### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word ὕπανδρος (hýpandros, `{{G5220}}`) is a compound term derived from the preposition ὑπό (hypo, `{{G5259}}`), meaning "under" or "in subjection to," and ἀνήρ (anēr, `{{G435}}`), meaning "man" or "husband." Etymologically, therefore, hýpandros literally signifies "under a man" or "subject to a man." In its specific usage, it refers exclusively to a woman who is married, thereby emphasizing her legal and social status as being bound to her husband. It does not carry a broad semantic range but rather a precise denotation of marital status, highlighting the wife's position within the marriage covenant as being "under" her husband's authority or legal bond.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term ὕπανδρος (hýpandros, `{{G5220}}`) appears only once in the New Testament, in [[Romans 7:2]]. In this passage, the Apostle Paul employs the legal analogy of a married woman to illustrate a profound theological truth about the believer's relationship to the Mosaic Law.
[[Romans 7:2]] states: "For the married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband."
Here, Paul uses the hýpandros woman as a clear and relatable example from Roman law (and generally accepted legal principles of the time) to establish a premise. The binding nature of the marriage covenant, which is dissolved only by death, serves as a parallel to the believer's former bond with the Law. Just as the woman is legally bound to her husband until his death (or her own), so too were believers bound to the Law. Paul then explains that believers have "died to the Law through the body of Christ" ([[Romans 7:4]]), thereby being released from its dominion and free to be "married to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God."
The context of [[Romans 7:2]] is crucial. Hýpandros underscores the legal and covenantal aspects of marriage, providing a robust framework for Paul's argument concerning liberation from the Law and new union with Christ. It highlights the exclusivity and permanence of the marital bond as a divine institution, which then serves as a powerful metaphor for the new spiritual union between believers and Christ.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several words and concepts are closely related to ὕπανδρος (hýpandros, `{{G5220}}`):
* ἀνήρ (anēr, `{{G435}}`): The direct root for "man" or "husband," forming the second part of the compound word. It denotes the male partner in the marital relationship.
* γυνή (gynē, `{{G1135}}`): The general term for "woman" or "wife." While gynē can refer to any woman, hýpandros specifically defines a woman in her marital status.
* ὑπό (hypo, `{{G5259}}`): The preposition "under," which conveys the idea of subjection, subordination, or being bound by. This element is critical to understanding the relational dynamic implied by hýpandros.
* νόμος (nomos, `{{G3551}}`): "Law." In [[Romans 7:2]], the hýpandros woman is explicitly "bound by law" to her husband, creating a direct link to the concept of legal obligation, which is central to Paul's broader argument about the Mosaic Law.
* Concepts of Marriage and Covenant: The term inherently evokes the institution of marriage as a binding covenant, reflecting its sacred and legal nature in biblical thought.
* Concepts of Death and New Life: The dissolution of the hýpandros bond through death is central to Paul's analogy, leading to the concept of spiritual death to sin and the Law, and resurrection to new life in Christ.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of ὕπανδρος (hýpandros, `{{G5220}}`) is primarily derived from its singular, yet profound, use in [[Romans 7:2]]. It serves as a foundational element in Paul's intricate theological argument regarding the believer's relationship to the Law and their new union with Christ.
1. **Liberation from the Law:** The analogy of the hýpandros woman highlights that just as death dissolves a legal marriage bond, so too does the believer's spiritual death with Christ (through His crucifixion) dissolve their legal bond to the Mosaic Law. This signifies a profound liberation from the Law's demands as a means of righteousness, paving the way for grace.
2. **New Union with Christ:** Once "released" from the Law, the believer is free to be "married to another," namely the resurrected Christ ([[Romans 7:4]]). This illustrates the new covenant relationship, a spiritual union characterized by intimacy, fruitfulness, and life in the Spirit, rather than adherence to external legal codes.
3. **Nature of Covenant:** The term underscores the binding and exclusive nature of covenants, whether human (marriage) or divine (Law, New Covenant). It emphasizes that a covenant's terms are valid until a specified condition (in this case, death) is met.
4. **Divine Order in Marriage:** While not the primary focus of [[Romans 7:2]], the etymological meaning of "under a man" subtly points to the biblical understanding of marital order, where the wife is in a position of respect and submission to her husband, reflecting a broader principle of divine headship and order within creation. However, Paul's immediate purpose is legal analogy, not an exposition on marital roles.
### Summary
The Greek word ὕπανδρος (hýpandros, `{{G5220}}`) precisely denotes a "married woman," specifically emphasizing her legal and covenantal bond to her husband. Its singular occurrence in [[Romans 7:2]] is critically important, where the Apostle Paul employs the hýpandros woman as a powerful legal analogy. This analogy illustrates the believer's liberation from the binding power of the Mosaic Law through their spiritual "death" with Christ, thereby enabling a new, life-giving union with the resurrected Christ. The term thus underscores the nature of covenants, the transformative power of Christ's work, and the profound shift from a legalistic relationship with God to an intimate, spiritual union.
TRV