Terror (5401) phobos by Greek Word Studies

Fear (5401) (phobos from the verb phébomai = to flee from or to be startled) refers first to flight, to alarm, to fright or to terror (of the shaking type) (cf. Mt 14:26; Lk 21:26; 1Co 2:3). This type of fear is connected with fear of the unknown, fear of the future, and fear of authorities. It speaks of the terror which seizes one when danger appears. On the other hand phobos in some contexts refers to reverence, respect and honor, describing the attitude we should have toward a holy God (cf. Acts 2:43; 9:31; 2Co 5:11; 7:1). In some uses phobos includes the idea of astonishment and/or amazement (eg, Mt 28:8; Mk 4:41; Lk 1:65; 5:26; 7:16). A third meaning of phobos pictures due respect for people and their position. Paul urged the Roman saints in regard to government authorities to... Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. (Ro 13:7-note) A Biblical fear of God includes elements of (1) awe of His greatness and glory and elements of (2) dread of the results of violating His holy nature causing Him displeasure and incurring His hand of discipline (He 12:6-note, He 12:11-note). The OT points out that those who fear God show their awareness of Who He is by their moral choices (obedience - cp 1Sa 15:22, 23) as well as by their worship. In short reverential fear marked the Old Testament believer. Israel was commanded to reverence Jehovah. Moses was instructed to take off his sandals, when he was in the presence of God on Mount Horeb (Ex 3:5). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (and thus it is a good thing to fear God!) (Ps 111:10-note). Fear of God - 10 occurrences of this phrase in ESV - Ge 20:11; 2Sa 23:3; 2Chr 20:29; 26:5; Ne 5:15; Job 4:6; 15:4; Ps 36:1; Ro 3:18; 2Co 7:1. If you are like many saints in the modern evangelical church, the chances are good that you have little understanding of the true meaning of Biblical fear. If that is you dear saint, let me encourage you to take a few hours and listen to the excellent five part Mp3 series by Jerry Bridges on the "Fear of God" . I can assure you that you will be amply rewarded for God Himself says the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (Pr 1:7) and wisdom (Pr 9:10, Job 28:28, Ps 110:10) or wise living (cp Ec 12:13, 14) in an increasingly unwise living world! Jerry Bridges writes... The late professor John Murray said, “The fear of God is the soul of godliness.” Yet the fear of God is a concept that seems old-fashioned and antiquated to many modern-day Christians. There was a time when an earnest believer might have been known as a “God-fearing man.” Today we would probably be embarrassed by such language. Some seem to think the fear of God is strictly an Old Testament concept that passed away with the revelation of God’s love in Christ. After all, doesn’t perfect love drive out fear, as John declares in 1John 4:18? Although it is true that the concept of the fear of God is treated more extensively in the Old Testament, it would be a mistake to assume that it is not important in the New Testament. One of the blessings of the new covenant is the implanting in believers’ hearts of the fear of the Lord. In Jeremiah 32:40 God said, “I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.” “Nothing could be more significant,” observed John Murray, “than that the fear of the Lord should be coupled with the comfort of the Holy Spirit as the characteristics of the New Testament church: ‘So the church … walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit was multiplied’ (Acts 9:31).” Paul and Peter both use the fear of the Lord as a motive to holy and righteous living. The example of the Lord Jesus Himself, of whom Isaiah said, “and he will delight in the fear of the Lord” (Isa 11:3), should put the question beyond all doubt. If Jesus in His humanity delighted in the fear of God, surely we need to give serious thought to cultivating this attitude in our lives. (The Practice of Godliness) In sum, phobos includes both a negative emotion and a positive attitude. Christians are not to fear people or persecution or even Satan. They are, however, to show proper fear or reverence toward God and respect to other people. Phobos - 47x NAS - 14.26" class="scriptRef">Mt 14:26; 8.4" class="scriptRef">28:4, 8; Mk 4:41; Lk 1:12, 5" class="scriptRef">65; 2:9; 5:26; 16" class="scriptRef">7:16; 8:37; 21:26; Jn 7:13; 19:38; 20:19; Ac 2:43; 5:5, 11" class="scriptRef">11; 9:31; 19:17; Ro 3:18; 15" class="scriptRef">15" class="scriptRef">8:15; 13:3, 7; 1Co 2:3; 2Co 5:11; 7:1, 5, 11, 15; Ep 5:21; 6:5; Php 2:12; 1Ti 5:20; He 2:15; 1Pe 1:17; 2:18; 3:2, 14, 16; 1Jn 4:18; Jude 1:23; Re 11:11; 18:10, 15. NAS = cause of fear, 1; fear, 37; fearful, 1; fears, 1; intimidation, 1; respect, 1; respectful, 1; reverence, 1; sense of awe, 1. In classical Greek phobos meant panic or flight ('Panic-stricken flight' = Homer) It conveyed the idea of running away, of fleeing panic-stricken from battle. (2) More generally phobos means fear in the widest sense means 'awe' or 'reverence' for some exalted ruler and especially for some divinity or some god. It is the feeling which a man experiences in the presence of someone who is infinitely his superior. In the Gospels phobos is used of the reaction when the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water (Mt 14.26), when they saw Him stilled the storm (Mk 4.41), of the people after the healing of the paralyzed man (Lk 5.26), after the raising of the widow's son at Nain (Lk 7.16), after the healing of the Gadarene demoniac (Lk 8.37), of the feeling of Zacharias when he saw the angel of the Lord beside the altar (Lk 1.12), of the spectators when Zacharias recovered his speech (Lk 1.65), of the shepherds when they heard the song