Lexical Summary homologoumenós: Confessed, professed, acknowledged Original Word: ὁμολογούμενος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance without controversy. Adverb of present passive participle of homologeo; confessedly -- without controversy. see GREEK homologeo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originadverb from homologeó Definition as agreed, by common consent NASB Translation common confession (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3672: ὁμολογουμένωςὁμολογουμένως (ὁμολογέω), adverb, by consent of all, confessedly, without controversy: 1 Timothy 3:16. (4 Macc. 6:31; 7:16; 16:1; in secular authors from Thucydides, Xenophon,Plato down; with ἀοπ πάντων added, Isocrates paneg. § 33, where see Baiter's note.) Topical Lexicon Meaning in Context The adverb translated “undeniably” or “beyond question” marks a truth that the whole church openly acknowledges. By employing the term at the head of a concise Christological poem, Paul signals that what follows is not private opinion but the shared confession of the apostolic community. Scriptural Setting: 1 Timothy 3:16 “Undeniably, great is the mystery of godliness: He was revealed in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.” (Berean Standard Bible) Placed immediately after instructions on overseers and deacons (1 Timothy 3:1-13), the verse anchors church leadership in the universally confessed gospel. Sound administration is inseparable from a sound confession. Link to Early Christian Hymnody and Creeds Most scholars regard the six lines that follow as an early hymn or creed. The introductory adverb shows that structured confessions were already circulating within living memory of the Resurrection. This predates the formal ecumenical creeds, demonstrating that the essential elements of orthodox Christology—incarnation, resurrection, proclamation, faith-response, and exaltation—were fixed in Christian worship from the outset. Theological Significance 1. Christology: The six-fold stanza traces the arc of the incarnate Son from humiliation to exaltation, reinforcing Philippians 2:6-11 and Colossians 1:15-20. Historical Impact on Church Life • Liturgical Use: The verse became a fixed part of Eastern and Western liturgies, often recited after the reading of the Gospel. Practical Ministry Applications • Public Worship: Congregational recitation of biblical confessions shapes a shared identity rooted in the gospel rather than cultural trends. Echoes of Corporate Confession Elsewhere Romans 10:9, Philippians 2:11, and 1 John 4:2 each stress verbal acknowledgment of Jesus Christ. While they use different vocabulary, they share the same pulse: a community declaring the Lordship and saving work of Christ with one voice. Patristic and Reformation Witness Chrysostom calls the passage “the pillar of the church’s hope,” and Augustine cites it in opposing Arianism. During the Reformation, both the Augsburg Confession and the Westminster Standards reference the verse to affirm the dual nature of Christ. Summary Strong’s Greek 3672 marks a truth so widely owned by the early church that it stands beyond dispute. Introduced by this adverb, 1 Timothy 3:16 offers a Spirit-inspired creed that grounds church order, fuels worship, guards orthodoxy, and guides mission—an ever-relevant reminder that the gospel we proclaim is the gospel we confess together. Forms and Transliterations ομολογουμενως ομολογουμένως ὁμολογουμένως ομολόγως ομομήτριον ομονοία ομονοούντας ομοπάτρια όμορα ομορούντάς ομορούντες ομόρους ομορούσας homologoumenos homologoumenōs homologouménos homologouménōs omologoumenos omologoumenōsLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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