Lexical Summary phainó: To appear, to shine, to become visible, to be evident Original Word: φαίνω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance to shine, appearProlongation for the base of phos; to lighten (shine), i.e. Show (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative) -- appear, seem, be seen, shine, X think. see GREEK phos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom a prim. root Definition to bring to light, to cause to appear NASB Translation appear (5), appeared (7), appears (1), became evident (1), become (1), flashes (1), noticed (2), seem (1), seen (2), shine (3), shines (1), shining (4), shown (1), visible (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5316: φαίνωφαίνω; (1 aorist active subjunctive 3 person singular φανῇ, L T WH in Revelation 8:12; Revelation 18:23 (see below and ἀναφαίνω; Winers Grammar, § 15, under the word; Buttmann, 41 (35))); passive, present φαίνομαι; 2 aorist ἐφαινην; 2 future φανήσομαι and (in 1 Peter 4:18) φανοῦμαι (cf. Kühner, § 343, under the word; (Veitch, under the word)); (φάω); in Greek writings from Homer down; to bring forth into the light, cause to shine; to show. In Biblical Greek: 1. Active intransitively, to shine, shed light (which the Greeks (commonly (cf. Liddell and Scott, under the word, A. II.)) express by the passive), the Sept. for הֵאִיר: τό φῶς φαίνει, John 1:5; 1 John 2:8; ὁ λύχνος, John 5:35; 2 Peter 1:19 (1 Macc. 4:50; Genesis 1:17); ἥλιος, Revelation 1:16; ὁ ἥλιος καί ἡ σελήνη, Revelation 21:23; ἡ ἡμέρα, Revelation 8:12 Rec. 2. Passive, a. to shine, be bright or resplendent: ἡ ἡμέρα, Revelation 8:12 Tr ((see above); Revelation 18:23 R G Tr — but see Veitch, under the word; moreover, the following examples should be brought under the next head; see Meyer on Philippians 2:15); ὡς φωστῆρες, Philippians 2:15; ὁ ἀστήρ, Matthew 2:7; ἡ ἀστραπή, Matthew 24:27. b. to become evident, to be brought forth into light, come to view, appear: Matthew 24:30; opposed to ἀφανίζεσθαι, James 4:14; of the appearance of angels: τίνι, Matthew 1:20; Matthew 2:13, 19 (2 Macc. 3:33 2Macc. 10:29 2Macc. 11:8; of God, Josephus, Antiquities 7, 7, 3; for נִקְרָה in reference to the same, Numbers 23:3); of those restored to life, Luke 9:8; τίνι, Mark 16:9; of growing vegetation, to come to light, Matthew 13:26; universally, to appear, be seen: φαινομενα, Hebrews 11:3; impersonally, φαίνεται, it is seen, exposed to view: οὐδέποτε ἐφάνη οὕτως ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ, never was it seen in such (i. e. so remarkable) a fashion — never was such a sight seen — in Israel, Matthew 9:33. c. to meet the eyes, strike the sight, become clear or manifest, with a predicate nominative (be seen to be) (cf. Buttmann, § 144, 15 a., 18): Matthew 6:16, 18; Matthew 23:27; 2 Corinthians 13:7; ἵνα (namely, ἡ ἁμαρτία) φανῇ ἁμαρτία (equivalent to ἁμαρτωλός), Romans 7:13; with the dative of the person added, Matthew 6:5 (namely, προσευχόμενοι praying); to be seen, appear: ὁ ἁμαρτωλός ποῦ φανεῖται; i. e. he will nowhere be seen, will perish, 1 Peter 4:18. d. to appear to the mind, seem to one's judgment or opinion: τί ὑμῖν φαίνεται (A. V. what think ye), Mark 14:64 (1 Esdr. 2:18 (21)); ἐφάνησαν ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν ὡσεί ληροι, Luke 24:11 (Winers Grammar, § 33 f.; Buttmann, § 133, 3. Synonym: see δοκέω, at the end.) Strong’s Greek 5316 (phaínō and its middle/passive forms) expresses the idea of giving light, shining forth, becoming visible, or being made manifest. The verb moves easily between the physical realm (light that is seen) and the moral-spiritual realm (truth that becomes evident). Literal Light and Physical Visibility 1. John 1:5 “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The word conveys the continual, victorious shining of Christ, establishing a theme of conquering illumination that runs through the New Testament. In apocalyptic settings phaínō describes heavenly luminaries. The New Jerusalem “has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, because the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its