Is Your Pioneering Path Progressing?

Many see the Word of God. . .few observe!

Luke 2:52 (NIV)

52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

This verse was a foundational scripture for the Campus Life meetings that I conducted for so many decades. It was called the balanced life philosophy. It stated that young people needed to grow mentally, physically, socially and spiritually. The spiritual dimension was often neglected by teenagers.

But let’s take a closer look at the word translated grow in the New International Version of the Bible. The focus of the Greek word (prokopto) is more focused on advancement than growth. Strong’s Lexicon lists the following definition:

4621 προκόπτω (prokoptō): vb.; ≡ Str 4298; TDNT 6.703--1. LN 13.57 progress, go ahead, go forward, advance (Lk 2:52; Gal 1:14; 2Ti 3:13+); 2. LN 42.18 accomplish, perform something (2Ti 3:9+); 3. LN 59.64 increase, enlarge a quantity (2Ti 2:16+); 4. LN 67.118 draw to a close, have a time draw near (Ro 13:12+)[1]

Dr. Kenneth Wuest, a linguistics professor, translated this verse in his Expanded Translation as follows:

And Jesus kept on hewing a pioneer path ahead, making steady progress in wisdom and maturity and in favor in the presence of God and with men.[2]

A Greek-English Lexicon by Liddell states the following:                                                                                              

✪ προκόπτω, cut one’s way forward, only metaph., π. διὰ τῆς λεωφόρου advance by the high-road, Anon.ap.Suid.: c. acc. cogn., τὴν ὁδὸν προκεκοφέναι J.AJ2.6.7: without ὁδόν, ἐπὶ πολὺ προκεκοφότες ib.2.16.3; π. τριάκοντα σταδίους ChioEp.4.2:—Pass. in Hdt., advance, prosper, ἀνωτέρω οὐδὲν τῶν πρηγμάτων προκοπτομένων 1.190; ἐς τὸ πρόσω οὐδὲν προεκόπτετο τῶν πρηγμάτων 3.56.[3]

The Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament by Balz states:

προκόπτω   prokoptō   go forward, advance*

προκοπή, ῆς, ἡ   prokopē   progress, advancement*

1. Occurrences in the NT — 2. Meaning — 3. Colloquial usage — 4. As a term for education

Lit.: Spicq, Notes II, 752–55. — G. Stählin, TDNT VI, 703–19. — For further bibliography see TWNT X, 1249.

1. Of 9 occurrences in the NT (6 of the vb.: Gal 1:14; Rom 13:12; 2 Tim 2:16; 3:9, 13; Luke 2:52; 3 of the noun: Phil 1:12, 25; 1 Tim 4:15) 4 are in the Pastorals.

2. The vb. was originally a trans. navigational metaphor (“drive forward by means of blows”), but is only intrans. and colloquial in Hellenistic Greek, referring to different varieties of progress (synonymous with αὐξάνω, κραταιόω, περισσεύω, πληθύνω, προάγω, προβαίνω, and τελειόω). It is completely absent in the LXX (only 3 Macc 5:18 A, where it appears to be the result of a scribal error). It acquired a specialized meaning in the philosophical ethics of the Stoics (and in Philo) as a preferred word for the course of education.

The noun, first documented in Polybius, reflects both Hellenistic usages of the vb. There are 2 occurrences in the LXX: colloquial in 2 Macc 8:8: “success [in war]”; philosophical in Sir 51:17, where it is used absolutely as a nomen resultantum for “general progress in instruction.”

3. Phil 1:12: Paul’s incarceration served the advancement (the growing acceptance) of the gospel; Rom 13:12: The night comes to an end (cf. Josephus B.J. iv.298).[4]

This nautical term meant to cut a path forward on water. So despite the waves coming against you. . .you would continue to make progress. I wonder what difficulties Jesus faced as he grew up. Apparently something happened to his earthly father Joseph because he is never mentioned again.

When God the Father said this is my son in whom I am well pleased it was at the beginning of the ministry. Apparently He was pleased at the progress Jesus made during his first thirty years of his life. I suspect he faced numerous difficult circumstances such as the loss of his father. But he continued to progress in a balanced way.

Are you advancing mentally, physically, socially and spiritually? Or do the blows of life stop your progress?


Cathy and Danny Sartin

Deeper Still Missions


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vb. verb


Str Strong’s Lexicon


TDNT Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament


LN Louw-Nida Greek-English Lexicon


+ I have cited every reference in regard to this lexeme discussed under this definition.


LN Louw-Nida Greek-English Lexicon


+ I have cited every reference in regard to this lexeme discussed under this definition.


LN Louw-Nida Greek-English Lexicon


+ I have cited every reference in regard to this lexeme discussed under this definition.


LN Louw-Nida Greek-English Lexicon


+ I have cited every reference in regard to this lexeme discussed under this definition.


[1] Swanson, J. (1997). Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament). Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.


[2] Wuest, K. S. (1961). The New Testament: an expanded translation (Lk 2:41–52). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.


✪  = denotes definitions added or revised in accordance with instructions in the Supplement.


metaph metaph. = metaphorically, metaphorical


Anon Anonymus vel Anonymi [Anon.]

See entry in Author and Works List for specific works.


ap ap. = apud (quoted in)


Suid Suidas Lexicographus [Suid.]             x a.d.

See entry in Author and Works List for specific works.


acc acc. = accusative


cogn cogn. = cognate


J Josephus Historicus [J.]              i a.d.

See entry in Author and Works List for specific works.


AJ Josephus Historicus [J.]           i a.d.

See entry in Author and Works List for specific works.


ib ib. = ibidem (i.e. in the same work)


Chio  Chio Epistolographus          (iv b.c.)

See entry in Author and Works List for specific works.


Ep Chio Epistolographus               (iv b.c.)

See entry in Author and Works List for specific works.


Pass Pass. = Passive


Hdt Herodotus Historicus [Hdt.]                v b.c.

See entry in Author and Works List for specific works.


[3] Liddell, H. G., Scott, R., Jones, H. S., & McKenzie, R. (1996). A Greek-English lexicon. Oxford: Clarendon Press.


* All New Testament occurrences of this word are mentioned in the body of this article.


* All New Testament occurrences of this word are mentioned in the body of this article.


Spicq,  C. Spicq, Notes de lexicographie néo-testamentaire I-II, Supplement (1978-82)


Notes C. Spicq, Notes de lexicographie néo-testamentaire I-II, Supplement (1978-82)


TDNT Theological Dictionary of the NT I-X (ed. G. Kittel and G. Friedrich; 1964-76)


TWNT Theologisches Wörterbuch zum NT I-X (ed. G. Kittel and G. Friedrich; 1933-79)


vb. verb


vb. verb


trans. transitive(ly)


intrans. intransitive(ly)


LXX Septuagint


vb. verb


LXX Septuagint


Josephus  Josephus De Bello Judaico


B.J. Josephus De Bello Judaico


[4] Balz, H. R., & Schneider, G. (1990–). Exegetical dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans.