Lexical Summary keimai: to lie, to be laid, to be set, to be appointed Original Word: κεῖμαι Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be appointed, lay, lie. Middle voice of a primary verb; to lie outstretched (literally or figuratively) -- be (appointed, laid up, made, set), lay, lie. Compare tithemi. see GREEK tithemi NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. verb Definition to be laid, lie NASB Translation appointed (2), destined (1), laid (6), lain (1), lay (1), lies (2), lying (6), made (1), set (2), standing (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2749: κεῖμαικεῖμαι; imperfect 3 person singular ἔκειτο; to lie; 1. properly: of an infant, followed by ἐν with the dative of place, Luke 2:12 (Tdf. omits κείμενον),16; of one buried: ὅπου or οὗ, Matthew 28:6; Luke 23:53; John 11:41 Rec.; 2. metaphorically, a. to be (by God's intent) set, i. e. destined, appointed: followed by εἰς with the accusative indicating the purpose, Luke 2:34; Philippians 1:17 (16); 1 Thessalonians 3:3. b. as very often in secular authors (cf. Passow, under the word, p. 1694b; (Liddell and Scott, under the word, IV. 2)), of laws, to be made, laid down: τίνι, 1 Timothy 1:9. c. ὁ κόσμος ὅλος ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ κεῖται, lies in the power of the evil one, i. e. is held in subjection by the devil, 1 John 5:19. (Compare: ἀνάκειμαι, συνανάκειμαι, ἀντίκειμαι, ἀπόκειμαι, ἐπίκειμαι, κατάκειμαι, παράκειμαι, περίκειμαι, πρόκειμαι.) The verb translated in English as “is laid,” “lies,” “is appointed,” or “is set” threads through twenty-four places in the New Testament. Whether describing a newborn in a manger, an axe poised at a tree, a throne fixed in heaven, or the world lying in the evil one, the word consistently speaks of something positioned with purpose—never random, always under God’s sovereign ordering. Literal Placement in Historical Narrative 1. Incarnation: “You will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12, 16). The verb anchors the miracle in space and time; God’s Son is not an idea but a Person truly present in history. Burial Cloths and the Proof of Resurrection Three times the evangelist stresses that linen strips and face cloth “were lying” in the empty tomb (John 20:5-7). Their orderly placement rebuts any charge of grave robbery and silently testifies that Jesus rose bodily and deliberately. A City, a Hill, and the Witness of the Church “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). The verb highlights the permanence of Christ’s public people; believers are positioned for visibility, not retreat. Goods Laid Up and the Folly of Self-Reliance “I have many goods laid up for many years” (Luke 12:19). The rich fool trusts what is “laid up” on earth, only to lose his soul that night. The passage warns that what is stored without reference to God is insecure. Divine Appointment and Redemptive Destiny 1. Simeon: “This Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel” (Luke 2:34). In each case the verb affirms that God’s purposes, whether salvation, mission, or suffering, are not accidental but set by His decree. Foundational Truth “No one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). The once-for-all placement of Christ as the Church’s foundation forbids every rival ground of confidence. Warning of Imminent Judgment “The axe is already laid at the root of the trees” (Matthew 3:10; Luke 3:9). The verb pictures judgment as already positioned; only the stroke remains. Spiritual Blindness and the Veil “Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts” (2 Corinthians 3:15). The verb underscores the continuing reality of unbelief until Christ removes the veil. The Law’s fixed role “Law is not enacted for the righteous, but for the lawless and rebellious” (1 Timothy 1:9). God’s moral standard stands immovable against sin. Cosmic Condition of the Present Age “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” (1 John 5:19). The verb portrays the world as settled under hostile dominion, heightening the urgency of gospel witness. Heavenly Throne and Eschatological City “At once I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne stood in heaven” (Revelation 4:2). Later, “The city lies four-square” (Revelation 21:16). What God establishes in eternity is as certain as what He sets in history. Pastoral Implications • Assurance: If the believer’s trials are “destined,” so too is final glory. Summary Across narrative, doctrine, warning, and promise, the verb translated “lies / is laid / is appointed” reveals an ordered universe where God positions people, events, and destinies for His glory and our good. Nothing merely happens; everything is set. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 3:10 V-PIM/P-3SGRK: τῶν δένδρων κεῖται πᾶν οὖν NAS: is already laid at the root KJV: also the axe is laid unto the root INT: of the trees is applied every Therefore Matthew 5:14 V-PPM/P-NFS Matthew 28:6 V-IIM/P-3S Luke 2:12 V-PPM/P-ANS Luke 2:16 V-PPM/P-ANS Luke 2:34 V-PIM/P-3S Luke 3:9 V-PIM/P-3S Luke 12:19 V-PPM/P-ANP Luke 23:53 V-PPM/P-NMS John 2:6 V-PPM/P-NFP John 19:29 V-IIM/P-3S John 20:5 V-PPM/P-ANP John 20:6 V-PPM/P-ANP John 20:7 V-PPM/P-ANS John 20:12 V-IIM/P-3S John 21:9 V-PPM/P-AFS 1 Corinthians 3:11 V-PPM/P-AMS 2 Corinthians 3:15 V-PIM/P-3S Philippians 1:16 V-PIM/P-1S 1 Thessalonians 3:3 V-PIM/P-1P 1 Timothy 1:9 V-PIM/P-3S 1 John 5:19 V-PIM/P-3S Revelation 4:2 V-IIM/P-3S Revelation 21:16 V-PIM/P-3S Strong's Greek 2749 |
    |