Original Word: φωστήρ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: phóstér
Pronunciation: foce-TAIR
Phonetic Spelling: (foce-tare')
KJV: light
NASB: brilliance, lights
Word Origin: [from G5457 (φῶς - light)]

1. an illuminator
2. (concretely) a luminary
3. (abstractly) brilliancy

light.

From phos; an illuminator, i.e. (concretely) a luminary, or (abstractly) brilliancy -- light.

see GREEK phos

Word Origin
from phós
Definition
a luminary, light
NASB Translation
brilliance (1), lights (1).

STRONGS NT 5458: φωστήρ

φωστήρ, φωστηρος, ὁ (φῶς, φώσκω);

1. that which gives light, an illuminator (Vulg.luminar): of the stars (luminaries), Philippians 2:15 (Wis. 13:2; Sir. 43:7; Genesis 1:14, 16; Heliodorus 2, 24; (Anthol. Pal. 15, 17; of sun and moon, Test xii. Patr. test. Levi 14); ecclesiastical writings.)

2. light, brightness: Revelation 21:11 (Anthol. 11, 359) (others refer this to 1; cf. Trench, § xlvi.).

Overview

Appearing only twice in the Greek New Testament, φωστήρ brings forward the picture of a radiant body that dispels darkness. While its lexical sense evokes the heavenly lights created on the fourth day (Genesis 1), the apostolic and prophetic writers employ the term to speak of both present witness and future glory. These complementary uses gather creation, redemption, and consummation into one luminous thread running through Scripture.

Creation Imagery Recalled

The Septuagint repeatedly uses φωστήρ for the sun, moon, and stars placed in the expanse to “give light on the earth.” By echoing this creation language, Paul and John remind readers that the God who first commanded light out of darkness (Genesis 1:3) is the same God working in and through His people and His city. The original mandate for the heavenly bodies—to mark seasons and provide light—thus supplies the backdrop for later theological reflection: wherever φωστήρ appears, purpose and ordering authority are assumed.

Believers as Luminaries in a Dark World

Philippians 2:15 applies the term to Christians: “...in which you shine as lights in the world”. Here the contrast is stark:

• Context: a “crooked and perverted generation.”
• Character: “blameless and pure, children of God without fault.”
• Commission: to “hold forth the word of life” (Philippians 2:16).

Paul’s choice of φωστήρ does more than call for moral integrity; it assigns believers an orbital function. Just as stars are fixed points by which travelers orient themselves, faithful disciples become reference marks that guide a lost humanity toward Christ. This radiant testimony is not self-generated. Earlier in the letter, Paul grounds it in the humiliation and exaltation of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:5-11), implying that the believer’s shine is derivative—reflecting the Light of the World (John 8:12).

Eschatological Radiance of the New Jerusalem

In Revelation 21:11 the word shifts from people to place: the holy city descends “having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a most precious jewel”. Whereas the Philippians passage emphasizes witness amid darkness, John’s vision portrays the consummation of that witness. The city itself becomes the luminary, its splendour entirely sourced in divine glory. No sun or moon is needed (Revelation 21:23); the created lights of Genesis find their fulfillment and replacement in the unveiled presence of God and the Lamb.

Ministry Implications

1. Holiness and Mission: Moral purity is inseparable from evangelistic effectiveness. Diminished holiness clouds the light; increased holiness clarifies it.
2. Corporate Witness: The plural φωστῆρες in Philippians signals that the church collectively shines. Mutual encouragement, accountability, and unity affect luminosity.
3. Eschatological Motivation: The promised brilliance of the New Jerusalem inspires present endurance. Knowing that ultimate radiance awaits, believers labor to reflect it now.
4. Cultural Engagement: Stars are most visible in darkness. Instead of retreating from a crooked generation, the church is to occupy its God-appointed place in the sky of human society.

Historical Reception

Early Christian writers frequently cited Philippians 2:15 when urging moral reform. For example, Chrysostom likened believers to “guiding stars for those at sea.” Medieval commentators connected the verse to the decoration of church ceilings with constellations, visually reinforcing the theological point. During the Reformation, the passage buttressed the priesthood of all believers: every saint, not merely clergy, is called to shine.

Theological Synthesis

From first creation to new creation, φωστήρ frames a redemptive narrative of light. God appoints physical luminaries to govern day and night, raises spiritual luminaries to illuminate a fallen world, and finally unveils the consummate luminary—the glorified city manifesting His own presence. The word therefore encourages confidence that God’s purpose to flood His universe with light cannot fail.

Key References

Philippians 2:15; Revelation 21:11; Genesis 1:14-18 (LXX background); John 8:12; Revelation 21:23.

φωστηρ φωστήρ φωστὴρ φωστήρα φωστήρας φωστηρες φωστήρες φωστῆρες phoster phostḕr phōstēr phōstḕr phosteres phostêres phōstēres phōstē̂resInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts