Lexical Summary gonupeteó: To kneel down, to fall on the knees Original Word: γονυπετέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bow the knee, kneel down. From a compound of gonu and the alternate of pipto; to fall on the knee -- bow the knee, kneel down. see GREEK gonu see GREEK pipto NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom gonu and piptó Definition to fall on the knees NASB Translation falling on his knees before (2), knees before (2), knelt before (1), knelt down (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1120: γονυπετέωγονυπετέω, γονυπέτω; 1 aorist participle γονυπετήσας; (γονυπετής, and this from γόνυ and ΠΑΤΩ equivalent to πίπτω); to fall on the knees, the act of one imploring aid, and of one expressing reverence and honor: τίνι, Matthew 17:14 Rec.; τινα, ibid. G L T Tr WH; Mark 1:40 R G Tr text brackets WH brackets; Topical Lexicon Physical Posture and Inner Disposition The verb γονυπετέω describes the act of dropping to one or both knees in another’s presence. In biblical thought the posture is never neutral: bodily submission reflects an inward acknowledgment of need or of the other person’s superior authority. Kneeling therefore functions as an embodied confession that the speaker has come to the end of self-sufficiency and now looks to the one addressed for mercy, truth, or salvation (compare Ezra 9:5; Acts 20:36; Ephesians 3:14 for the wider biblical theology of kneeling). Occurrences in the Synoptic Gospels 1. Matthew 17:14 – A distraught father “knelt before Him,” seeking deliverance for his demon-tormented son. Kneeling marks the father’s confidence that Jesus alone can accomplish what the disciples could not. Old Testament Background Kneeling appears in the Tanakh when servants approach a king (2 Kings 1:13), when worshipers fall before YHWH (Psalm 95:6), and when petitioners seek covenant mercy (1 Kings 8:54). The evangelists therefore assume that first-century readers will recognize kneeling as a purposeful sign: to kneel is to submit. By placing γονυπετέω on the lips of sufferers and seekers, the Gospels show Jesus occupying the same sphere of divine authority that once belonged solely to the God who “dwells between the cherubim.” Christological Significance Each sincere use of γονυπετέω occurs in the context of a miracle or a salvation question, tying the posture directly to the confession that Jesus is both able and willing to reverse the Fall’s curse. The mock kneeling in Matthew 27 sharpens this theme: while humanity scorns, heaven recognizes the Crucified as the enthroned King. Thus γονυπετέω becomes a narrative signpost pointing to Philippians 2:10, where every knee bows before the exalted Christ. Implications for Prayer and Ministry 1. Dependence – The posture challenges disciples to renounce self-reliance; effective prayer begins where knees bend. Historical Practice in the Early Church Patristic sources testify that kneeling became a regular feature of Christian assembly, especially for confession and intercessory prayer (see Tertullian, On Prayer 23). The Council of Nicaea’s canon 20 later distinguished between kneeling on ordinary days and standing on Sundays, not to diminish kneeling’s value but to underscore resurrection joy. Even so, across centuries the act has remained a visual proclamation that the Lord Jesus retains the sovereign right to command every knee. Eschatological Horizon The episodic kneelings of the Gospels anticipate a universal event: “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow—in heaven and on earth and under the earth” (Philippians 2:10). γονυπετέω in its four Gospel scenes therefore offers a preview of the consummation, urging readers to choose voluntary surrender now rather than forced submission later. Summary Strong’s 1120 portrays kneeling as a deliberate, theologically charged act. Whether it springs from faith, inquiry, desperation, or derision, the movement to the knees invariably spotlights Jesus’ identity: He is the One whose presence demands humility, whose power invites trust, and whose crown will finally draw universal homage. Forms and Transliterations γονυπετησαντες γονυπετήσαντες γονυπετησας γονυπετήσας γονυπετων γονυπετών γονυπετῶν gonupetesantes gonupetēsantes gonupetesas gonupetēsas gonupeton gonupetōn gonypetesantes gonypetēsantes gonypetḗsantes gonypetesas gonypetēsas gonypetḗsas gonypeton gonypetôn gonypetōn gonypetō̂nLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 17:14 V-PPA-NMSGRK: αὐτῷ ἄνθρωπος γονυπετῶν αὐτὸν NAS: came up to Jesus, falling on his knees before Him and saying, KJV: a [certain] man, kneeling down to him, INT: to him a man kneeling down to him Matthew 27:29 V-APA-NMP Mark 1:40 V-PPA-NMS Mark 10:17 V-APA-NMS Strong's Greek 1120 |
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