ἐγκάθετος
a spy
Definition
ἐγκάθετος refers to a person sent to observe others secretly, specifically a spy or informant. In its single New Testament occurrence, it describes individuals who pretended to be sincere while secretly gathering incriminating information. The word carries connotations of deliberate deception and hostile intent, as these agents were planted to catch someone in their words or actions. This term emphasizes the covert and treacherous nature of the surveillance being conducted.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the New Testament, in Luke 20:20. Here, the religious leaders send spies (ἐγκαθέτους) who pretend to be honest men in order to trap Jesus with His own words regarding His authority and paying taxes to Caesar. The usage is specific to a narrative context of opposition and entrapment within a conflict setting.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek verb ἐγκαθίημι (enkathiēmi), meaning 'to send down into' or 'to let down into.' It is a compound word from ἐν (en, 'in') and καθίημι (kathiēmi, 'to let down, send down'). The literal sense evolved to mean someone who is 'planted' or 'inserted' into a situation covertly, hence a spy or an agent provocateur.
Semantic Range
This word highlights the theme of deceptive opposition faced by Jesus. Understanding it underscores the calculated hostility of the religious establishment and the fulfillment of prophetic suffering. It enriches the reading of the Passion narrative by showing the deliberate traps set against Jesus, contrasting His truthful teaching with their false pretenses.
In the Greco-Roman world, spies (κατάσκοποι or ἐγκάθετοι) were used in military, political, and domestic contexts. In Luke 20:20, these agents act like the 'secret police' of the religious authorities, exploiting a culture of public debate to entrap a perceived threat. Their pretense of righteousness contrasts sharply with their malicious intent, a hypocrisy Jesus repeatedly condemned.
κατάσκοπος (kataskopos, G2685) — a general term for a spy or scout, often used in military contexts (e.g., Hebrews 11:31).
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
Full methodology & sources →