of the angels (Lk 2.9), of the guards at the tomb when the angel rolled the stone away (Mt 28.4), of the women as they went home after seeing the empty tomb (Mt 28.8) and of the feelings of men in the midst of the devastating events of the last days (Lk 21.26), of multitudes of Jews not speaking openly of Jesus because of fear of the Jews (Jewish authorities) (= fear of man) (Jn 7:13), of Joseph of Arimathea a secret disciple of Jesus because of fear of the Jews (Jewish authorities) (Jn 19:38), of the disciples hiding after Jesus' resurrection because of the fear of the Jews (Jewish authorities) (Jn 20:19) In Acts Luke records that... everyone kept feeling a sense of awe (phobos); and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. (Comment: Phobos here refers to fear or holy terror related to the sense of divine presence, to the attitude of reverence. Phobos is this sense describes the feeling produced when one realizes God is at hand.) (Acts 2:43) So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace, being built up; and, going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase. (Acts 9:31) Elsewhere in Acts Luke uses phobos to describe the reaction to the deaths of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:5, 11) and the reaction of the citizens of Ephesus to the attack on some Jewish exorcists by a demon possessed man. (Acts 19:17) In second Corinthians Paul writes... Therefore (in view of the truth that every believer must stand before the judgment seat of Christ and have their whole life exposed and evaluated - this very thought excites a "holy" fear in Paul) knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences. (2Cor 5:11) (Comment: the "fear" about which Paul speaks could also be the awesomeness of God's judgment for unbelievers, but whether believers or unbelievers, the message is the same. The "fear of the Lord" is one of the strongest motivations for disciples to become involved in evangelism.) Therefore (based on the holiness of God, His call to be separate and His promise to dwell in our midst), having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2Cor 7:1-note) (Comment: The truth of this passage is similar to that here in Phil 2:12, both calling the saint to pursue sanctification.) Paul exhorts believers and specifically those filled with the Spirit (see Eph 5:18-note) to ... be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. (Eph 5:21-note) Comment: Mutual submission based upon shared reverence for Christ as Lord is one evidence of the Spirit-filled life (Ep 5:18). Conversely a husband and wife who are not controlled by the Spirit will have difficult reverencing the Lord and submitting to one another. Peter exhorts slaves Slaves (believing slaves), be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear (phobos) and trembling (tromos), in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ. (Eph 6:5-note, cf similar use of phobos 1Pe 2:18-note) Peter shows that a proper fear of God is a strong motivator for godly conduct, especially when coupled with a realization that our time on earth is short... If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man's work, conduct (aorist imperative = Do this now! Do it effectively! It is urgent!) yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth" (1Pe 1:17-note) The NET Bible translation note comments that... The translation awe and reverence was chosen to portray the attitude the believer should have toward God as they consider their behavior in light of God working through Jesus Christ (Phil 2:6, 7-note, Php 2:8, 9-note, Php 2:10, 11-note) and in the believer’s life (Phil 2:13-note) to accomplish their salvation. (NETBible Philippians 2:12) (Bolding added) A T Robertson comments on fear and trembling... “A nervous and trembling anxiety to do right” (Lightfoot). Paul has no sympathy with a cold and dead orthodoxy or formalism that knows nothing of struggle and growth. He exhorts as if he were an Arminian in addressing men. He prays as if he were a Calvinist in addressing God and feels no inconsistency in the two attitudes. Paul makes no attempt to reconcile divine sovereignty and human free agency, but boldly proclaims both. (Word Pictures in the New Testament - Verse 12) William Barclay notes that... this is not the fear and trembling of the slave cringing before his master; nor fear and trembling at the prospect of punishment. It comes from two things. It comes, first, from a sense of our own creatureliness and our own powerlessness to deal with life triumphantly. That is to say, it is not the fear and trembling which drives us to hide from God, but rather the fear and trembling which drives us to seek God, in the certainty that without His help we cannot effectively face life. It comes, second, from a horror of grieving God. When we really love a person, we are not afraid of what he may do to us; we are afraid of what we may do to him. