συγκατάθεσις

assent, agreement

Definition

Sygkatathesis (συγκατάθεσις) means a formal or deliberate agreement, assent, or alignment of will. It signifies a conscious decision to be in concord with someone or something, often implying a binding commitment. In its single New Testament occurrence, it describes the mutual agreement between God and his people, specifically the believer's assent to God's covenant promises. This is not a casual nod but a profound alignment of human will with divine purpose, as seen in 2 Corinthians 6:16.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in 2 Corinthians 6:16. Paul uses it rhetorically, quoting from the Old Testament (Leviticus 26:12; Ezekiel 37:27) to emphasize the covenant relationship: 'What agreement (συγκατάθεσις) has the temple of God with idols?' The context is Paul's argument for separation from pagan practices, highlighting the incompatibility between the believer's assent to God's covenant and any alliance with idolatry.

Etymology

Derived from the verb συγκατατίθημι (sygkatatithēmi), which combines σύν (syn, 'with') and κατατίθημι (katatithēmi, 'to place down, to consent'). Literally, it means 'to put down together with' or 'to consent jointly.' It implies a mutual laying down of terms or wills to reach a common position. Cognates include the simpler form κατάθεσις (katathesis), meaning a depositing or laying down.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it captures the human response within the divine covenant. In 2 Corinthians 6:16, it underscores that the believer's 'agreement' with God is not passive but an active, willful assent to be his people, which necessitates holiness and separation from evil. Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by highlighting the covenantal, bilateral nature of the relationship—God initiates, and his people must consciously agree and align themselves with his terms.

In the Greco-Roman world, συγκατάθεσις could be used in legal, political, or philosophical contexts to denote a formal pact or a philosophical assent to a proposition (as in Stoic thought). Paul's use contrasts the believer's covenant agreement with God against the cultural backdrop of pagan temple alliances and idol worship, making a stark distinction between the community of God and the surrounding religious syncretism.

συνθήκη (synthēkē, G4934) — a formal covenant or contract, more legal in tone. ὁμολογία (homologia, G3671) — a confession or profession of faith, often public. συμφωνία (symphōnia, G4857) — harmony or concord, often musical or metaphorical.

Word Details

Scripture References