Spiritual Memory: ὑπόμνησις (Strong’s G5280: hypomnēsis) Awakens Faith’s Foundation

Strong’s G5280: A noun derived from hypo (under) and mimnēskō (to remind), meaning remembrance or reminder. In biblical usage, it specifically refers to the act of bringing spiritual truth back to conscious awareness, particularly in contexts of faith development and preservation.

U- Unveiling the Word

ὑπόμνησις (hypomnēsis) combines ὑπό (hypo, “under”) with μιμνήσκω (mimnēskō, “to remind”), creating a term for the process of bringing truth back to active memory. In 2 Timothy 1:5, Paul uses it to recall Timothy’s genuine faith heritage. The early church saw this word as crucial for spiritual formation, emphasizing the importance of remembering and building upon foundational truths. Today, it reminds us that spiritual growth often involves actively recalling and building upon past experiences of faith.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: ὑπόμνησις, hypomnēsis, hoop-OM-nay-sis
• Detailed Pronunciation: hoop (as in “hoop”) + om (as in “home”) + nay (as in “nay”) + sis (as in “sis”)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• ὑπό (hypo) – prefix meaning “under”
• μιμνήσκω (mimnēskō) – verb meaning “to remind”
• -σις (-sis) – noun-forming suffix indicating action
  Combined to mean “act of reminding”

D – Defining Meanings

• Remembrance
• Reminder
• Recollection

For compound words:

• ὑπό indicates bringing from beneath
• μιμνήσκω contributes memory aspect
• -σις makes it an action noun

Translation Options:

• “Reminder” – emphasizes triggering memory
• “Remembrance” – focuses on memory process
• “Recollection” – captures active memory engagement

E – Exploring Similar Words

• μνεία (mneia, MNAY-ah) – “remembrance, mention”
  See G3417
• ἀνάμνησις (anamnēsis, an-AM-nay-sis) – “remembrance, memorial”
  See G364
• μνήμη (mnēmē, MNAY-may) – “memory, remembrance”
  See G3420

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a noun, ὑπόμνησις exhibits these features:

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

Examples of morphological changes:

• Nominative: ὑπόμνησις
• Genitive: ὑπομνήσεως
• Dative: ὑπομνήσει
• Accusative: ὑπόμνησιν

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The major lexicons emphasize ὑπόμνησις’s dynamic nature. BDAG highlights its use in spiritual formation contexts. Thayer’s notes its active quality of bringing memories to consciousness. LSJ traces its use in educational settings. Vine’s connects it to spiritual development through memory. Strong’s emphasizes its compound nature suggesting purposeful remembrance. Moulton and Milligan document its use in both personal and official contexts of reminder.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
2 Timothy 1:5: “When I call to [ὑπόμνησις] remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.”

Additional References:
2 Peter 1:13
2 Peter 3:1

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

ὑπόμνησις powerfully expresses the dynamic role of memory in spiritual growth. As Paul recalled Timothy’s faith heritage and Peter stirred his readers’ pure minds, this word reminds us that spiritual development often involves active remembrance of God’s work in our lives. The good news is that King Jesus works through such remembrance to strengthen our faith and deepen our walk with Him.

D – Did You Know?

• The word appears in ancient educational documents
• It influenced early Christian catechetical practices
• Classical philosophers saw it as key to knowledge retention

Strong’s G5280: A noun derived from hypo (under) and mimnēskō (to remind), meaning remembrance or reminder. In biblical usage, it specifically refers to the act of bringing spiritual truth back to conscious awareness, particularly in contexts of faith development and preservation.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: remembrance, spiritual formation, memory, faith heritage, teaching, discipleship, spiritual growth, foundation, tradition, preservation​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​