Lexical Summary sunairó: To bring together, to reconcile, to settle Original Word: συναιρέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance compute, settle accountsFrom sun and airo; to make up together, i.e. (figuratively) to compute (an account) -- reckon, take. see GREEK sun see GREEK airo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom sun and airó Definition to take up together, i.e. settle accounts NASB Translation settle (2), settled (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4868: συναίρωσυναίρω; 1 aorist infinitive συνᾶραι; 1. to take up together with another or others. 2. to bring together with others ;λόγον, to cast up or settle accounts, to make a reckoning with (an expression not found in Greek authors), Matthew 18:23f; μετά τίνος, Matthew 25:19. Strong’s Greek 4868 occurs three times, all in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 18:23, 18:24, 25:19). In each instance it describes a king or master who “settles accounts” with servants. The verb frames a relationship of owner-to-steward, highlighting responsibility, record-keeping, and eventual reckoning. Parabolic Contexts 1. Matthew 18:23-24 introduces the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant: “Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a debtor was brought to him owing ten thousand talents”. Both parables employ royal imagery to teach that God, as sovereign King, will call every person to account for grace received and responsibilities assigned. Nuances in First-Century Finance The verb evokes the formal process of balancing ledgers. In a Greco-Roman economy, estate owners periodically summoned stewards to present written records before debts were cancelled or penalties imposed. Jesus’ audience, familiar with such audits, would immediately grasp the gravity of the scene. Accountability Before the King In Matthew 18, the focus is moral: the impossible debt underscores human sinfulness, while the king’s initial compassion magnifies divine mercy. Failure to extend that mercy to others results in judgment. In Matthew 25, the focus is vocational: talents entrusted must be employed. The master commends diligence, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” but condemns slothful inaction. Thus the verb consistently ties accountability to both character and calling. Eschatological Overtones The “long time” (Matthew 25:19) points to the present age between Christ’s ascension and return. Delay does not negate certainty; eventual settlement is inevitable. The verb therefore carries eschatological weight, reminding believers that the final audit coincides with the Parousia. Practical Ministry Applications • Stewardship: All resources—spiritual gifts, finances, opportunities—are on loan from God. Related Old Testament Concepts The idea of divine auditing echoes passages such as Ecclesiastes 12:14 (“For God will bring every deed into judgment”) and Daniel 7:10, where “the books were opened.” Jesus’ parables thus stand firmly within the prophetic tradition that views history moving toward a day of reckoning. Christological Implications Jesus presents Himself implicitly as the King who will review the ledgers. His authority to settle accounts affirms His deity, while His readiness to forgive unpayable debt anticipates the cross, where the ledger of sin is cancelled (Colossians 2:14). Conclusion Strong’s 4868 encapsulates a theological principle: God entrusts, observes, and ultimately requires an accounting. The verb’s limited but strategic use in Matthew presses believers to live responsibly, forgive generously, and labor diligently, knowing that the books will one day be opened before the righteous King. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 18:23 V-ANAGRK: ὃς ἠθέλησεν συνᾶραι λόγον μετὰ NAS: wished to settle accounts KJV: which would take account of INT: who would settle accounts accounts with Matthew 18:24 V-PNA Matthew 25:19 V-PIA-3S Strong's Greek 4868 |
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