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Huparcho
A. Classical Usage
1. Huparcho (u(pa/rxw) occurs as early as Homer in the 8th century B.C. with the meaning “begin, initiate.”
2. In classical Greek it developed other specialized shades of meaning, e.g., an existing property, current
price, proper nature, subsistence of a quality (in philosophy).
3. The Koine papyri exhibit the following meanings:
a. Be, exist
b. Have, possess
c. As a participle, possessions
4. It is a compound word composed of the preposition hupo (u&pov), “under,” and arche (a*rxhv) “a beginning.”
5. The preposition hupo is often prefixed to other words to intensify or alter their meaning.
6. The prepositions apo, ek, para, and hupo all denote “issuing, proceeding from.”
7. The term arche means “beginning, origin,” and at times “ruler.”
8. Arche refers to the “beginning” in the ultimate sense of the word as well as the “beginning” as a point of
time (relative).
9. Arche is used of the origin of the cosmos, the universe.
10. Consequently, it resonates with the goal of existence.
11. But in this instance “beginning” functions in a sense that is beyond simple time.
12. Huparcho is a word use to denote existence which proceeds or issues from eternity past.
13. It refers to an antecedent condition protracted into the present.
14. The word denotes to be, to be in existence, involving an existence or condition both previous to the
circumstances mentioned and continuing after it.
15. It can mean exist, especially when referring to an already existing condition.
16. The word has a broad range of meaning in classical literature as noted by Liddel and Scott (Greek-English
Lexicon, New Edition, pages 1853-1854):
a. “to begin, to take the initiative in doing something”
b. “to be the beginning”
c. “to be already in existence”
d. “to be”
e. “a man’s record”
f. “something which has been incurred”
g. “to be the descendant of”
h. “to be laid down, to be taken for granted”
i. “to belong to, to accrue”
j. “one’s proper nature or normal condition”
k. “to be devoted to someone”
l. “outside of one’s sphere of influence”
m. “the subsistence of qualities in a subject”
n. “existing circumstances, present advantages”
o. “positive terms”
p. “possessions, resources”
q. “as a case stands with regard to having”
r. “it is allowed, it is possible”
s. “subordinate colleague”
B. LXX Usage
1. The word occurs over 150 times in the LXX.
2. It has the same variety of meanings as it does in classical literature.
3. Huparcho often appears as a plural participle with the sense of “possessions.”
4. As a finite verb huparcho can mean “possess.”
5. It can also be used to denote existence.
C. NT Usage
1. Huparcho appears 62 times in the NT.
2. Among the NT usages, a significant group (especially in the Gospels) involves the neuter plural articular
participle ta huparchonta which means “possessions” (Mt. 19:21; 24:47; 25:14; Lk. 8:3; 11:21; 12:15, 33,
44; 14:33; 16:1; 19:8; Acts 4:32; 1 C. 13:3; He. 10:34).
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However, the most common usage for the word in the NT is “to be, to exist, to exist as, to live.”
There are about 40 such occurrences.
The word is widely used in Hellenistic Greek as a substitute for the infinitive einai.
It is often used with a predicate noun.
The verb is very frequently in the participle with a predicate noun meaning “who is, since he is.”
The word appears 9 times with a prepositional phrase following (Luke 7:25; 16:23; Phil. 2:6; 3:20; 2 Pet.
3:11).
9. As a verb of being, it is followed regularly by a noun or by an adjective or participle.
10. It occurs 17 times in each of these 2 constructions.
11. Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, “huparcho, primarily, "to make a beginning" (hupo,
"under," arche, "a beginning"), denotes "to be, to be in existence," involving an "existence" or condition
both previous to the circumstances mentioned and continuing after it. This is important in (Phil. 2:6),
concerning the deity of Christ. The phrase "being (existing) in the form (morphe, the essential and specific
form and character) of God," carries with it the two facts of the antecedent Godhood of Christ, previous to
His incarnation, and the continuance of His Godhood at and after the event of His Birth (see Gifford, on the
Incarnation, pp. 11, sqq.). It is translated "exist" in (1 Cor. 11:18), RV, for KJV, "there be." Cf. (Luke
16:14; 23:50; Acts 2:30; 3:2; 17:24; 22:3) etc.”
