Brief Overview of συνάντησις (Strong’s G4877: synantēsis)

Strong’s G4877: A compound noun derived from συναντάω (to meet), meaning a meeting or encounter. In NT usage, it specifically describes purposeful gathering to meet someone, often carrying implications of official or significant encounters, particularly with Jesus.

U- Unveiling the Word

συνάντησις represents the act or event of meeting, particularly in significant encounters. As a noun derived from the compound verb συναντάω, it emphasizes the moment and purpose of meeting face-to-face. In the New Testament, it appears in the context of an entire city coming out to meet Jesus, highlighting both the communal nature and the significance of the encounter. The early church understood this term as representing decisive moments of encounter with divine presence. Today, it continues to inform our understanding of significant meetings, particularly those where communities encounter the Messiah.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: συνάντησις, synantēsis, /soon-AN-tay-sis/
• Detailed Pronunciation: soon (as in ‘soon’) + AN (as in ‘on’) + tay (as in ‘day’) + sis (as in ‘kiss’)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• σύν (syn): prefix meaning “with, together”
• ἀντάω (antaō): verb meaning “to meet, encounter”
• -σις (-sis): suffix forming abstract nouns from verbs
• From the verb συναντάω (to meet with)

D – Defining Meanings

• A meeting or encounter
• An arranged gathering
• A coming together
• A purposeful encounter
• A significant meeting

For compound words:
The σύν prefix emphasizes mutual participation, while the root from ἀντάω provides the concept of meeting. The -σις suffix transforms the action into an abstract noun representing the event itself.

Translation Options:

1. “Meeting” – Best captures the basic meaning
2. “Encounter” – Emphasizes the event aspect
3. “Gathering to meet” – Highlights the purposeful nature

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ἀπάντησις (apantēsis) /ap-AN-tay-sis/ – meeting away from, often used of official welcomes. See G529
• παρουσία (parousia) /par-oo-SEE-ah/ – arrival, presence, often used of official visits. See G3952
• ὑπάντησις (hypantēsis) /hoop-AN-tay-sis/ – a meeting with submission or respect. See G5222

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

For this noun:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: Third declension

Example morphological changes:

• Nominative: συνάντησις (a meeting)
• Genitive: συναντήσεως (of a meeting)
• Dative: συναντήσει (to/for a meeting)
• Accusative: συνάντησιν (direct object)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes the formal or significant nature of the meeting. Thayer’s notes its use in describing purposeful encounters. LSJ provides evidence of use in describing official welcomes. Vine’s connects it to significant moments of encounter. Strong’s emphasizes its derivation from συναντάω. LEH notes its use in describing planned meetings. Moulton and Milligan find evidence of its use in formal receptions.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First Appearance:

Matthew 8:34: “And behold, the whole city came out to meet [συνάντησιν] Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.”

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

συνάντησις powerfully illustrates the significance of encountering Jesus. While the Gadarenes’ response was to ask Him to leave, the word itself reminds us that meeting the Messiah is always a decisive moment. The good news of King Jesus invites us not just to casual encounters but to transformative meetings that change lives and communities.

D – Did You Know?

1. The word appears only once in the New Testament
2. It was commonly used for civic welcomes in ancient Greek cities
3. Early church writings used this term to describe conversion encounters

Strong’s G4877: A compound noun derived from συναντάω (to meet), meaning a meeting or encounter. In NT usage, it specifically describes purposeful gathering to meet someone, often carrying implications of official or significant encounters, particularly with Jesus.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: meeting, encounter, gathering, official meeting, significant encounter, divine encounter, community gathering, purposeful meeting, welcome, reception, formal meeting, transformative encounter​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​