UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament

Sense 1: height

Semantic entry: 81.3

Semantic domains: Spacial Dimensions

Subdomains: High, Low, Deep

Definition: the measurement of height

Notes: In RV EPH 3:18 · LV EPH 3:18 · Read together EPH 3:18 the four different dimensions of space are used figuratively in the sense of ‘that which is all-encompassing.’

Sense 2: high, world above, sky, heaven, on high

Semantic entry: 1.13

Semantic domains: Geographical Objects and Features

Subdomains: Regions Above the Earth

Definition: a location above the earth and associated with supernatural events or beings

Notes: In RV LUK 24:49 · LV LUK 24:49 · Read together LUK 24:49 ὕψος refers to heaven as a type of substitute reference for God, and in many languages it is advisable to translate ‘until the power from God comes down on you.’ In RV EPH 4:8 · LV EPH 4:8 · Read together EPH 4:8 the phrase ἀναβὰς εἰς ὕψος may be rendered literally as ‘when he went up to the heights,’ but it is preferable in a number of languages to translate ‘when he went up to heaven,’ for a literal rendering of ‘heights’ might imply only a high building or a mountain.|In contexts in which these expressions refer clearly to ‘heaven’ or ‘the sky,’ it is better to use terms meaning ‘heaven’ or ‘sky’ rather than terms meaning ‘height’ or ‘that which is high.’

Sense 3: high position, high rank, prominence

Semantic entry: 87.19

Semantic domains: Status

Subdomains: High Status or Rank [including persons of high status]

Definition: a position of high status

Sense 4: the dawn from on high

Semantic entry: 14.42

Semantic domains: Physical Events and States

Subdomains: Light

Definition: (an idiom, literally: dawning from on high) the bright dawn of salvation (or possibly to be understood as a title for the Messiah)

Notes: The expression ἀνατολὴ ἐξ ὕψους occurs in a highly poetic liturgical passage in Luke 1, and many translators have preferred to retain the more or less literal rendering. Others, however, have interpreted this as the dawning of salvation and have therefore translated ἐπισκέψεται ἡμᾶς ἀνατολὴ ἐξ ὕψους as ‘salvation will dawn upon us from heaven’ or ‘from heaven salvation will come to us as the dawn does.’ If one wishes to employ ἀνατολὴ ἐξ ὕψους as simply a title for the Messiah, one can translate ‘the Messiah will come to us,’ but it is normally better to preserve the figurative expression and relate it to the coming of the Messiah as ‘the Messiah will come to us even as the dawn does from on high.’ One may also treat the problem of interpretation in a footnote.

Collocations: ἀνατολὴ ἐξ ὕψους