12. Bauer, Gingrich and Danker list the following meanings (A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
and Other Early Christian Literature, page 838):
a. Exist (really), be present, be at one’s disposal; ta huparconta, what belongs to someone, someone’s
property, possessions, means
b. As a widely used substitute in Hellenistic Greek for einai
13. The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon lists the following (page 638):
a. To begin below, to make a beginning; to begin
b. To come forth, hence to be there, be ready, be at hand
c. To be
14. The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised lists the following (page 414):
a. To begin; to come into existence; to exist; to be, subsist
b. To be in possession, to belong
c. Goods, possessions, property
15. Louw and Nida list the following (Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic
Domains, volume 2):
a. To be in a state, normally with the implication of a particular set of circumstances – ‘to be’ (page 150).
b. To be identical with – ‘to be’ (page 150).
c. To exist, particularly in relation to ownership – ‘to exist, to belong to’ (page 158).
d. To belong to someone – to belong to, to have’ (page 558).
D. Philippians 2:6 Usage
1. Paul does not use the simple verb of being here which is einai but instead employs the stronger huparcho to
denote existence which proceeds or issues from the beginning.
2. In context, it denotes existence which proceeds or issues from eternity past.
3. Huparchon implies prior existence rather than eternal existence.
4. Lightfoot commenting on the word, writes, “The word denotes ‘prior existence,’ but not necessarily
‘eternal existence.’ The latter idea however follows in the present instance from the conception of the
divinity of Christ which the context supposes” (St. Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians, page 110).
5. It emphasizes the preincarnate state of Christ rather than His eternal existence.
6. Vincent commenting on the word’s usage in our passage, writes, “Huparchon has a backward look into an
antecedent condition, which has been protracted into the present. Here appropriate to the Preincarnate
being of Christ, to which the sentence refers. In itself it does not imply eternal, but only prior existence.”
(Vincent’s Word Studies of the New Testament, volume III, page 430).
7. Vine states that huparcho “denotes to be, to be in existence, involving an existence or condition both
previous to the circumstances mentioned and continuing after it. This is important in Philippians 2:6,
concerning the deity of Christ. The phrase ‘being (existing) in the form (morphe, the essential and specific
form and character) of God,’ carries with it two facts of the antecedent Godhood of Christ, previous to His
Incarnation, and the continuance of His Godhood at and after the event of His birth” (Vine’s Expository
Dictionary of New Testament Words, pages 400-401).
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Kenneth Wuest makes the following excellent comment, he writes, “The time at which the apostle says our
Lord gave expression to His essential nature, that of Deity, was previous to His coming to earth to become
incarnate as the Man Christ Jesus. But Paul, by the use of the Greek word translated ‘being,’ informs his
Greek readers that our Lord’s possession of the divine essence did not cease to be a fact when He came to
earth to assume human form. The Greek word is not the simple verb of being, but a word that speaks of an
antecedent condition protracted into the present. That is, our Lord gave expression to the essence of Deity
which He possesses, not only before He became Man, but also after becoming Man, for He was doing so
at the time this Philippian epistle was written. To give expression to the essence of Deity implies the
possession of Deity, for this expression, according to the definition of our word ‘form,’ comes from one’s
inmost nature. This word alone is enough to refute the claim of Modernism that our Lord emptied Himself
of His Deity when He became Man” (Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, volume II, page 63).
9. Huparchon denotes the possession and expression of the divine attributes by our Lord in His Preincarnate
state.
10. It refers to eternity past in which our Lord functioned as infinite and eternal God.
11. This word points back to eternity past.
12. Huparchon expresses the fact that our Lord possessed and expressed the attributes of the divine essence in
eternity past before entering the human race.
