Lexical Summary sunathroizó: To gather together, to assemble Original Word: συναθροίζω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance call together. From sun and athroizo (to hoard); to convene -- call (gather) together. see GREEK sun NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sun and athroizó Definition to gather together NASB Translation gathered together (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4867: συναθροίζωσυναθροίζω: 1 aorist participle συναθροίσας; perfect passive participle συνηθροισμενος; from (Euripides, Aristophanes, others), Isocrates down; the Sept. chiefly for קָבַץ and קִבֵּץ; to gather together with others; to assemble: τινας, Acts 19:25; passive, to be gathered together i. e. come together, Luke 24:33 R G; Acts 12:12. Topical Lexicon Overview of the Term in the New Testament Strong’s Greek 4867 portrays the intentional bringing of people into one place for a unified purpose. It appears only three times in the Greek New Testament, yet each context highlights a distinctive aspect of corporate life—encouragement, intercession, and conspiracy. Together these passages reveal the power that flows from collective action, whether for righteousness or rebellion. Narrative Contexts and Theological Insight 1. Luke 24:33 presents the very first post-resurrection gathering of disciples. “They rose that very hour and returned to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, gathered together” (Berean Standard Bible). The verb underscores the immediacy with which the scattered followers of Jesus re-assemble around the reality of the risen Lord. The Emmaus Disciples and the First Resurrection Gathering (Luke 24:33) The hurried midnight trek back to Jerusalem signals the shift from disillusionment to faith. By using the term for assembling, the evangelist frames the event as the seed of all subsequent Christian meetings: Christ is alive, therefore His people flock together. That night established the basic rhythm of Christian community—word, testimony, shared wonder—which would soon blossom in Jerusalem with daily gatherings in temple courts and homes. Intercessory Assembly in the House of Mary (Acts 12:12) The believers do not disperse when James is executed and Peter is jailed; they converge. Their prayer meeting becomes the human setting for divine intervention. The verb reveals that real rescue often follows real gathering. The record reminds every ministry that emergency calls for corporate prayer, not solitary despair, and that even a private home can function as the spiritual command center for the advance of the gospel. The Ephesian Trade Guild Conspiracy (Acts 19:25) Ironically, the same dynamic of unity is harnessed by idol-makers. The text unmaskes a counterfeit ekklēsia whose allegiance is to profit and cultural prestige. The contrast teaches that gatherings are never neutral; they amplify the heart of their members. For Christian witness, it is a sober reminder that whenever the gospel threatens entrenched interests, those interests will marshal themselves with equal intentionality. Patterns of Gathering in Early Christian Experience • Frequency: From resurrection evening onward, believers meet habitually (Acts 2:46). Implications for Corporate Worship and Ministry Today 1. Assemble quickly around gospel truths; delay drains courage. Contrast with Unrighteous Assemblies The New Testament juxtaposes holy and unholy gatherings. One proclaims Christ’s victory; the other protects idols. The verb’s dual usage urges discernment: believers must be vigilant that their assemblies foster kingdom priorities rather than personal agendas. Historical Continuity with Old Covenant Convocations Israel’s sacred convocations (for instance, Exodus 12:16; Leviticus 23) prefigure the Christian instinct to gather. The New Testament term stands in that stream of redemptive history, now centered on the risen Messiah rather than on Sinai. Thus every Christian meeting participates in a account stretching from the Exodus, through the Jerusalem church, to the heavenly assembly in Hebrews 12:22-24. Practical Applications for the Local Church • Maintain regular, purposeful meetings even in adversity. In three brief appearances, Strong’s 4867 maps the trajectory of Christian gathering from resurrection joy to missionary advance, while warning that assembly itself is a spiritual battleground. The church that understands and practices this truth mirrors the first believers who “were all together in one place” when the Spirit empowered them for world mission. Forms and Transliterations ηθροισμενους ἠθροισμένους συναθροίζει συναθροίζεσθε συναθροίζεται συναθροιζομένων συναθροίζονται συναθροίζουσιν συναθροισας συναθροίσας συναθροισθέντες συναθροισθήναι συναθροισθήσονται συνάθροισον συναθροίσω συνήθροισε συνήθροισεν συνηθροίσθησαν συνηθροισμένη συνηθροισμενοι συνηθροισμένοι συνηθροισμένους υνήθροισεν ethroismenous ethroisménous ēthroismenous ēthroisménous sunathroisas sunethroismenoi sunēthroismenoi synathroisas synathroísas synethroismenoi synethroisménoi synēthroismenoi synēthroisménoiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Luke 24:33 V-RPM/P-AMPGRK: καὶ εὗρον ἠθροισμένους τοὺς ἕνδεκα KJV: the eleven gathered together, and INT: and they found gathered together the eleven Acts 12:12 V-RPM/P-NMP Acts 19:25 V-APA-NMS Strong's Greek 4867 |
    |