ἐπόπτης (epoptēs)
epoptēs
eyewitness
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The noun epoptēs denotes a spectator or eyewitness who observes an event with clear vision. In the New Testament, it appears only once, in 2 Peter 1:16, where the author describes himself and other apostles as having seen the majesty of Christ during the Transfiguration. This usage emphasizes direct, personal experience rather than secondhand reports or cleverly devised myths.
The word carries a specific cultural weight from its background in ancient Greek mystery religions, where it referred to an initiate who had witnessed the sacred rites firsthand. By applying this term to the apostolic witness of Jesus’ glory, Peter grounds his teaching in tangible reality. The sources note that while the term can mean overseer in other contexts, here it strictly highlights the role of a viewer who has seen the divine event with their own eyes.
This choice of vocabulary underscores the reliability of the gospel message. It is not based on imaginative stories but on the confirmed testimony of those who stood before Jesus. The word serves to anchor Christian faith in historical observation, affirming that the power and coming of Christ were witnessed by human eyes.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word epoptēs means an eyewitness who sees something with their own clear vision. In 2 Peter 1:16, Peter uses this term to show that he and the other apostles did not share myths or clever stories. Instead, they stood before Jesus on the mountain and saw His majesty with their own eyes. This gives your faith a solid foundation because it rests on real events, not imagination.
When you read Scripture, remember that these accounts come from people who actually walked with Jesus. Their testimony is trustworthy because it was based on direct experience. You can rely on this history. It anchors your hope in what God truly did, rather than in vague ideas or secondhand reports.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- eyewitnesses1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐπόπται1×
Key Verses
-
II Peter 1:16
For we didn’t follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
Peter uses this word to contrast his direct observation of Christ's majesty with fabricated myths, establishing the historical reliability of the gospel.