Brief Overview of περιτίθημι (Strong’s G4060: peritithēmi)

Strong’s G4060: A compound verb meaning “to place around” or “to put about.” In biblical usage, refers to the act of surrounding or enclosing something, as well as putting on or bestowing. Often used metaphorically to describe adorning or bestowing honor.

U- Unveiling the Word

Περιτίθημι (peritithēmi) combines literal and metaphorical meanings in its usage. Its primary meaning of “placing around” or “putting about” appears in both practical contexts (like building a wall) and symbolic ones (bestowing honor). In the New Testament, it appears in significant passages about Christ’s passion (crown of thorns) and in parables about God’s care for His people. The early church expanded its usage to discuss how God bestows glory and honor on believers. Today, it reminds us of both God’s protective enclosure of His people and His bestowal of dignity and honor on the humble.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: περιτίθημι, peritithēmi, per-ee-tith’-ay-mee
• Detailed pronunciation: per (as in “pair”) + ee (as in “see”) + tith (as in “tithe”) + ay (as in “day”) + mee (as in “me”)
• Part of Speech: Verb

Etymology:

• περί (peri) – prefix meaning “around”
• τίθημι (tithēmi) – verb meaning “to place” or “to put”

D – Defining Meanings

• To place around
• To put about
• To bestow upon
• To surround with
• To clothe or adorn

For compound words:
Prefix περί indicates movement or placement around
Root τίθημι provides the basic meaning of placing or putting

Translation Options:

1. Put around – emphasizes spatial relationship
2. Bestow upon – captures ceremonial/honoring aspect
3. Surround with – emphasizes enclosing action

E – Exploring Similar Words

• προστίθημι (prostithēmi) [pros-tith’-ay-mee] – to add to
• ἐπιτίθημι (epitithēmi) [ep-ee-tith’-ay-mee] – to put upon
• παρατίθημι (paratithēmi) [par-at-ith’-ay-mee] – to set before

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Verb Features:

• Tense: Present, Future, Aorist, Perfect
• Voice: Active, Middle, Passive
• Mood: Indicative, Subjunctive, Imperative
• Person: First, Second, Third
• Number: Singular, Plural

Example conjugations:
Present Active: περιτίθημι (I put around)
Aorist Active: περιέθηκα (I put around)
Perfect Passive: περιτέθειμαι (I have been surrounded)

Cross-references:

• Noun: περίθεσις (putting on)
• Adjective: περίθετος (placed around)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes both literal and figurative applications. Thayer’s notes its use in ceremonial contexts. LSJ documents various technical uses in classical Greek. Vine’s connects it to bestowing honor. Strong’s emphasizes the compound meaning. Moulton and Milligan note its use in official documents regarding property enclosure.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:

“There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence [περιτίθημι] around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower.” (Matthew 21:33)

Additional References:
Matthew 27:28
Matthew 27:48
Mark 12:1
Mark 15:17
Mark 15:36
John 19:29
1 Corinthians 12:23

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Περιτίθημι beautifully illustrates God’s actions toward His people. Though used to describe the mock crown placed on Jesus, it also shows how God surrounds us with protection and bestows honor on the lowly. The good news is that King Jesus transforms symbols of shame into glory, surrounding His people with grace and bestowing on them the dignity of divine sonship.

D – Did You Know?

1. Used in ancient architectural documents for describing fortification construction.
2. Appears in coronation ceremonies describing the bestowing of royal insignia.
3. Early Christian writers used it to describe God’s bestowal of spiritual gifts.

Strong’s G4060: A compound verb combining “around” (περί) with “to place” (τίθημι). Used both literally and metaphorically to describe enclosing, adorning, or bestowing. In biblical contexts, spans from practical usage to symbolic bestowal of honor or shame.

Part of speech: Verb

Tags: #placing #surrounding #bestowing #honor #protection #crown #vineyard #NewTestament #BiblicalGreek #Theology #grace #dignity​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​