Lexical Summary sugkathizó: To sit together, to sit down with Original Word: συγκαθίζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sit down together. From sun and kathizo; to give (or take) a seat in company with -- (make) sit (down) together. see GREEK sun see GREEK kathizo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sun and kathizó Definition to make to sit together, to sit together NASB Translation sat down together (1), seated (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4776: συγκαθίζωσυγκαθίζω (T WH συνκαθίζω (cf. σύν, II. at the end)): 1 aorist συνεκαθισα; (see καθίζω); a. transitive, to cause to sit down together, place together: τινα, followed by ἐν with a dative of the place, Ephesians 2:6. b. intransitive, to sit down together: Luke 22:55 (where Lachmann text περικαθίζω). (Xenophon, Aristotle, Plutarch, others; the Sept..) Strong’s Greek 4776 occurs only twice in the New Testament, yet the verb’s meaning of “sitting down with” carries rich theological and pastoral weight. Whether in the courtyard of the high priest or the invisible courts of Heaven, it frames the believer’s place of association—either with those who deny Christ or with Christ Himself. Contextual Usage 1. Luke 22:55 records Peter’s choice in the high-priestly courtyard: “When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them”. The verb pictures Peter joining the company that soon challenges his allegiance to Jesus. Historical and Cultural Background In the first-century Mediterranean world, shared seating was more than physical placement; it implied fellowship, solidarity, and often shared values or status. To be seated with rulers denoted honor (1 Kings 2:19), while to sit with scoffers implied complicity (Psalm 1:1). The verb therefore carries both the honorific nuance of enthronement and the cautionary nuance of misplaced allegiance. Theological Significance A. Union with Christ: Ephesians 2:6 links the believer’s present standing to Christ’s resurrection and ascension. The seating is not merely future; it is already true “in Christ Jesus,” grounding assurance and providing the basis for victorious living. B. Identity and Authority: Being seated with Christ conveys shared authority (compare Revelation 3:21) and signals the reversal of the believer’s former state (Ephesians 2:1–3). C. Warning Against Compromise: Luke’s narrative reminds readers that association can betray allegiance. Peter’s temporary choice to sit with those hostile to Christ underscores the danger of worldly conformity (Romans 12:2). Intertextual Connections • Psalm 110:1, “Sit at My right hand,” forms the Old Testament backdrop for the New Testament imagery of shared seating with the Messiah. Historical Reception Early church fathers drew a sharp contrast between the two occurrences. Chrysostom emphasized the honor bestowed in Ephesians, while warning that Peter’s courtyard choice illustrates human frailty. Medieval commentators linked the heavenly seating to participation in the Eucharist, an anticipatory foretaste of the heavenly banquet. Pastoral and Ministry Applications • Assurance of Salvation: Preachers may anchor believers’ confidence in their present heavenly status rather than shifting emotions. Practical Reflections for Believers 1. Examine your “seating choices” in relationships and media consumption; they reveal allegiance. Conclusion Though Strong’s 4776 appears only twice, its contrasting uses crystallize a central biblical truth: where and with whom one sits defines destiny. Luke warns; Ephesians exults. Believers, once seated among the spiritually dead, are now enthroned with the living Christ, called to embody that elevated reality in daily fellowship and witness. Englishman's Concordance Luke 22:55 V-APA-GMPGRK: αὐλῆς καὶ συνκαθισάντων ἐκάθητο ὁ NAS: of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter KJV: and were set down together, Peter INT: court and they having sat down together sat Ephesians 2:6 V-AIA-3S Strong's Greek 4776 |
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