συντίθημι

I make an agreement, agree

Definition

The verb συντίθημι means 'to put together' or 'to agree together,' and in its middle and passive forms, it specifically denotes 'to make an agreement or covenant with someone.' In the New Testament, it consistently carries the sense of forming a formal or secret pact. For example, in Luke 22:5, the chief priests 'agreed' (συνέθεντο) to give Judas money for betraying Jesus, indicating a conspiratorial arrangement. In John 9:22, the Jewish leaders had already 'agreed' (συνέθεντο) that anyone confessing Jesus as Messiah would be put out of the synagogue, showing a binding communal decision. In Acts 23:20 and 24:9, it refers to a plot or agreement to ambush Paul.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only four times in the New Testament, always in the middle/passive voice (συνέθεντο). It appears in narrative contexts describing secret plots or formal agreements made by groups against individuals. It is found in the Gospels (Luke, John) and Acts, highlighting its use in accounts of opposition to Jesus and the early church. Each instance involves a group (chief priests, Jewish leaders, conspirators) making a deliberate, binding pact with serious consequences.

Etymology

Derived from the preposition σύν (G4862), meaning 'with' or 'together,' and the verb τίθημι (G5087), meaning 'to put, place, or set.' Literally, it means 'to put together.' This compound form emphasizes a joint action or arrangement, which evolved into the specific sense of 'agreeing together' or 'making a covenant.'

Semantic Range

While not a primary theological term like 'covenant' (διαθήκη), συντίθημι is significant for understanding the nature of opposition in the biblical narrative. It reveals the deliberate, conspiratorial agreements made against God's messengers—Jesus and the apostles. This enriches reading by highlighting the organized human resistance to God's plan, contrasting with divine covenants. It underscores themes of betrayal, persecution, and the fulfillment of prophecy (e.g., Psalm 41:9).

In the ancient Mediterranean world, formal agreements or pacts (often oral) were binding and carried significant social weight. The use of συντίθημι for secret plots reflects a cultural context where such agreements, even if clandestine, were understood as serious commitments. This differs from modern casual 'agreements,' as these were often solemn, with implications for honor, obligation, and potential legal or violent outcomes.

συντιθέναι (syntithenai, G4934) — identical verb form; ὁμολογέω (homologeō, G3670) — to confess or acknowledge openly, less conspiratorial; διατίθεμαι (diatithemai, G1303) — to arrange or dispose, often used for God's covenants; συμφωνέω (symphōneō, G4856) — to agree or harmonize, often less formal.

Word Details

Scripture References