Greek word · G5459
φωσφόρος
phōsphoros
light-bearing
Literally 'light-bearing'. As a noun it was the standard Greek name for the planet Venus seen before sunrise, the morning star that announces the day. The Greek Old Testament uses the related form ἑωσφόρος ('dawn-bringer') for the same star.
Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·
What it means
φωσ-φόρος, -ον
(φῶς, φέρω),
light-bringing; as subst., ὁ φ., the morning star (Plat., al.; cf. ἐωσφόρος, Isaiah 14:12, Job 3:9, Psalms 110:3): metaphorically, 2 Peter 1:19 (see Mayor, in l).†
(AS)
From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).
In depth
From the study of 2 Peter 1:19
- Range of meaning
Literally 'light-bearing'. As a noun it was the standard Greek name for the planet Venus seen before sunrise, the morning star that announces the day. The Greek Old Testament uses the related form ἑωσφόρος ('dawn-bringer') for the same star.
- Against the English
KJV 'day star', and 'morning star' in most modern versions, are accurate. NLT adds 'Christ' as an interpretation.
- How it drifted
In Latin the morning star was lucifer ('light-bearer'). The Vulgate uses lucifer both here and in Isaiah 14:12, where the fallen king of Babylon is mocked as a 'morning star'. Later Christian tradition (and Milton) made 'Lucifer' a name for Satan. As a result some readers are troubled by the Latin or the star image here, even though in 2 Peter the morning star clearly stands for Christ.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Numbers 24:17 LXX: ἀνατελεῖ ἄστρον ἐξ Ιακωβ, 'a star will rise out of Jacob', which uses the same verb 'rise' as here. This star was read as messianic in the Dead Sea Scrolls (Damascus Document 7:18–20; 4QTestimonia) and in Testament of Levi 18:3, and it lies behind the nickname of the rebel leader Bar Kokhba, 'son of the star'. Revelation 22:16: Jesus is 'the bright morning star'. Malachi 4:2 (LXX 3:20): 'the sun of righteousness will rise'.
Where it appears
2 Peter · 1
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2 Peter 1:19 φωσφόρος [the] morning star
We also have the word of the prophets as confirmed beyond doubt. And you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.
Here: Used only here in the New Testament. It was the ordinary Greek name for Venus as the morning star, the bright 'star' that announces the dawn. Here it is a picture of Christ at his coming, echoing the messianic 'star' of Numbers 24:17.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.