Brief Overview of συγκατατίθημι (Strong’s G4784: sugkatatithemai)

Strong’s G4784: A compound verb meaning “to put down together with, to deposit one’s vote with, to consent.” From σύν (with), κατά (down), and τίθημι (to place). Used in contexts of formal agreement or voting, particularly significant in Luke’s description of Joseph of Arimathea’s dissent from the Sanhedrin’s decision.

U- Unveiling the Word

Συγκατατίθημι combines the concepts of joint placement and formal agreement, originally referring to the act of depositing votes together. In the New Testament, it appears in Luke’s account highlighting Joseph of Arimathea’s righteous character by noting his refusal to consent to the council’s decision against Jesus. The early church saw this word as exemplifying moral courage in standing against wrongful consensus. Today, it reminds believers of the importance of maintaining righteous conviction even when facing institutional pressure.

N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: συγκατατίθημι, sugkatatithemai, /soong-kat-at-ith’-ay-mee/
• Detailed pronunciation: SOONG (as in “soon”) – kat (as in “cat”) – at – ITH (as in “with”) – ay – mee
• Part of Speech: Verb

Etymology:

• σύν (sun) prefix meaning “with, together”
• κατά (kata) prefix meaning “down”
• τίθημι (tithemi) root meaning “to place, put”
• Combined meaning: “to put down together with”

D – Defining Meanings

• To vote together with
• To give consent
• To agree with a decision

For compound words:

• σύν indicates joint action
• κατά emphasizes placement
• τίθημι provides the basic action of putting/placing

Translation Options:

• “To consent” – Emphasizes agreement
• “To vote with” – Highlights formal decision-making
• “To put down together” – Literal translation showing physical origin

E – Exploring Similar Words

• συμφωνέω (sumphoneo) /soom-fo-neh’-o/ – to agree with See G4856
• ψηφίζω (psephizo) /psay-fid’-zo/ – to count votes See G5585
• συναινέω (sunineo) /soon-ah-ee-neh’-o/ – to consent See G4909

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a verb:

• Tense: Perfect
• Voice: Active, Middle
• Mood: Participle
• Person: Third
• Number: Singular
• Aspect: Stative

Examples:

• Perfect Active: συγκατατέθεικα (I have consented)
• Present Middle: συγκατατίθεμαι (I consent)
• Perfect Participle: συγκατατεθειμένος (having consented)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes its use in formal decision-making contexts. Thayer’s notes its origin in voting practices. LSJ traces its usage in classical Greek for political consent. Vine’s highlights its significance in Luke’s narrative. Strong’s connects it to joint agreement. LEH notes similar compounds in the Septuagint. Moulton and Milligan show its use in legal documents.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Luke 23:51: “(The same had not consented [συγκατατίθημι] to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.”

Additional References:
This is the only occurrence in the New Testament.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Συγκατατίθημι powerfully illustrates the courage of righteous dissent. Through Joseph of Arimathea’s example, we see how the good news of King Jesus sometimes requires us to stand against majority opinions and institutional decisions, maintaining our integrity even at personal cost.

D – Did You Know?

• The word was commonly used in ancient voting procedures
• It appears in legal documents for formal agreements
• Early church writers used it to discuss church council decisions

Strong’s G4784: A compound verb meaning “to put down together with, to deposit one’s vote with, to consent.” From σύν (with), κατά (down), and τίθημι (to place). Used in contexts of formal agreement or voting, particularly significant in Luke’s description of Joseph of Arimathea’s dissent from the Sanhedrin’s decision.

Part of speech: Verb

Tags: consent, voting, agreement, decision-making, joseph-of-arimathea, sanhedrin, dissent, moral-courage, biblical-greek, new-testament-greek, luke, passion-narrative​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​