ἐκλανθάνομαι

Pronunciation Guide: ek-lan-THAN-oh-mai

Basic Definition

Strong’s G1585: ἐκλανθάνομαι (eklanthenomai) means “to forget completely” or “to cause to forget entirely.” It carries the sense of allowing something important to slip from one’s memory or consciousness, either deliberately or through neglect. This compound verb intensifies the basic concept of forgetting, emphasizing a complete loss of mindfulness regarding something significant.

Etymology and Morphology

• Part of speech: Verb (Middle/Passive)
• Compound of: ἐκ (ek, “from, out of”) + λανθάνω (lanthanō, “to escape notice, to be hidden”)
• Language origin: Classical Greek
• Primary usage: Didactic and exhortational passages
• Voice: Middle voice, indicating the subject’s participation in the action
• Tense: Present tense in its biblical occurrence, indicating ongoing action
• Mood: Imperative mood in Hebrews 12:5, expressing a command or exhortation

ἐκλανθάνομαι Morphology:

• ἐκλανθάνομαι (present middle/passive indicative, 1st person singular) – I completely forget
• ἐκλανθάνῃ (present middle/passive indicative, 2nd person singular) – you completely forget
• ἐκλανθάνεται (present middle/passive indicative, 3rd person singular) – he/she/it completely forgets
• ἐκλανθάνεσθε (present middle/passive indicative, 2nd person plural) – you (plural) completely forget
• ἐκλανθάνεσθε (present middle/passive imperative, 2nd person plural) – (do not) completely forget! (as used in Hebrews 12:5)

Origin & History

ἐκλανθάνομαι has its roots in classical Greek literature, where it was used to denote a complete forgetting or causing someone to forget entirely. The prefix ἐκ- intensifies the root verb λανθάνω, which itself means “to escape notice” or “to be hidden from awareness.” This intensification suggests not merely a momentary lapse of memory but a more profound and complete forgetting.

In classical Greek literature, the verb appears in works like Plato’s “Republic,” where it describes how certain experiences might cause one to forget important truths. Herodotus also employs it in his “Histories” when depicting characters who have allowed critical information to slip from their minds entirely. In the Septuagint (LXX), the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, this verb appears rarely, making its New Testament usage particularly significant as it draws attention to the gravity of forgetting divine instruction.

Expanded Definitions & Translation Options

• To forget completely or entirely
• To allow something to slip from one’s memory or consciousness
• To become unmindful of something important
• To lose awareness of something that should be remembered
• To neglect to keep in mind a significant truth or principle

ἐκλανθάνομαι Translation Options:

• “To completely forget” – Captures the intensity of the prefix ἐκ- which emphasizes totality
• “To allow to slip from memory” – Reflects the middle voice, suggesting the subject’s participation in allowing the forgetting to occur
• “To become unmindful of” – Conveys the sense of gradual loss of awareness that the present tense implies
• “To neglect to remember” – Highlights the element of responsibility in the forgetting process
• “To dismiss from consciousness” – Suggests the potentially deliberate nature of such forgetting

Biblical Usage

In the New Testament, ἐκλανθάνομαι appears only once, in Hebrews 12:5. This singular occurrence highlights its significance within the author’s exhortation regarding divine discipline. The context involves the author reminding believers not to forget the encouragement addressed to them as children, specifically the instruction about the Lord’s discipline. The imperative mood used with the negative particle μή creates a strong admonition: “do not completely forget” or “do not allow to slip from your memory.”

The rarity of this term in biblical literature elevates its importance in Hebrews 12:5, where the author is concerned that believers might lose sight of the crucial spiritual principle regarding God’s loving discipline. This forgetting would represent not merely an oversight but a significant failure to maintain awareness of divine truth in the midst of suffering and trials.

• “And you have forgotten [ἐκλελησθε, a different but related form] the exhortation which addresses you as sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him’” Hebrews 12:5

Cultural Insights

In the ancient Mediterranean world, memory played a crucial role in cultural and religious identity. For Jewish communities, remembering Yahweh’s mighty acts, covenants, and Torah was central to maintaining their relationship with God. The command not to forget (זכר, zakhar in Hebrew) appears frequently throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, making the concept of “not forgetting” fundamentally important to biblical faith.

The exhortation in Hebrews 12:5 employs this verb within the context of a quotation from Proverbs 3:11-12, which addresses the relationship between a father and son. In ancient Jewish culture, fathers were responsible for disciplining their sons as an expression of love and concern for their formation. This cultural framework helps us understand that the author of Hebrews is drawing on deeply ingrained cultural expectations about parental responsibility, filial piety, and the proper reception of discipline. The verb ἐκλανθάνομαι heightens the warning against dismissing this culturally resonant teaching about divine discipline as loving formation.