lamp” (Revelation 21:23). God Himself is the final, unfailing source of light; created lights are expendable. Lightning “appears” from east to west. The term underscores sudden, unmistakable visibility. The Second Coming will be as obvious as a sky-filling flash. Divine Revelatory Appearances 1. Angelic guidance to Joseph (Matthew 1:20; 2:13; 2:19) Angels “appeared” in dreams, directing the protection of the Messianic child. The verb highlights God’s sovereign intervention in history and His care over the unfolding plan of redemption. The risen Christ “appeared” first to Mary Magdalene, and angels “appeared” to the women. The vocabulary stresses objective reality; the resurrection is not visionary myth but an historical manifestation. Herod hears that Elijah “appeared,” showing that phaínō can describe stunning, other-worldly events that break into ordinary time. Messianic Revelation in the Nativity Narrative Matthew employs the middle participle φαινομένου (Matthew 2:7) of the Bethlehem star. Its continuous aspect (“was appearing”) fits a sign that persisted long enough to guide the Magi. The usage binds celestial light to the dawning of Messianic light on earth. Eschatological Manifestation 1. Matthew 24:30 “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven.” The public nature of Christ’s return is stressed; it will not be hidden or secret. Moral and Ethical Light 1. Philippians 2:15 “in which you shine as lights in the world.” Believers are to embody visible holiness amid a “crooked and perverse generation.” The same verb applied to Christ (John 1:5) is now applied to His people, linking sanctification to Christlike radiance. Warning against Hypocritical Appearance 1. Matthew 6:5, 6:16 “they love to pray standing … in order to be seen by men” … “they disfigure their faces so that they may appear to be fasting.” Phaínō exposes self-promotion dressed up as piety. Faith and the Unseen Realm 1. Hebrews 11:3 “so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” Phaínō stands at the interface of visible creation and the invisible word of God. Pastoral and Ministry Implications 1. Revelation, Gospel, and Epistle passages tie phaínō to Christ’s manifestation—past (incarnation), present (church’s witness), and future (glorious return). Teaching should therefore keep all three tenses before God’s people: what has appeared, what is appearing, and what will appear. Intertextual Connections The Septuagint frequently uses phaínō of the Lord’s glory cloud (for example, Exodus 16:10), preparing readers to recognize in Jesus the ultimate appearing of Yahweh’s glory (John 1:14). Prophets also foresaw a day when “your light has come” (Isaiah 60:1), a theme fulfilled in the Gospel narratives and consummated in Revelation’s climactic vision. Theological Summary Phaínō weaves through Scripture a tapestry of revelation: God shines truth into darkness; He appears to save; His people shine forth in holiness; and one day His Son will appear in unapproachable brightness. The verb therefore summons the church to worship the God who makes Himself known, to walk in transparent integrity, and to wait expectantly for the definitive appearing when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Habakkuk 2:14). Englishman's Concordance Matthew 1:20 V-AIP-3SGRK: κατ' ὄναρ ἐφάνη αὐτῷ λέγων NAS: of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, KJV: of the Lord appeared unto him INT: in a dream appeared to him saying Matthew 2:7 V-PPM/P-GMS Matthew 2:13 V-PIM/P-3S Matthew 2:19 V-PIM/P-3S Matthew 6:5 V-ASP-3P Matthew 6:16 V-ASP-3P Matthew 6:18 V-ASP-2S Matthew 9:33 V-AIP-3S Matthew 13:26 V-AIP-3S Matthew 23:27 V-PIM/P-3P Matthew 23:28 V-PIM/P-2P Matthew 24:27 V-PIM/P-3S Matthew 24:30 V-FIP-3S Mark 14:64 V-PIM/P-3S Mark 16:9 V-AIP-3S Luke 9:8 V-AIP-3S Luke 24:11 V-AIP-3P John 1:5 V-PIA-3S John 5:35 V-PPA-NMS Romans 7:13 V-ASP-3S 2 Corinthians 13:7 V-ASP-1P Philippians 2:15 V-PIM/P-2P Hebrews 11:3 V-PPM/P-GNP James 4:14 V-PPM/P-NFS 1 Peter 4:18 V-FIM-3S Strong's Greek 5316 |
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