E. Philippians 3:20
1. The verb huparcho here in Philippians 3:20 means “to exist from eternity past.”
2. This is not the usual common word for being, which is eimi, and this is significant.
3. As we noted this compound verb refers to an antecedent condition protracted into the present.
4. The believer’s citizenship in heaven actually originates from eternity past.
5. By employing this word Paul is actually expressing the superiority of the believer’s citizenship over against
those whose citizenship is of Satan’s cosmic system.
6. Heaven predates the earth.
7. This verb here refers to the doctrine of election.
8. Election took place in eternity past and is manifested in time during the church age through regeneration
when an individual makes the non-meritorious decision to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
9. It took place before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 1:9).
10. Election means “chosen, selected, set apart for privilege.”
11. It means that the sovereignty of God wills the highest and best for the believer.
12. Election is related to believers only.
13. Unbelievers are not elected to condemnation.
14. The Scriptures do not teach double predestination.
15. Election is the plan of God for believers only.
16. It means that the highest and best was previously deposited in escrow and deposited for every believer.
17. Election is related to regeneration.
18. It means that God has selected at physical birth and elected at regeneration every believer for equal
privilege and equal opportunity as a citizen of heaven in order to receive God’s highest and best.
19. Chronological Order:
a. Selection
b. Salvation
c. Election
20. Election is the expression of the sovereign will of God in eternity past (Eph. 1:4).
21. It means that you have equal privilege as a royal priest.
22. Election does not mean that God violates volition; He cannot since that would not agree with His perfect
character and integrity.
23. God elected or chose believers in the sense:
a. that He knew ahead of time that, if given free will, they would freely choose to believe in Christ
b. that He decreed that such an act of faith would actually occur
c. that He agreed not only that their positive volition to the Gospel would occur at a certain point in time
but also that all the blessings of salvation plus certain unique blessings would be their eternal
possessions (Eph. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13).
24. Election is the expression of the sovereign will of God regarding escrow blessings and the provision of
equal privilege and equal opportunity as a citizen of heaven in order to attain them.
25. It is the work of God the Father in eternity past.
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26. God the Father has elected us to privilege as church age believers and with privilege comes responsibility
to grow to spiritual maturity under your royal priesthood as a citizen of heaven.
27. There are 3 elections to privilege in human history:
a. Israel (Deut. 7:6-7; 10:15; 14:2; Isa. 14:1; 44:1; 45:4; 48:12; Isa. 65:9; Ezek. 20:5; Psa. 135:4;
Acts 13:17; 15:7; Rom. 11:5, 7, 28).
(1) New racial species called the Jews began with the circumcision of Abraham.
(2) Related to the ritual plan of God.
(3) Related to our Lord’s royal title as “Son of David.”
(4) God selected Israel to be His client nation and chose the line of David to bring forth the Messiah.
b. Christ (Isa. 42:1; Matt. 12:18; Luke 9:35; 23:35; 1 Pet. 2:4-6).
(1) Great power demonstration of the hypostatic union.
(2) Related to the salvation plan of God.
(3) Related to our Lord’s royal title as “Son of God.”
(4) God the Father elected Christ to be the Redeemer of mankind.
c. church (Rom. 8:30, 33; 9:24-26; 1 Cor. 1:27; Eph. 1:4, 18; 4:1, 4; Phil. 3:14; Col. 3:12, 15; 1
Thess. 1:4; 2 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 1:9; 2:10; Tit. 1:1; Heb. 3:1; James 2:5; 1 Pet. 1:1, 15; 2:4, 9,
21; 3:9; 5:10, 13; 2 Pet. 1:3, 10; Rev. 17:14).
(1) Formation of the royal family of God (1 Pet. 2:9).
(2) Related to the mystery plan of God (Rom. 8:28).
(3) Related to our Lord’s 3rd royal title as “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
(4) God the Father elected each church age believer to be spiritual royalty and citizens of heaven.
28. Election is related to the doctrine of Lapsarianism, which refers to the doctrine that mankind is a fallen
being.
29. Lapsarianism refers to the 5 elective decrees of eternity past and deals with the logical order of these 5
decrees.