Theological Significance

The theological implications of ἐκλανθάνομαι in Hebrews 12:5 are profound. By exhorting believers not to completely forget God’s discipline as fatherly instruction, the author establishes a crucial theological framework for understanding suffering. This perspective transforms difficulties from seemingly arbitrary hardships into purposeful training administered by a loving heavenly Father.

The danger of “completely forgetting” highlighted by this verb suggests that in times of trial, believers face the temptation to lose sight of God’s fatherly care and the formative purpose behind their sufferings. Such forgetting would not merely represent a cognitive lapse but a spiritual one—a failure to maintain the proper relationship with God as Father. The intensity of the compound verb underscores how easy it is for believers to completely lose this divine perspective when facing hardship, reverting instead to viewing suffering merely as punishment or meaningless pain rather than as loving discipline.

Furthermore, this concept connects to the broader biblical theology of remembrance, wherein remembering God’s character, promises, and works forms the foundation for faithful covenant relationship. To “completely forget” God’s fatherly discipline would be to step outside this covenant mindset and misinterpret one’s experiences of suffering.

Personal Application

When we grasp the full meaning of ἐκλανθάνομαι, we are challenged to maintain an awareness of God’s fatherly discipline in our lives, especially during times of difficulty. Rather than allowing the pressures of suffering to push God’s loving purpose from our consciousness, we are called to actively remember that our trials have meaning and purpose under His sovereign care.

This calls for a deliberate practice of reframing our hardships through the lens of divine love rather than allowing ourselves to slip into seeing them merely as punishments or random misfortunes. By refusing to “completely forget” God’s fatherly discipline, we can approach trials with a different mindset—one that looks for growth, character development, and deeper relationship with Yahweh through the experience. This remembrance transforms our suffering from something we merely endure to something through which we are being lovingly shaped by our heavenly Father.

Related Words

• λανθάνω (lanthanō, pronounced lan-THA-no) – “to escape notice, to be hidden from awareness” – The root verb from which ἐκλανθάνομαι is derived, lacking the intensification of the prefix. While ἐκλανθάνομαι emphasizes complete forgetting, λανθάνω focuses more on something escaping one’s notice or attention. See G2990
• ἐπιλανθάνομαι (epilanthanomai, pronounced ep-ee-lan-THAN-oh-mai) – “to forget, neglect” – Similar to ἐκλανθάνομαι but with the prefix ἐπι- rather than ἐκ-, suggesting forgetting that comes upon one rather than complete forgetting. Used more frequently in the New Testament to describe various forms of forgetting. See G1950
• ἀμνημονέω (amnēmoneō, pronounced am-nay-mo-NEH-o) – “to be unmindful of, to forget” – Derived from the negative prefix ἀ- and μνήμων (“mindful”), this verb emphasizes the absence of mindfulness rather than the process of forgetting. See G448
• μιμνήσκομαι (mimnēskomai, pronounced mim-NACE-ko-mai) – “to remember, recollect” – The opposite concept to ἐκλανθάνομαι, focusing on the act of calling to mind or remembering rather than forgetting. See G3403
• παραλογίζομαι (paralogizomai, pronounced par-al-og-ID-zom-ai) – “to reason falsely, deceive by false reasoning” – While not directly related to forgetting, this term connects with the potential consequences of ἐκλανθάνομαι—when one completely forgets God’s truths, deceptive reasoning can follow. See G3884

Did you Know?

• Did you know that ἐκλανθάνομαι is a hapax legomenon in the New Testament? This means it appears only once in the entire Greek New Testament, specifically in Hebrews 12:5. This uniqueness highlights the special emphasis the author of Hebrews placed on the importance of not forgetting God’s discipline, selecting a particularly intense verb to convey this message.
• Did you know that the concept of “remembering” (זכר, zakhar) in Hebrew thought is not merely mental recollection but active engagement with the truth being remembered? When Hebrews warns against “completely forgetting” God’s discipline, it’s not simply cautioning against mental lapse but against failing to actively engage with and live out the truth of God’s fatherly care in times of suffering. In Jewish thought, to remember is to act upon what is remembered.
• Did you know that in ancient Greek medical texts, terms related to λανθάνω (the root of ἐκλανθάνομαι) were sometimes used to describe conditions where patients lost awareness of parts of their bodies or bodily functions? This medical usage provides an interesting parallel to the spiritual condition being addressed in Hebrews—a kind of spiritual numbness or loss of awareness regarding God’s discipline and its purpose in one’s life.

Remember This

ἐκλανθάνομαι calls us to maintain an active, conscious awareness of God’s loving discipline in our lives, refusing to let trials blind us to the Father’s formative hand working for our ultimate good and His glory.