Making Progress?

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

Jesus grew as a child and teenager in a balanced manner. He grew mentally, physically, socially and spiritually during those years. We have looked at wisdom, stature and favor over the last several months. Today we consider how Jesus grew.

Luke 2:52 (NIV) 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Take a closer look at this significant and vital process. The etymology of this word, prokopto, reflects a development that is not limited to natural growth. The sense of this word is to advance despite other issues that affect the situation.

Here is an entry from A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament:

προκόπτω (Eur., Hdt. et al.) in our lit. only intr. (Polyb. et al.; ins, pap; Ps 44:5 Sym.; TestJud 21:8; Philo, Joseph., Just.) impf. προέκοπτον; fut. προκόψω; 1 aor. προέκοψα.

① to move forward to a final stage, of time be advanced, be far gone (Chariton 2, 3, 9; Appian, Bell. Civ. 2, 78 §325 ἡ ἡμέρα προύκοπτεν; Just., D. 56, 16) ἡ νὺξ προέκοψεν (Jos., Bell. 4, 298) Ro 13:12.

② to move forward to an improved state, progress, advance in what is good or in what is bad τινί in someth.(Diod S 11, 87, 5; SIG 708, 18 [II b.c.] ἡλικίᾳ προκόπτων; Philo, Sacr. Abel. 7) Lk 2:52 v.l. Also ἔν τινι (Diod S 17, 69, 4; Epict. 2, 17, 4; Lucian, Hermot. 63; M. Ant. 1, 17, 8; Vett. Val. 60, 15; 19) Lk 2:52. ἐν τῷ Ἰουδαϊσμῷ Gal 1:14.ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς 2 Cl 17:3; ἐπὶ πλεῖον πρ. (Diod S 14, 98, 3) make further progress 2 Ti 3:9; w. gen. foll. (Ael. Aristid. 46 p. 405 D. τ. σοφίας) ἐπὶ πλεῖον πρ. ἀσεβείας 2:16 (cp. Jos., Ant. 20, 205). πρ. ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον go on from bad to worse3:13 (Paroem. Gr.: Zenob. 3, 82 τῶν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον προκοπτόντων; Jos., Bell. 6, 1 τὰ πάθη προύκοπτεν καθʼ ἡμέραν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον, Ant. 4, 59; 18, 340; TestJud 21:8 v.l. ἐπὶ τὸ κακόν; schol. on Soph., El. 875 p. 142 ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον).—M-M. TW. Spicq.[1]

A second entry comes from the Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament:

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.”[2]

This nautical metaphor makes me think of a canoe trip I took with young people many years ago. Moving forward required that you paddle the canoe. Waves, wind and other hinderances were to be negotiated and overcome. Apparently Jesus made progress despite the issues of life.

I love the way Kenneth Wuest developed this word in his expanded translation of the New Testament. He stated that Jesus cut a pioneer path forward. A second picture comes to my mind when I think of the thick jungles I have witnessed in various parts of the world. I can see someone cutting away the distractions with a machette. Cutting a path through the thick overgrowth.

Do you make progress in responsibility, applied wisdom and attractiveness? Do the blows of life side track your development? Or do you advance despite the difficult issues in your life? It appears that Jesus did more than just grow.  

God the father stated at the baptism of Jesus that this is my son in whom I am well pleased. Pleased with what? No formal ministry had transpired yet! I think He was pleased with how his son had progressed in the first thirty years. Can the same be said about you?

Cathy and Danny Sartin

Deeper Still Missions

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Eur Eur , V b.c.—List 5
Hdt. Hdt. = Herodotus, V b.c.—List 5
et al. et al. = et alii (and others)
lit. lit. = literal(ly); literature (refererences to [scholarly] literature)
intr. intr. = intransitive
Polyb Polyb , III–II b.c.—List 5
et al. et al. = et alii (and others)
ins Ins, ins = Inscription, Inschrift, inscription(s). Without a period, esp. in lists, as at the beginning of entries; the capitalized form is used in titles. In conjunction with literary works this abbr. refers to the title or description of contents.
pap pap = papyrus, -yri
Sym. Sym. = Symmachus, Greek version of the OT—List 2, beg., 5
TestJud TestJud = Testament of Judah, s. Test12Patr—List 2
Philo Philo = P. of Alexandria, I b.c.–I a.d.—List 5
Joseph Joseph  This abbr. used when no specific texts are cited (s. Jos.); I a.d.—List 5
Just Just , II a.d.—List 5
impf. impf. = imperfect
fut. fut. = fut.
aor. aor. = aorist
Chariton Chariton , scriptor eroticus (writer of romances) I–II a.d.—List 5
Appian Appian , I–II a.d.—List 5
Just Just , II a.d.—List 5
D D = Didache, except that in a list of manuscripts or as textual variant D refers to Codex Bezae—List 1
Jos. Jos. = Josephus. This abbr. used when follow by title; I a.d.—Lists 5
someth. someth. = something
Diod S Diod S , I b.c.—List 5
SIG SIG = Sylloge Inscriptionum Graecarum3; superscript omitted in text—List 3
Philo Philo = P. of Alexandria, I b.c.–I a.d.—List 5
v.l. v.l. = varia lectio (variant reading)
Diod S Diod S , I b.c.—List 5
Epict Epict , various works, I–II a.d.—List 5
Lucian Lucian , II a.d.—List 5
M. Ant. M. Ant. = Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, II a.d.—List 5
2 Cl 2 Cl = 2 Clement—List 1
Diod S Diod S , I b.c.—List 5
gen. gen. = genitive
foll. foll. = followed, following
Ael. Aristid. Ael. Aristid. = Aelius Aristides, II a.d.—List 5
D D = Didache, except that in a list of manuscripts or as textual variant D refers to Codex Bezae—List 1
cp. cp. = compare, freq. in ref. to citation fr. ancient texts
Jos. Jos. = Josephus. This abbr. used when follow by title; I a.d.—Lists 5
Paroem. Gr. Paroem. Gr. = Paroemiographi Graeci—List 5
Jos. Jos. = Josephus. This abbr. used when follow by title; I a.d.—Lists 5
TestJud TestJud = Testament of Judah, s. Test12Patr—List 2
v.l. v.l. = varia lectio (variant reading)
schol. schol. = scholion, scholia, scholiast
Soph Soph , V b.c.—List 5
M-M M-M = JMoulton/GMilligan, Vocabulary of Greek Testament—Lists 4, 6
TW TW = Theologisches Wörterbuch zum NT; tr. GBromiley, Theological Dictionary of the NT—List 6
Spicq Spicq = CS., Lexique théologique du Nouveau Testament—Lists 6
[1] Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature. Chicago: University of Chicago 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
[2] Balz, H. R., & Schneider, G. (1990–). Exegetical dictionary of the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans.