Lexical Summary anakathizó: To sit up, to rise up Original Word: ἀνακαθίζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sit up. From ana and kathizo; properly, to set up, i.e. (reflexively) to sit up -- sit up. see GREEK ana see GREEK kathizo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ana and kathizó Definition to set up, to sit up NASB Translation sat (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 339: ἀνακαθίζωἀνακαθίζω: 1 aorist ἀνεκάθισα; to raise oneself and sit upright; to sit up, sit erect: Luke 7:15 (Lachmann marginal reading WH marginal reading ἐκάθισεν); Acts 9:40. (Xenophon, cyn. 5, 7, 19; Plutarch, Alex c. 14; and often in medical writings; with ἑαυτόν, Plutarch, Philop c. 20; middle in same sense, Plato, Phaedo c. 3, p. 60 b.) Topical Lexicon Root Idea Built on the common verb “to sit,” the compound conveys the vivid picture of a person who has been lying down—specifically, a lifeless body—suddenly rising to a seated position. The prefixed preposition intensifies the motion (“sit up again”), capturing the first conscious movement of someone brought from death to life. Biblical Occurrences 1. Luke 7:15 – At the city gate of Nain, “The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother”. Narrative Contexts • Luke’s account of the widow’s son emphasizes Christ’s compassion and sovereign authority over death. The vocabulary underscores the instantaneous, public nature of the miracle. Theological Significance 1. Proof of bodily restoration: The seated posture demonstrates full physical recovery, not merely revived consciousness. Historical and Cultural Insights • Funerary practices placed the corpse supine on an open bier; any movement would be immediately observable to the crowd. Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Hope in bereavement: Both narratives conclude with restored fellowship—“Jesus gave him to his mother” (Luke 7:15) and Peter’s presenting Dorcas “alive” to the saints (Acts 9:41). Bereaved believers can rest in Christ’s power to reunite families eternally. Related Terms and Concepts • ἐγείρω (egeirō, “to raise”) – the broader act of bringing from death. Foreshadowing the Final Resurrection These two “sit-up” moments are earnest money for the believer’s ultimate hope: “He who raised Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit” (Romans 8:11). What occurred at Nain and Joppa on a small scale will one day occur worldwide at the voice of the Son of God (John 5:28-29). Summary Strong’s Greek 339 depicts the sudden, observable movement of a once-dead person now fully alive. Its two strategic appearances—first with Jesus, then with Peter—bridge the Gospels and Acts, demonstrating the unbroken chain of resurrection power granted to the Church and pointing forward to the climactic resurrection of all who belong to Christ. Forms and Transliterations ανεκάθισε ανεκαθισεν ανεκάθισεν ἀνεκάθισεν anekathisen anekáthisenLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Luke 7:15 V-AIA-3SGRK: καὶ ἀνεκάθισεν ὁ νεκρὸς NAS: The dead man sat up and began KJV: And he that was dead sat up, and began INT: And sat up the dead [man] Acts 9:40 V-AIA-3S |
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