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series. The Westminster Press) Fear of God therefore is a healthy attitude as we on one side have an awe of God's greatness and glory and on the other side have a deep and reverential sense of accountability to God or Christ and also a dread of the results of violating His holy nature. Such fear involves self-distrust, a sensitive conscience, and being on guard against temptation. Believers should have a serious dread of sin and yearning for what is right before God. Aware of their weakness and the power of temptation, they should fear falling into sin and thereby grieving the Lord. This solemn, reverential fear springs from deep adoration and love. It acknowledges that every sin is an offense against holy God and produces a sincere desire not to offend and grieve Him, but to obey, honor, please, and glorify Him in all things. Quoting Ps 36:1 Paul summed up rebellious mankind's attitude toward God's revelation of His holy character as THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES (Ro 3:18-note) Spurgeon (commenting on the original passage in Ps 36:1): His daring and wanton sin; his breaking the bounds of law and justice. Saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes. Men's sins have a voice to godly ears. They are the outer index of an inner evil. It is clear that men who dare to sin constantly and presumptuously cannot respect the great Judge of all. Despite the professions of unrighteous men, when we see their unhallowed actions our heart is driven to the conclusion that they have no religion whatever. Unholiness is clear evidence of ungodliness. Wickedness is the fruit of an atheistic root. This may be made clear to the candid head by cogent reasoning, but it is clear already and intuitively to the pious heart. If God be everywhere, and I fear Him, how can I dare to break His laws in His very presence? He must be a desperate traitor who will rebel in the monarch's own halls. Whatever theoretical opinions bad men may avow, they can only be classed with atheists, since they are such practically. Those eyes which have no fear of God before them now, shall have the terrors of hell before them forever. (Psalm 36:1 - Treasury of David) Unfortunately believers are not immune to a gradual drift away from reverential fear of the Lord. There seems to be a trend in modern day evangelicalism (as manifest in many of the choruses and even the new Bible translations) away from a sense of God's holiness, a trend I personally believe derives in part from a general lack of familiarity with the character of God as taught especially in the Old Testament. For example, have you heard any sermon series recently on Leviticus which emphasizes the holiness of God and those who are to be His holy ambassadors? In short, there is a definite drift from a proper fear of God. In one of my classes, a saint who is quite knowledgeable in the Scriptures ask why were we studying the "fear of God" because it was an Old Testament concept not found in the New Testament since we are under grace? Yes we are under grace (but so were the Old Testament saints, eg Noah found grace with God, see Genesis 6:8) and clearly Philippians 2:12 teaches us about the importance of the fear of the Lord. A. Raleigh... Salvation to be worked out with fear and trembling: — The face of the helmsman in coming down the rapids of the St. Lawrence in the great vessel is a sight to see. He takes in, as it were, all the conditions of the case, in one inevitable glance — the bank; the bend; the shallowing or deepening bed; the amount of way on the vessel; the hurry of the waters; the calm spread of the deep river lying like a peaceful haven yonder in the distance! There he stands — fearful, yet firm — distrustful, yet confident — until the danger is past. With a similar feeling — not slavishly afraid — but intent, earnest, bending all the powers in concentrated effort towards the ultimate object — so “work out your salvation.” (Biblical Illustrator) Vincent has an excellent note reminding us that phobos, fear, is “Not slavish terror, but wholesome, serious caution. This fear is self-distrust; it is tenderness of conscience; it is vigilance against temptation; it is the fear which inspiration opposes to high-mindedness in the admonition, ‘be not high-minded but fear.’ It is taking heed lest we fall; it is a constant apprehension of the deceitfulness of the heart, and of the insidiousness and power of inward corruption. It is the caution and circumspection which timidly shrinks from whatever would offend and dishonor God and the Saviour” And these the child of God will feel and exercise the more he rises above the enfeebling, disheartening, distressing influence of the fear which hath torment. Well might Solomon say of such fear How blessed is the man who fears always, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity. (Proverbs 28:14). In summary, "fear" is the attitude with which Christians are to pursue sanctification. As much as fear of people and events is to be disdained, so reverential fear of God is to be cultivated C. Neil Strait writing of this reverential fear "Not all fears are bad. Many of them are wholesome, indeed, very necessary for life. The fear of God, the fear of fire, the fear of electricity, are lifesaving fears that, if heeded, bring a new knowledge to life." Puritan John Flavel said that... "By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil; but by the fear of man they run themselves into evil." Puritan William Gurnall wrote that God is the Conqueror of all fear explaining that... "Our help is in the name of the Lord, but our fears are in the name of man." F. B. Meyer wrote that "God incarnate is the end of fear, and the heart that realizes that He is in the midst, that takes heed to the assurance of His loving presence, will be quiet in the midst of alarm." Many people have faced frightening experiences, and sometimes nations have passed through times of terror. One such nightmare of human history was the frequent bombing of London and other English cities by Germany during World War H. Many Christians testified that those nighttime attacks were times of great peace because the Lord was with them. In this vein, During WWII in the midst of frightening nighttime air raids one London church posted the following sign "If your knees knock, kneel on them." "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/philippians_212-18.htm#fear

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Terror (5401) phobos

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