Lexical Summary problepó: To foresee, to see beforehand Original Word: προλέπω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance provide. From pro and blepo; to look out beforehand, i.e. Furnish in advance -- provide. see GREEK pro see GREEK blepo HELPS Word-studies 4265 problépō (from 4253 /pró, "before" and 991 /blépō, "to see") – properly, see beforehand, in advance ("foresee"), used only in Heb 11:40. Heb 11:40: "Because God had provided (4265 /problépō, 'forseen') something better for us (NT believers), so that apart from us they (OT believers) would not be made perfect (i.e. glorified)." The following is a fuller rendering of the Greek text of Heb 11:39,40: "And all these [OT believers], having gained divine approval through the (principle of) faith, did not obtain the promise because God had foreseen something better concerning us [the marraige Supper of the Lamb with NT believers] – for the purpose of not being consummated [i.e. glorified] apart from us [NT believers]." NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom pro and blepó Definition to foresee NASB Translation provided (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4265: προβλέπωπροβλέπω: to foresee (Psalm 36:13 Topical Lexicon Word BackgroundStrong’s Greek Number 4265 designates a verb denoting purposeful “seeing beforehand,” with an added nuance of taking steps in light of that foresight. Rather than passive prediction, the idea is active, intentional provision that anticipates a future need. Biblical Usage and Context Its single New Testament appearance occurs in Hebrews 11:40, where the inspired author concludes the catalog of Old Testament saints: “God had planned something better for us, so that together with us they would be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:40). Here the term underscores that the entire sweep of redemptive history has unfolded under a divinely prearranged design. The faithful of earlier eras waited for the consummation that God had already “seen before.” The placement at the climax of the “Hall of Faith” is deliberate. Every prior example—Abel’s accepted offering, Noah’s ark, Abraham’s journey, Moses’ exodus—illustrates that God’s foresight governs events long before His people can perceive it. Hebrews 11 builds toward this culminating statement to show that the same foreseeing God now gathers all believers, old covenant and new, into a single perfected community in Christ. Theological Significance 1. Divine Providence. The verb confirms that God’s sovereignty is not reactive. He does not merely observe history; He ordains and supplies its course. Psalm 33:11 affirms, “The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the purposes of His heart to all generations.” Hebrews 11:40 anchors that truth in the finished work of Jesus Christ, where eternal intention meets historical fulfillment. 2. Progression of Revelation. God’s “seeing beforehand” explains the unfolding pattern of Scripture—from promise to fulfillment, shadow to substance. Old Testament institutions (priesthood, sacrifices, covenant signs) were provisional markers anticipating the “something better” already settled in heaven (Hebrews 8:5; 1 Peter 1:20). 3. Unity of the People of God. The verb links earlier believers with later ones “so that together with us they would be made perfect.” The foreseen plan erases artificial divisions, locating all salvation in one eschatological assembly (Revelation 7:9). Relationship to Divine Provision In Genesis 22:14 Abraham names the place “The LORD will provide,” anticipating substitutionary atonement. While that passage employs a Hebrew root meaning “to see,” the conceptual overlap is striking: seeing and providing intertwine. God’s foresight guarantees His provision; His provision demonstrates His foresight. Illustrations Throughout Scripture • Joseph’s preservation of Jacob’s family during famine (Genesis 45:5–8) manifests foreseen deliverance for the messianic line. Practical Ministry Implications 1. Assurance in Uncertainty: Believers anchor confidence in a God who has already charted tomorrow’s path (Proverbs 3:5–6). Historical Reflection in Christian Thought Church fathers such as Augustine highlighted God’s “divine forethought” (providentia) as the antidote to fatalism and chance. The Reformation sharpened the doctrine into a pastoral comfort: “He so rules and governs by His providence that nothing happens without His counsel” (Belgic Confession, Article 13). Summary for Teaching and Preaching Hebrews 11:40 stands as a capstone of biblical theology: the same God who foresaw the Lamb “slain from the foundation of the world” has anticipated every need of His people. His foresight is not mere prediction but purposeful provision, inviting believers to rest in His unerring plan while actively participating in His mission. Forms and Transliterations προβλέπει προβλεψαμενου προβλεψαμένου πρόβλημα πρόβλημά προβλήματα problepsamenou problepsaménouLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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