from πρό and κυρόω; to ratify previously:--confirm before.
Transliteration:prokyróō
Pronunciation:prok-oo-ro'-o
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek verb προκυρόω (prokyróō, `{{G4300}}`) is a compound word formed from the preposition πρό (pro, meaning "before" or "in front of") and the verb κυρόω (kyróō, `{{G2964}}`, meaning "to confirm," "to ratify," "to make valid," or "to establish"). Therefore, προκυρόω carries the precise meaning of "to confirm beforehand," "to ratify previously," or "to pre-validate." It signifies an action of making something legally binding or definitively established at an earlier point in time, prior to subsequent events or conditions. The prefix πρό emphasizes the temporal priority and pre-emptive nature of the confirmation, highlighting that the validation is not contingent upon later developments but is already settled. This term is rooted in a legal or contractual context, where an agreement or decree is made firm and unalterable.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The verb προκυρόω (prokyróō, `{{G4300}}`) appears only once in the New Testament, in the Epistle to the Galatians:
* **[[Galatians 3:17]]**: "What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously confirmed by God and thus do away with the promise."
* In this pivotal verse, Paul uses the perfect passive participle προκεκυρωμένον (prokekyroménon) to describe the Abrahamic covenant. His argument is foundational to understanding the relationship between the Law and the Promise. Paul asserts that the Law, given through Moses approximately 430 years after God made His covenant with Abraham, cannot nullify or invalidate a covenant that was "previously confirmed" or "pre-ratified" by God Himself.
* The passive voice ("previously confirmed by God") underscores that God is the divine agent who performed this act of ratification. This makes the covenant immutable and irrevocable from a human perspective.
* The context is Paul's defense of justification by faith, not by works of the Law. By emphasizing that the covenant of promise was προκεκυρωμένον by God, Paul establishes its theological priority and unchangeable nature, demonstrating that God's plan of salvation through promise predates and supersedes the Law as a means of righteousness. The Law's purpose was not to annul the promise, but to reveal sin and lead to Christ.
### Related Words & Concepts
Understanding προκυρόω (prokyróō, `{{G4300}}`) is enhanced by considering its linguistic and theological kin:
* **κυρόω (kyróō, `{{G2964}}`)**: The base verb, meaning "to confirm," "to ratify," or "to establish." It appears in [[Galatians 3:15]] in a general sense of confirming a human will or covenant. The addition of πρό in προκυρόω intensifies the temporal aspect of prior establishment.
* **διαθήκη (diathēkē, `{{G1242}}`)**: Covenant or testament. This is the primary object of προκυρόω in [[Galatians 3:17]]. The concept of a divine covenant, a binding agreement initiated by God, is central to biblical theology.
* **ἐπαγγελία (epangelia, `{{G1860}}`)**: Promise. The Abrahamic covenant is fundamentally a covenant of promise, particularly concerning a "seed" (Christ) and an inheritance. προκυρόω ensures the unshakeable nature of this promise.
* **νόμος (nomos, `{{G3551}}`)**: Law. Paul contrasts the προκεκυρωμένον covenant with the later introduction of the Law, arguing that the latter cannot annul the former.
* **Concepts of Divine Immutability**: The use of προκυρόω speaks to the unchangeable character of God's will and His faithfulness to His promises. What God confirms beforehand cannot be undone by human action or subsequent historical developments.
* **Divine Sovereignty**: God's ability to προκυρόω a covenant demonstrates His absolute authority and control over redemptive history.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of προκυρόω (prokyróō, `{{G4300}}`) is profound, particularly as it anchors Paul's argument in Galatians:
1. **God's Unalterable Purpose**: The term underscores the absolute stability and immutability of God's redemptive plan. The fact that God "pre-ratified" His covenant with Abraham means that His saving purposes, rooted in grace and promise, are not subject to revision or cancellation. This provides a firm foundation for faith, assuring believers that God's promises are eternally secure.
2. **Priority of Grace over Law**: By highlighting that the covenant of promise was προκεκυρωμένον (pre-ratified) before the Law, Paul establishes the theological priority of grace and faith. Salvation is not achieved through adherence to the Mosaic Law, but through God's prior, unmerited commitment to His people, fulfilled in Christ. The Law serves a different, temporary purpose (to expose sin and lead to Christ), but it cannot negate God's original, pre-established way of salvation.
3. **Assurance for Believers**: The προκεκυρωμένον covenant provides deep assurance for those who trust in Christ. God's faithfulness to His promises, confirmed long before the Law, guarantees the certainty of salvation for those who are "in Christ," who is the ultimate "seed" of Abraham. This divine pre-confirmation ensures the efficacy of Christ's work and the reliability of the Gospel.
4. **Covenant Faithfulness of God**: προκυρόω powerfully articulates God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant commitments. He is not a God who changes His mind or abandons His sworn word. His προκεκυρωμένον covenant stands as a testament to His steadfast love and unwavering commitment to His redemptive purposes throughout history.
### Summary
προκυρόω (prokyróō, `{{G4300}}`) precisely means "to confirm beforehand" or "to pre-ratify." Its singular, yet crucial, appearance in [[Galatians 3:17]] serves as a cornerstone of Paul's argument for justification by faith. There, it describes the Abrahamic covenant as having been "previously confirmed by God," establishing its unassailable priority and immutability over the later Mosaic Law. Theologically, this word powerfully emphasizes God's unchangeable purpose, the pre-eminence of grace and promise in salvation history, and the absolute certainty of His covenant faithfulness, offering profound assurance to all who place their faith in Him.
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