (husteros) – latter, lacking
• -σις (-sis) – noun-forming suffix indicating action or process

D – Defining Meanings

• State of poverty or want
• Condition of lacking
• Ongoing deficiency

For compound words:
Not a compound word; formed from verb ὑστερέω with nominal suffix -σις

Translation Options:

• “poverty” – Emphasizes the ongoing state of need
• “want” – Traditional translation capturing the concept of lack
• “destitution” – Strongest translation emphasizing severe need

E – Exploring Similar Words

• πτωχεία (ptocheia, pto-KHEI-a) – beggary, extreme poverty
  See G4432
• ἔνδεια (endeia, EN-dei-a) – want, indigence
  See G1783
• ὑστέρημα (husterema, hoo-STEH-ray-ma) – that which is lacking
  See G5303

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a feminine noun:

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

Example forms:

• ὑστέρησις (nominative) – poverty
• ὑστερήσεως (genitive) – of poverty
• ὑστερήσει (dative) – to/for poverty
• ὑστέρησιν (accusative) – poverty (direct object)

Related words:

• Verb: ὑστερέω (hustereo)
• Noun: ὑστέρημα (husterema)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

Lexical study reveals ὑστέρησις’s significant theological implications. BDAG emphasizes its use in describing chronic rather than temporary poverty. Thayer’s notes its distinction from related terms in focusing on the ongoing state of lack. LSJ documents its classical usage for describing systematic deficiency. Vine’s highlights its appearance in the widow’s offering narrative and its theological significance. Moulton and Milligan cite papyri showing its use in describing economic hardship. Strong’s connects it to the concept of falling behind or lacking, while LEH notes its rare but significant usage in describing genuine poverty. This evidence points to a term describing genuine, ongoing need rather than temporary lack.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Mark 12:44 “For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want [ὑστέρησις] did cast in all that she had, even all her living.”

Additional References:
Philippians 4:11

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

The word ὑστέρησις powerfully illustrates how God’s kingdom operates on different principles than the world’s economy. In highlighting the widow’s sacrificial giving, it shows that true wealth in God’s eyes is measured by sacrifice rather than amount. This word proclaims the good news by revealing that in Messiah’s kingdom, those who seem poorest by worldly standards can be richest in faith and generosity. It challenges us to consider whether we give from our excess or from genuine sacrifice.

D – Did You Know?

1. This word appears only twice in the New Testament but plays a crucial role in understanding biblical economics.
2. Early church fathers used this word to encourage wealthy believers to identify with the poor.
3. The concept influenced the development of Christian teaching on voluntary poverty.

Strong’s G5304: From hustereo, husteresis denotes the state or condition of lacking, particularly describing deep poverty. In NT usage, it specifically appears in Mark’s account of the widow’s offering, highlighting how true giving stems from sacrificial poverty.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: poverty, sacrificial-giving, widow’s-mites, kingdom-economics, want, lack, generosity, true-wealth, material-poverty, spiritual-wealth, contentment, sacrifice​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​