Unveiling the Profound Mystery: συνθάπτω (Strong’s G4916: synthaptō) in Baptism

Strong’s G4916: A compound verb combining σύν (with) and θάπτω (to bury), συνθάπτω expresses the profound theological concept of being spiritually buried with the Messiah through baptism, symbolizing the believer’s complete identification with His death and the promise of resurrection life.

U – Unveiling the Word

συνθάπτω (synthaptō) represents a profound theological concept in New Testament teaching, particularly in Pauline theology. This compound verb powerfully expresses the mystical union between believers and the Messiah in His burial. The primary meaning emphasizes a spiritual co-burial that occurs through baptism, where believers are symbolically united with Jesus’ death. In early church usage, this word became central to baptismal theology, representing the death to sin and the old self. Today, it remains a powerful reminder of our complete identification with the Messiah’s death, burial, and resurrection.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: συνθάπτω, synthaptō, /sün-thä’p-tō/
• Pronunciation Guide: soon-THAP-toh (where ‘th’ is aspirated as in “thin”)
• Part of Speech: Verb

Etymology:

• σύν (syn) – prefix meaning “with, together with”
• θάπτω (thaptō) – root verb meaning “to bury”
• The combination creates the meaning “to bury together with”

D – Defining Meanings

• To bury together with
• To be buried with someone in a spiritual sense
• To be united with someone in burial

For compound words:
The prefix σύν adds the crucial concept of joining or union, while θάπτω provides the core meaning of burial. Together, they create a theological term expressing complete identification with the Messiah’s burial.

Translation Options:

• “to be buried with” – captures the basic meaning and passive nature
• “to be entombed together” – emphasizes the physical aspect
• “to be united in burial” – highlights the spiritual union aspect

E – Exploring Similar Words

• συνσταυρόω (systauroō) /sün-stow-ro’-ō/ – to crucify with
  See G4957
• συναποθνῄσκω (synapothnēskō) /sün-ap-oth-nā’-skō/ – to die with
  See G4880
• συνεγείρω (synegeirō) /sün-eg-i’-rō/ – to raise up together with
  See G4891

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Verbal Features:

• Tense: Present, Aorist
• Voice: Passive
• Mood: Indicative, Participle
• Person: 1st, 2nd, 3rd
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Aspect: Perfective (aorist), Progressive (present)

The word typically appears in the aorist passive, emphasizing a completed action done to the subject. For example:

• συνετάφημεν (we were buried with)
• συνταφείς (having been buried with)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes the word’s theological significance in baptismal contexts. Thayer’s highlights its figurative usage in describing spiritual death to sin. LSJ notes its rare classical usage in literal burial contexts. Vine’s connects it to the broader theological concept of union with the Messiah. Strong’s emphasizes the compound nature of the word. LEH and Moulton and Milligan confirm its specialized theological usage in early Christian literature.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Romans 6:4: “Therefore we have been buried [συνθάπτω] with Him through baptism into death, so that as the Messiah was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”

Additional References:
Colossians 2:12

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

συνθάπτω encapsulates the transformative power of our union with the Messiah in baptism. This word proclaims the good news that through baptism, we participate in Jesus’ death and burial, dying to our old self and sin. It reminds us that our identification with Him in death guarantees our participation in His resurrection life, offering hope and assurance of our complete transformation in Him.

D – Did You Know?

1. συνθάπτω appears exclusively in Pauline letters in the New Testament
2. The word became a technical term in early Christian baptismal liturgies
3. It represents one of several “συν-” compound words Paul uses to describe union with the Messiah

Strong’s G4916: A compound verb combining σύν (with) and θάπτω (to bury), συνθάπτω expresses the profound theological concept of being spiritually buried with the Messiah through baptism, symbolizing the believer’s complete identification with His death and the promise of resurrection life.

Part of speech: Verb

Tags: baptism, burial, death to sin, identification with Messiah, Paul’s letters, resurrection life, spiritual transformation, union with Messiah, baptismal theology, compound words, Greek verbs​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​