Meaning
denotes "the countenance," lit., "the part towards the eyes" (from pros, "towards," ops, "the eye"), and is used (a) of the "face," Mat 1:6-17, 2Co 1:3, 2nd part (AV, "countenance"); in 2Co 10:7, in the RV, "things that are before your face" (AV, "outward appearance"), the phrase is figurative of superficial judgment; (b) of the look, i.e., the "face," which by its various movements affords an index of inward thoughts and feelings, e.g., Luk 9:51, Luk 9:53, 1Pe 3:12; (c) the presence of a person, the "face" being the noblest part, e.g., Act 3:13, RV, "before the face of," AV, "in the presence of;" Act 5:41, "presence;" 2Co 2:10, "person;" 1Th 2:17 (first part), "presence;" 2Th 1:9, RV, "face," AV, "presence;" Rev 12:14, "face;" (d) the person himself, e.g., Gal 1:22, 1Th 2:17 (second part); (e) the appearance one presents by his wealth or poverty, his position or state, Mat 22:16, Mar 12:14, Gal 2:6, Jud 1:16; (f) the outward appearance of inanimate things, Mat 16:3, Luk 12:56, Luk 21:35, Act 17:26.
To spit in a person's face was an expression of the utmost scorn and aversion, e.g., Mat 26:67 (cp. Mat 27:30, Mar 10:34, Luk 18:32). See APPEARANCE.
<2,,3799, opsis>
is primarily "the act of seeing;" then, (a) "the face;" of the body of Lazarus, Joh 11:44; of the "countenance" of Christ in a vision, Rev 1:16; (b) the "outward appearance" of a person or thing, Joh 7:24. See APPEARANCE.
Note: The phrase "face to face" translates two phrases in Greek: (1) kata prosopon (kata, "over against," and No. 1), Act 25:16; (2) stoma pros stoma, lit., "mouth to mouth" (stoma, "a mouth"), 2Jo 1:12, 3Jo 1:14. See MOUTH. (3) For antophthalmeo, Act 27:15, RV, has "to face."
