Lexical Summary antitassó: To oppose, to resist, to set oneself against Original Word: ἀντιτάσσω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance oppose, resist. From anti and the middle voice of tasso; to range oneself against, i.e. Oppose -- oppose themselves, resist. see GREEK anti see GREEK tasso HELPS Word-studies 498 antitássomai (from 473 /antí, "opposite to, against" and 5021 /tássō, "arrange, order") – properly, "squared off" (opposite to); opposed to in principle and in practice. 498 /antitássomai ("to resist") means to "reject the entire make-up of something," i.e. its whole arrangement – from its very "set up" (organization) to the final way it is "ordered." [498 (antitássomai), a very old military term, was used for placing a soldier in a specific platoon (with a specific function) – i.e. in a definite order to attack or resist. Accordingly, 498 (antitássomai) is used in antiquity of organized resistance, like an army assuming a specific battle-array position to resist in "full alignment"; to disagree (oppose) intensely.] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom anti and tassó Definition to range in battle against, to set oneself against NASB Translation opposed (2), resist (1), resisted (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 498: ἀντιτάσσωἀντιτάσσω or ἀντιτάττω: (present middle ἀντιτάσσομαι); to range in battle against; middle to oppose oneself, resist: τίνι, Romans 13:2; James 4:6; James 5:6; 1 Peter 5:5; cf. Proverbs 3:34. absolutely, Acts 18:6. (Used by Greek writings from Aeschylus down.) Topical Lexicon Organized Opposition in the New TestamentThe verb marks the deliberate marshalling of one’s will, words, or actions against a person, message, or authority. It is sharper than casual disagreement; it describes a conscious lining up “against” something considered a rival. Every occurrence highlights the moral or spiritual stakes involved when such resistance is directed either toward God or toward His appointed means of blessing. Divine Opposition to Pride (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5) Twice the Spirit-led writers quote Proverbs 3:34 to announce that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Here the term underscores that pride does not merely disappoint God; it arouses His active resistance. The context in both letters calls believers to clothe themselves with humility—toward God (James) and toward one another (Peter). Grace flows only to the heart that yields, illustrating the overarching biblical principle that submission precedes exaltation. The Powerless Victim Who Will Not Strike Back (James 5:6) James pictures wealthy oppressors who have “condemned and murdered the righteous, who did not resist you.” The righteous person’s refusal to answer violence with counter-violence demonstrates meekness, not weakness. Such non-retaliation echoes the pattern of Christ, who “entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.” The text comforts persecuted believers by assuring them that God Himself will vindicate those who refused to take matters into their own hands. Human Resistance to the Gospel (Acts 18:6) In Corinth, certain synagogue members “opposed and heaped abuse” on Paul. Their organized resistance led Paul to shake out his garments in symbolic testimony and to redirect his ministry to the Gentiles. The passage illustrates (1) that gospel advance often meets determined opposition, and (2) that persistent resistance can bring about a sober turning point in a missionary’s strategy. Yet even then the Lord kept a “people” in the city (Acts 18:10), reminding ministers not to equate human hostility with divine absence. Resistance to Civil Authority (Romans 13:2) “Whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place.” The verb clarifies that resistance here is not mere critique but a willful disposition to overthrow the governing structures God has ordained. Paul writes under an imperial system hardly marked by virtue, confirming that the believer’s default posture is respectful submission unless obedience to God is directly prohibited. To resist legitimate authority is to invite judgment, whether temporal or eschatological. Historical and Cultural Backdrop Classical Greek used the term for arranging troops in battle line. First-century readers therefore heard overtones of an organized stand-off whenever the word appeared. James and Peter apply that military imagery to the spiritual realm: pride arrays the creature against the Creator. Luke and Paul show how deeply that same spirit can lodge in religious and political spheres. Pastoral and Discipleship Implications 1. Cultivate Humility: Pride sets a believer on a collision course with God’s active resistance. Regular confession, gratitude, and service disarm that threat. Theological Thread Whether the resistance is vertical (creature against Creator), horizontal (humans against fellow humans), or institutional (subjects against rulers), Scripture presents it as ultimately theological. Pride erects a battle-line against the grace that alone can save, while humility aligns the believer with God’s redemptive purposes. The five occurrences of the verb therefore form a concise theology of submission: resist pride, not God; resist sin, not legitimate authority; resist the devil (James 4:7, using a different verb), not the gospel. Summary Strong’s Greek 498 portrays a sober reality: opposition is never neutral. To stand against God or His ordained structures invites His active resistance; to stand humbly under His authority attracts His abundant grace. The early church learned this in synagogue disputes, in imperial courts, and in pastoral counsel to scattered believers. So must the church today. Forms and Transliterations αντιθήσουσιν αντιτάξομαι αντιτασσεται αντιτάσσεται ἀντιτάσσεται αντιτασσόμενον αντιτασσομενος αντιτασσόμενος ἀντιτασσόμενος αντιτασσομενων αντιτασσομένων ἀντιτασσομένων antitassetai antitássetai antitassomenon antitassomenōn antitassoménon antitassoménōn antitassomenos antitassómenosLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 18:6 V-PPM-GMPGRK: ἀντιτασσομένων δὲ αὐτῶν NAS: But when they resisted and blasphemed, KJV: And when they opposed themselves, and INT: were opposing morever they Romans 13:2 V-PPM-NMS James 4:6 V-PIM-3S James 5:6 V-PIM-3S 1 Peter 5:5 V-PIM-3S Strong's Greek 498 |
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