Bible Dictionaries
Appearance

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

properly "that which strikes the eye, that which is exposed to view," signifies the "external appearance, form, or shape," and in this sense is used of the Holy Spirit in taking bodily form, as a dove, Luke 3:22; of Christ, 9:29, "the fashion of His countenance." Christ used it, negatively, of God the Father, when He said "Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form," John 5:37 . Thus it is used with reference to each person of the Trinity. Probably the same meaning attaches to the word in the Apostle's statement, "We walk by faith, not by sight (eidos)," 2 Corinthians 5:7 , where eidos can scarcely mean the act of beholding, but the visible "appearance" of things which are set in contrast to that which directs faith. The believer is guided, then, not only by what he beholds but by what he knows to be true though it is invisible.

It has a somewhat different significance in 1 Thessalonians 5:22 , in the exhortation, "Abstain from every form of evil," i.e., every sort or kind of evil (not "appearance," AV). This meaning was common in the papyri, the Greek writings of the closing centuries, B.C., and the New Testament era. See FASHION , SHAPE , SIGHT. Cp. No. 4.

pros, "towards," ops, "an eye," lit., "the part round the eye, the face," in a secondary sense "the look, the countenance," as being the index of the inward thoughts and feelings (cp. 1 Peter 3:12 , there used of the face of the Lord), came to signify the presentation of the whole person (translated "person," e.g., in Matthew 22:16 ). Cp. the expression in OT passages, as Genesis 19:21 (AV marg., "thy face"), where it is said by God of Lot, and Genesis 33:10 , where it is said by Jacob of Esau; see also Deuteronomy 10:17 ("persons"), Leviticus 19:15 ("person"). It also signifies the presence of a person, Acts 3:13; 1 Thessalonians 2:17; or the presence of a company, Acts 5:41 . In this sense it is sometimes rendered "appearance," 2 Corinthians 5:12 . In 2 Corinthians 10:7 , AV, "appearance," the RV corrects to "face." See COUNTENANCE , FACE , FASHION , PERSON , PRESENCE.

from ops, "the eye," connected with horao, "to see" (cp. No. 2), primarily denotes "seeing, sight;" hence, "the face, the countenance," John 11:44 ("face"); Revelation 1:16 ("countenance"); the outward "appearance," the look, John 7:24 , only here, of the outward aspect of a person. See COUNTENANCE , FACE.

"an aspect, appearance," is used in Matthew 28:3 , RV, "appearance;" AV, "countenance."

"to make visible," is used in its participial form (Middle Voice), with the neuter article, as equivalent to a noun, and is translated "appearance," RV, for AV, "sight," Hebrews 12:21 .