30. It is a technical theological term that deals with logical order of the decrees in eternity past but doesn’t deal
with any chronological order in time.
31. Lapsarianism has 4 schools of interpretation:
a. Supra-Lapsarianism
b. Sub-Lapsarianism
c. Infra-Lapsarianism
d. Armenian-Lapsarianism
32. Revised infra-lapsarianism has 6 elective decrees which are as follows:
a. The decree to create all mankind for the purpose of bringing many sons to glory (Heb. 2:10), and
resolving the more ancient pre-historic angelic conflict.
b. The decree to permit the Fall of mankind as the extension of the angelic conflict.
c. The motivation of election and the means of glorifying God in human history-escrow blessings, which
is God the Father as the Grantor deposited in escrow greater blessings for the believer as the Grantee
(Eph. 1:3).
d. The decree to provide salvation for all mankind (unlimited atonement).
e. The simultaneous decrees of election and predestination (Eph. 1:4-5).
f. The decree to apply salvation to those who believe (Common and Efficacious Grace).
33. Election is also related to antecedent grace.
34. There are 3 major categories of grace as related to the citizen of heaven in the church age:
a. Antecedent: related to the spiritual life of the citizen of heaven in eternity past.
b. Living: related to the spiritual life of the citizen of heaven in time.
c. Eschatological: related to the spiritual life of the citizen of heaven in the future in a resurrection body.
35. Election means that God has a plan for the life of the citizen of heaven.
36. It means that He has a purpose and direction for the life of the citizen of heaven.
37. Positive volition towards the Gospel is the means by which election is appropriated (2 Thess. 2:14).
38. Election means that God has designed a specific plan or purpose for every citizen of heaven in eternity past.
39. 2 Timothy 1:9, “Who (God the Father) has saved us, and elected us with a holy election, not according
to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace (policy of God towards all mankind) which
was granted us in Christ Jesus from eternity past.”
40. The citizen of heaven has been called out of the cosmic system of Satan in which we were enslaved at the
moment of physical birth (1 Pet. 2:9).
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41. He has been elected to privilege in eternity past for the following reasons:
a. He has been elected in order that we may be freed from the bondage of the cosmic system and the old
sin nature (Ga. 5:13).
b. He has been chosen to enter the kingdom of God through election which is appropriated through faith
in Christ (1 Thess. 2:12 cf. Heb. 11:8).
c. God has elected the believer in order that he may be called a son of God: 1 John 3:1; Rm. 9:26).
d. The citizen of heaven has been elected in order that we may receive the promise of eternal life (1 Tim.
6:12; Heb. 9:15).
e. He has been elected in order that we may receive eternal glory which means that God is going to bless
you beyond human comprehension in the eternal state in a resurrection body (1 Pet. 5:10).
f. He has been elected in order that we may execute a predetermined plan (Rom. 8:28).
g. The citizen of heaven has been set apart for the purpose of executing this plan (Rom. 1:7).
h. God has elected the believer in order to form a royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9).
i. He has been chosen in order that we may perform divine good which has intrinsic and eternal value
(John 15:16).
j. The citizen of heaven has been elected in order that we may have fellowship or a relationship with God
through His Word and the Filling of the Spirit (1 Cor. 1:9).
k. He has elected us in order that we may obtain prosperity (1 Cor. 7:15), and inherit blessing (1 Pet. 3:9).
l. He has been elected in order to form the body of Christ which will be completed at the rapture (Col.
3:15).
m. The church age believer as a citizen of heaven have been elected to privilege in order that we may have
confidence in life and this confidence is obtained through the application of the Word of God as stated
in Ephesians 1:18.
n. We have been elected in order that we may go through unjust suffering for Christ’s sake as in 1 Peter
1:18-21.
o. Because the believer has been elected to such high privileges, he is persecuted by the devil and the
kingdom of darkness while in the Cosmic System (John 15:18-21).
42. The church age believer as a citizen of heaven has been elected to privilege.
43. He has been said to be elected to privilege by virtue of what God has provided for them in eternity past.
44. The church age believer lives in a totally unique dispensation and has been given totally unique and
invisible assets.
45. The following is a list of the believer’s privileges:
a. Baptism of the Spirit
b. Filling of the Spirit
c. Royal Priesthood
d. Royal Ambassadorship
e. Mystery Doctrine
f. 100% Availability of Divine Power (Spirit and Word)
g. Indwelling of the Trinity
h. Invisible Heroship
i. Joint-Heirship
j. Sonship
k. New Spiritual Species
l. Heavenly Citizenship
m. Suffering for Blessing
n. Adoption as a adult sons
o. Spiritual Gifts
46. Along with the privileges that the church Age believer possesses under election comes responsibility.
47. Ephesians 4:1, “I (Paul), therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk (live) in a manner
worthy of the election with which you have been elected.”
48. The citizen of heaven fulfills this responsibility by living in the new life in Christ under the enabling power
of God the Holy Spirit and momentum from the application of the Word of God.
49. The believer fulfills his responsibilities as a citizen of heaven by executing God’s plan for the church,
which is by faithfully applying the Word of God until the Lord takes the believer home.
50. 2 Peter 1:5-10, “Now for this reason also, applying all diligence, in your doctrine which produces
virtue and in your virtue knowledge, self-control and in self-control, perseverance, and in
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perseverance, spiritual living; and in spiritual living, brotherly kindness, and in brotherly kindness,
virtue-love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor
unfruitful in the experiential knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these qualities is
(spiritually) blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. Therefore,
royal family, be all the more diligent to make certain about your calling and election. For as long as
your apply these things, you will never stumble.”
The church age believer’s election to privilege provides for him greater responsibilities.
church age believers as spiritual royalty and spiritual citizens have been given the tremendous
responsibility of executing the plan of God.
The plan of God for the church age can only be executed through the application of the Word of God under
the enabling power of the Spirit.
The Christian life is a supernatural way of life and demands a supernatural means of execution.
1 Thessalonians 1:11, “To this end also we pray for you always that our God may count you worthy of
your calling, and fulfill every desire for divine good of eternal and intrinsic value and the work of
doctrine by means of divine power.”
The church age believer’s election to privilege gives him the responsibility of growing up spiritually as a
son of God and member of the royal family.
His election to privilege does not permit cosmic living or living in the old sin nature.
The believer has the responsibility of living in the new man or new nature which God has designed for him
to live in under the Filling of the Spirit.
The believer has the responsibility as a citizen of heaven to conduct himself according to the divine
mandates found in the mystery doctrines for the church age.
The responsibility of the church age believer is to avoid a lifestyle in the cosmic system.
1 Thessalonians 4:7, “For God has not elected us (church Age believers) for the purpose of impurity (life
in cosmic 1 or 2), but in (experiential) sanctification.”
The church age believer has the responsibility as a royal priest to pray, to give and to serve the royal family
by operating in their spiritual gift which they received at the moment of salvation.
He has the responsibility to conduct himself as a royal ambassador for Christ in the devil’s world.
He has the responsibility of being filled or controlled by the Holy Spirit.
The believer has the responsibility as a royal priest to apply the Word of God, which enables the Holy
Spirit to empower and guide the believer to executing the will of God.
Privilege connotes responsibility because being a member of spiritual royalty provides greater privileges
but also demands greater responsibility.
The responsibility of the church age believer who has been elected to privilege is to avoid the enticements
of the cosmic system and to be occupied with the execution of the plan of God for the church age.
1 Timothy 6:10-12, “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by lusting for it have
wandered away from doctrine and pierced themselves with many a pang. But flee from these things, you
man of God; and pursue righteousness, spiritual living, doctrine, virtue-love, perseverance, gentleness.
Fight the good fight of doctrine; take hold of the eternal life to which you were elected to privilege, and
you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”
Election to privilege provides unique privileges and demands greater responsibilities.
It provides the citizen of heaven with greater responsibilities never before given to believers in past
dispensations nor will they be given to future dispensations.
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