Bible Word Study
σύσσημον
syssēmon · a signal agreed upon
σύσσημον
a signal agreed upon
Definition
The Greek word σύσσημον (syssēmon) refers to a prearranged or agreed-upon signal, sign, or token. It specifically denotes a covert sign used to communicate a specific message or action between parties without alerting others. In the New Testament, it is used exclusively in the context of betrayal, where Judas Iscariot arranges a signal with the arresting party to identify Jesus in the dark (Mark 14:44). This meaning emphasizes secrecy and collusion, distinguishing it from a general public sign.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Mark 14:44. It describes the specific, prearranged signal Judas gave to the crowd sent to arrest Jesus: a kiss. The context is one of betrayal and clandestine planning, where the signal serves to secretly identify Jesus to the armed group without causing a disturbance among his followers or the public.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek prefix σύν (syn, meaning 'with' or 'together') and the noun σῆμα (sēma, meaning 'sign' or 'mark'). Thus, it literally means 'a sign with (another),' i.e., a sign mutually agreed upon. It is a compound noun that emphasizes joint arrangement or collusion in establishing the signal.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it highlights the calculated nature of Judas's betrayal. The use of a 'prearranged signal' underscores the betrayal as a deliberate, conspiratorial act, not a spontaneous one. It deepens the narrative's gravity in Mark's Gospel, contrasting the secrecy of evil plans with Jesus's open teaching and submission to God's will. Understanding this specific term enriches the reading of the Passion narrative by emphasizing the treachery involved. In the ancient world, prearranged signals were common in military, political, or clandestine operations where direct verbal communication was risky or impossible. Judas's use of a kiss—a common greeting of respect and affection—as the signal for betrayal would have been particularly shocking and hypocritical to the original audience, heightening the narrative's dramatic irony and moral condemnation of his act. σημεῖον (sēmeion, G4592) — a general term for a sign, miracle, or portent, often public and divine in origin, unlike the secretive σύσσημον.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). Concordance and morphology data are derived from the interlinear Bible.
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]