4276. proelpizó

Lexical Summary

proelpizó: To hope beforehand, to trust in advance

Original Word: προελπίζω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: proelpizó
Pronunciation: pro-el-PID-zo
Phonetic Spelling: (pro-el-pid'-zo)
KJV: first trust
NASB: first to hope
Word Origin: [from G4253 (πρό - before) and G1679 (ἐλπίζω - hope)]

1. to hope in advance of other confirmation

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

first trust.

From pro and elpizo; to hope in advance of other confirmation -- first trust.

see GREEK pro

see GREEK elpizo

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from pro and elpizó
Definition
to hope before
NASB Translation
first to hope (1).

Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 4276: προελπίζω

προελπίζω: perfect participle accusative plural προηλπικότας; to hope before: ἐν τίνι, to repose hope in a person or thing before the event confirms it, Ephesians 1:12. (Posidipp. quoted in Athen. 9, p. 377{c}, Dexippus (circa ), Gregory of Nyssa).

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Nuance of προελπίζω

The verb combines πρό (“before”) with ἐλπίζω (“to hope”), expressing a hope that is formed ahead of time. It describes an anticipatory confidence—trust laid down in advance of the full realization of its object. Rather than a tentative wish, the term carries the settled assurance that characterizes biblical hope, grounded in God’s revealed promises.

Biblical Occurrence

Ephesians 1:12 contains the sole New Testament instance: “so that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory”. Paul employs the perfect participle, emphasizing a hope already fixed in the past yet continuing in effect.

Immediate Context in Ephesians

Ephesians 1:3-14 presents an expansive doxology highlighting the Father’s eternal purpose (verses 3-6), the Son’s redemptive work (verses 7-12), and the Spirit’s sealing (verses 13-14). Within this triune framework, προελπίζω pinpoints the believing community that first placed its trust in the Messiah. Most interpreters identify “we” as Jewish believers—the apostles and early disciples—who embraced Jesus prior to the incorporation of Gentiles (“you also,” verse 13). Their advance hope functions as a pledge that God’s covenant faithfulness to Israel and His saving purpose for the nations are perfectly harmonious.

Salvation-Historical Significance

1. Continuity of Promise: Those who “hoped beforehand” stand in continuity with Old Testament saints who awaited the Christ (Luke 2:25-38). Their fulfilled anticipation demonstrates that the gospel does not replace but completes the prophetic hope of Israel.
2. Missionary Momentum: Early Jewish believers became living proof that the Messiah truly came, providing the initial witness written into redemptive history (Acts 1:8; Romans 1:16).
3. Praise of His Glory: Their prior hope is not an end in itself; it serves the larger divine aim that God’s character be extolled (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14). The repeated refrain ties προελπίζω to worship: hope fulfilled erupts in praise.

Theology of Hope

• Grounded in Christ: Biblical hope is Christ-centered (1 Timothy 1:1). The prefix πρό only accentuates the priority of that trust, not its substance.

• Experiential Assurance: The perfect tense indicates a once-for-all commitment with ongoing confidence, reflecting the “living hope” into which believers are born (1 Peter 1:3).

• Corporate Witness: Hope is portrayed as a communal identity marker. The early church’s shared expectation distinguished it from surrounding cultures anchored in uncertainty (1 Thessalonians 4:13).

Implications for Ministry

1. Heritage of Trust: Modern believers inherit a legacy of confident anticipation. Teaching on προελπίζω encourages congregations to see themselves within the same unbroken chain of redeemed hope-bearers.
2. Evangelistic Confidence: Just as initial believers testified ahead of widespread acceptance, present-day Christians proclaim Christ in anticipation of the final consummation (Titus 2:13).
3. Worship Motivation: Remembering those who “hoped before” fuels doxology; preaching should connect fulfilled prophecy with corporate praise.

Historical Witness

Early patristic writers noted the verse when defending the continuity of the church with Israel. For example, Irenaeus argued that the apostles’ prior hope authenticated the gospel’s roots in God’s earlier covenant dealings.

Related Terms

• ἐλπίς (hope) – the noun underlying the verb group.
• ἐλπίζω (to hope) – the simple verbal form.
• προσδέχομαι (to await) – emphasizes expectancy, often used of eschatological waiting (Luke 2:25).

Practical Application

Believers nurture προελπίζω today by immersing themselves in the promises of Scripture, anchoring their expectations in the finished work of Christ while eagerly awaiting His return. Such anticipatory hope cultivates perseverance, holiness, and missional zeal.

Summary

Strong’s Greek 4276, προελπίζω, captures the distinctive quality of Christian hope placed in Christ ahead of its final disclosure. Its single New Testament usage highlights the foundational witness of early believers, showcasing God’s faithfulness and summoning every generation to live for the praise of His glory.

Forms and Transliterations

προηλπικοτας προηλπικότας proelpikotas proelpikótas proēlpikotas proēlpikótas

Englishman's Concordance

Ephesians 1:12 V-RPA-AMP
GRK: αὐτοῦ τοὺς προηλπικότας ἐν τῷ
NAS: to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ
KJV: glory, who first trusted in Christ.
INT: of him who have fore-trusted in

Strong's Greek 4276
1 Occurrence

προηλπικότας — 1 Occ.