Lexical Summary kateuthunó: To direct, to guide, to make straight Original Word: κατευθύνω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance guide, direct. From kata and euthuno; to straighten fully, i.e. (figuratively) direct -- guide, direct. see GREEK kata see GREEK euthuno HELPS Word-studies 2720 kateuthýnō (from 2596 /katá, "down, exactly according to," intensifying 2116 /euthýnō, "make straight") – properly, go straight down by the most direct, efficient route; to go in a direct (straight) course – avoiding all unnecessary delays, without any undue loss of time or achievement. [The prefix (kata) lends the idea "exactly direct or guide" – literally "down to without unnecessary deviation."] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom kata and euthunó Definition to make straight NASB Translation direct (2), guide (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2720: κατευθύνωκατευθύνω: 1 aorist infinitive κατευθύναι; 3 person singular optative κατευθύναι; (see κατά, III. 2); the Sept. mostly for יִשֵׁר and כּונֵן, הֵכִין; to make straight, guide, direct: τούς πόδας ... εἰς ὁδόν εἰρήνης, Luke 1:79; τήν ὁδόν πρός τινα, of the removal of the hindrances to coming to one, 1 Thessalonians 3:11; τάς καρδίας (1 Chronicles 29:18; 2 Chronicles 19:3) εἰς τήν ἀγάπην τοῦ Θεοῦ, 2 Thessalonians 3:5. (Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch, others.) STRONGS NT 2720a: κατευλογέωκατευλογέω: imperfect 3 person singular κατευλόγει (T WH) and κατηυλογει (Tr) (cf. εὐδοκέω, at the beginning); to call down blessings on: τινα, Mark 10:16 T Tr WH. (Tobit 9:13); Strong’s Greek 2720 evokes the act of straightening or directing a path so that movement toward a destination becomes unhindered. In Scripture the verb consistently presents God as the One who removes obstacles, aligns purposes, and sets the course for His people. The picture is that of a royal road being graded and leveled so the king may pass; spiritually, the King Himself clears the way for His servants and also aligns their hearts toward His will. Occurrences in the New Testament • Luke 1:79 places the verb in Zechariah’s prophetic praise, where the coming Messiah will “guide our feet into the path of peace”. The straightened path is the newly opened avenue from death-shadowed darkness into covenant peace. • 1 Thessalonians 3:11 forms part of Paul’s intercessory prayer: “Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you.” Here the straightening is concrete travel, yet it is cast entirely upon divine sovereignty, implying that ministry progress depends on God’s providential clearing of the road. • 2 Thessalonians 3:5 expands the idea inward: “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the perseverance of Christ.” The verb moves from geography to spirituality, stressing that the deepest corridors of human affection require divine engineering if they are to run straight toward love and steadfastness. Old Testament and Septuagint Background The imagery of straight paths pervades the Psalms (“Make Your way straight before me,” Psalm 5:8) and prophetic texts (“Prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God,” Isaiah 40:3). The Septuagint frequently uses cognate forms to describe the Lord’s leveling action, preparing the way both for His own coming and for the faithful pilgrim. This backdrop supplies Luke’s narrative with messianic resonance and colors Paul’s prayers with covenant promises. Theological Significance 1. Divine Initiative and Human Dependence Each occurrence underscores that genuine direction—whether external travel or internal disposition—originates with God. Human planning is neither dismissed nor exalted; it is subordinated to God’s prior straightening work. 2. Christological Fulfillment Luke 1 embeds the verb in the infancy narrative, announcing that Jesus Himself embodies the straight path to peace. Paul’s epistles ascribe the same directing power jointly to “God and Father” and “Lord Jesus,” affirming Christ’s active, ongoing role in shepherding the church. 3. Pneumatological Implication While the Spirit is not named in the three passages, the Trinity’s unified action is assumed. The straightening of hearts toward love (2 Thessalonians 3:5) fits naturally with the Spirit’s ministry of pouring out God’s love (Romans 5:5). 4. Eschatological Orientation Paul’s longing to revisit Thessalonica is ultimately tethered to the Lord’s coming (1 Thessalonians 3:13). God’s present act of directing points the church toward the final unveiling when all creation’s paths will be made straight. Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Prayer Strategy: Paul models the habit of asking God to remove hindrances both outward (travel logistics) and inward (heart affections). Leaders today may imitate this dual petition for mission advance and spiritual profundity. • Guidance and Decision-Making: Believers often seek “open doors.” The verb reminds the church that divine guidance is not only circumstantial but also moral and affective—God straightens hearts before He straightens routes. • Perseverance under Opposition: In contexts of persecution or societal resistance, the promise that God Himself directs the journey energizes steadfastness. Even blocked roads become part of His larger rerouting. Historical Reception Early Christian writers drew on the straight-path motif when addressing catechumens. For example, the Epistle of Barnabas calls disciples to “make straight the paths of the Lord,” echoing both Isaiah and Luke. Medieval commentators connected Paul’s prayer in 2 Thessalonians 3:5 with the monastic pursuit of single-hearted love, seeing divine direction as the foundation of contemplative stability. Relation to Connected Themes • Guidance (Psalm 23, Proverbs 3:6) Summary Strong’s 2720 gathers the Scriptural testimony that the Lord prepares the road, escorts His people along it, and aligns their innermost desires with His redemptive purpose. Whether illuminating a darkened world, facilitating missionary reunion, or orienting hearts toward love and endurance, the verb announces that the straight path is ultimately God’s work from start to finish. Englishman's Concordance Luke 1:79 V-ANAGRK: καθημένοις τοῦ κατευθῦναι τοὺς πόδας NAS: OF DEATH, To guide our feet KJV: of death, to guide our INT: sitting to direct the feet 1 Thessalonians 3:11 V-AOA-3S 2 Thessalonians 3:5 V-AOA-3S |
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