Divine Appointment: τάσσω (Strong’s G5021: tassō) Orders Our Spiritual Journey

Strong’s G5021: A military and administrative term meaning to arrange, appoint, or order. In biblical usage, it carries the idea of divine ordering and appointment, reflecting God’s sovereign arrangement of both earthly authorities and spiritual destinies.

U- Unveiling the Word

Τάσσω emerges from military contexts where it described the careful arrangement of troops in battle formation, but takes on profound theological significance in the New Testament. It conveys the concept of divine ordering and appointment, emphasizing God’s sovereign role in arranging both human affairs and spiritual destinies. The word appears in contexts ranging from governmental authority to eternal life, suggesting that nothing happens by chance but rather by divine arrangement. Early church fathers frequently used this term to describe God’s ordering of church leadership and His sovereign appointment of individuals to salvation. Today, it reminds us that God continues to sovereignly arrange circumstances and position people according to His perfect will.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: τάσσω, tassō, /tas-soh/
• Detailed Pronunciation: tas (as in “task”) – soh (as in “sow”)
• Part of Speech: Verb

Etymology:

• Root: ταγ- (tag-) – basic meaning of “to arrange” or “to put in order”
• Present stem τασσ- reflects regular phonological change
• Related to Indo-European root *tag- meaning “to set in order”

D – Defining Meanings

• To arrange in an orderly manner
• To appoint to a position or task
• To determine, ordain, or establish
• To assign a place or role

For compound words: Not applicable as this is a simple verb

Translation Options:

• Appoint – Emphasizes the authoritative designation
• Arrange – Highlights the organizational aspect
• Ordain – Captures the sense of divine determination

E – Exploring Similar Words

• διατάσσω (diatassō) /dee-ah-TAS-soh/ – To arrange thoroughly, give detailed orders
  See G1299
• ἐπιτάσσω (epitassō) /ep-ee-TAS-soh/ – To command with authority
  See G2004
• προτάσσω (protassō) /pro-TAS-soh/ – To arrange beforehand
  See G4384

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a verb, τάσσω exhibits these features:

• Tense: Present, Future, Aorist, Perfect
• Voice: Active, Middle, Passive
• Mood: Indicative, Subjunctive, Imperative, Participle
• Person: First, Second, Third
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Aspect: Ongoing (present) or Complete (aorist/perfect)

Examples:

• τάσσω (I arrange)
• ἔταξα (I arranged – aorist)
• τέταχα (I have arranged – perfect)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The lexical authorities provide rich insight into τάσσω’s semantic range. BDAG emphasizes its military origins and extension into administrative contexts. Thayer’s highlights its usage in expressing divine appointment and ordinance. LSJ traces its development from military formations to broader organizational contexts. Vine’s notes its significance in expressing divine purpose and arrangement. Strong’s emphasizes the authoritative nature of the ordering or appointing. Moulton and Milligan document its widespread use in administrative papyri. LEH notes its frequent use in the Septuagint for divine appointments and arrangements. Together, these sources reveal a word that spans both practical organization and divine ordination.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Matthew 28:16: “Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had appointed them to go.”

Additional References:
Acts 13:48, Acts 15:2, Acts 22:10, Acts 28:23, Romans 13:1

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Τάσσω beautifully captures the divine orchestration behind seemingly ordinary appointments and arrangements. From the disciples’ meeting with the risen Messiah to the ordering of governmental authorities, this word reveals God’s sovereign hand in positioning people and circumstances for His purposes. The good news of King Jesus shines through this word as we understand that He sovereignly arranges all things, including our salvation and spiritual journey, working all things together for His glory and our good.

D – Did You Know?

1. The word was originally used to describe the precise arrangement of Greek phalanx formations
2. It appears in ancient Greek architectural documents describing the arrangement of building materials
3. Early Christian writings used it to describe God’s arrangement of church offices

Strong’s G5021: A military and administrative term meaning to arrange, appoint, or order. In biblical usage, it carries the idea of divine ordering and appointment, reflecting God’s sovereign arrangement of both earthly authorities and spiritual destinies.

Part of speech: Verb

Tags: order, appointment, sovereignty, authority, government, divine-purpose, arrangement, military, administration, leadership, divine-will​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​