Lexical Summary hupostolé: Withdrawal, shrinking back, hesitation Original Word: ὑποστολή Strong's Exhaustive Concordance draw back. From hupostello; shrinkage (timidity), i.e. (by implication) apostasy -- draw back. see GREEK hupostello HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 5289 hypostolḗ – properly, "draw down (under)," i.e. shrink (draw) back in apostasy; backwards movement (spiritually). See 5288 (hypostellō). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom hupostelló Definition a letting down, a shrinking back NASB Translation shrink back (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5289: ὑποστολήὑποστολή, ὑποστολῆς, ἡ (ὑποστέλλω, which see), properly, a withdrawing (Vulg.subtractio) (in a good sense, Plutarch, anim. an corp. aff. sint pej. § 3 under the end); the timidity of one stealthily retreating: οὐκ ἐσμεν ὑποστολῆς (see εἰμί IV. 1 g.), we have no part in shrinking back etc., we are free from the cowardice of etc. (R. V. we are not of them that shrink back etc.), Hebrews 10:39 (λάθρᾳ τά πολλά καί μεθ' ὑποστολῆς ἐκακουργησεν, Josephus, b. j. 2, 14, 2; ὑποστολην ποιοῦνται, Antiquities 16, 4, 3). Topical Lexicon OverviewStrong’s Greek 5289 (ὑποστολή) conveys the idea of retreating in fear or drawing back under pressure. The New Testament employs this substantive only once—Hebrews 10:39—yet its theological reach stretches both backward into the Septuagint and forward into Christian exhortation on perseverance. Biblical setting in Hebrews 10:32-39 The Epistle’s audience had endured “a great conflict in the face of suffering” (Hebrews 10:32), public reproach, confiscation of property, and the lure of discouragement. The writer contrasts two trajectories: • “shrinking back to destruction” (ὑποστολῆς εἰς ἀπώλειαν) The verse that immediately precedes quotes Habakkuk 2:4, aligning the term with the prophetic warning: “But My righteous one will live by faith; and if he shrinks back, I will take no pleasure in him” (Hebrews 10:38). Thus ὑποστολή represents not momentary hesitation but the decisive abandonment that ends in judgment. Link to Habakkuk 2:3-4 (Septuagint) In the Greek Old Testament Habakkuk describes the impatient soul that “draws back” (ὑποστέλλεται), setting the interpretive backdrop for Hebrews. The unfolding vision of Habakkuk—vindication for the faithful, calamity for the faithless—mirrors the eschatological horizon of Hebrews, where the coming of Christ (10:37) presses believers to endure. Theological implications Perseverance and apostasy ὑποστολή embodies the antithesis of steadfast faith. It is not a minor lapse but a settled recoil that ends “in destruction.” Hebrews repeatedly warns against similar patterns (Hebrews 2:1; 3:12; 6:6), showing that the gospel’s promise includes both comfort and sober accountability. Assurance amid warning The writer’s confidence—“we are not of those who shrink back”—anchors assurance in God’s preserving grace that produces ongoing faith. The exhortation is therefore simultaneously a warning to the wavering and an encouragement to the enduring. Faith leading into Hebrews 11 By naming ὑποστολή immediately before the famed “Hall of Faith,” the epistle contrasts two postures: retreat versus forward-looking trust. Each example in Hebrews 11 exemplifies the faith that refuses ὑποστολή despite suffering (e.g., Moses “refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter,” Hebrews 11:24). Historical and pastoral significance Early Church usage While the noun itself is rare, the concept surfaces in early Christian writings that echo Hebrews’ warnings (e.g., Clement of Rome, Polycarp). Perseverance under persecution became a hallmark of Christian identity, distinguishing genuine discipleship from apostasy during Roman pressures. Reformation emphasis The Reformers, reading Hebrews alongside Habakkuk, highlighted justifying faith as persevering faith. ὑποστολή illustrated the danger of mere profession without endurance, sharpening the call to “true and living faith” that works by love. Contemporary ministry application 1. Shepherding the tempted. Pastoral care must expose modern forms of ὑποστολή—cultural compromise, fear of ridicule, moral retreat—and offer the resources of Scripture, prayer, and fellowship. Related biblical motifs Looking back versus pressing on Luke 9:62; Philippians 3:13-14; and 2 Peter 2:20-22 echo the peril of retreat after initial commitment. These passages, though using different vocabulary, reinforce the gravity portrayed by ὑποστολή. Courageous witness Acts 4:29-31 contrasts Holy Spirit-empowered boldness with the instinct to shrink back. The Spirit’s filling answers the problem of ὑποστολή by producing fearless proclamation. Summary Strong’s 5289 crystallizes the life-and-death alternative set before every believer: retreat that ends in ruin or persevering faith that secures the soul. Hebrews situates the term within God’s unchanging pattern—from Habakkuk to the present—where saving faith is proved genuine through steadfast endurance. Christian ministry, therefore, must warn against the subtle slide into ὑποστολή while stirring up the “better possession” (Hebrews 10:34) that makes bold perseverance both reasonable and glorious. Forms and Transliterations υποστολης υποστολής ὑποστολῆς hypostoles hypostolês hypostolēs hypostolē̂s upostoles upostolēsLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
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