Traveling Companions: συνοδία (Strong’s G4923: sunodia) Reveals Pilgrim Fellowship

Strong’s G4923: A compound noun combining σύν (with) and ὁδός (way, road), συνοδία refers to a company of travelers journeying together, particularly in a caravan. In Luke’s Gospel, it describes the pilgrim company Mary and Joseph assumed Jesus was among during their return from Jerusalem.

U – Unveiling the Word

συνοδία (sunodia) represents a group of travelers journeying together, particularly for religious festivals or pilgrimages. This compound word emphasizes both the communal nature of travel and the shared purpose of the journey. In the New Testament, it appears in Luke’s Gospel describing the traveling company returning from Passover in Jerusalem. The word carried special significance in Jewish culture, where families and communities would travel together to festivals for safety and fellowship. Early church writers used this term to describe the church as a pilgrim community journeying together toward their heavenly destination. Today, it reminds us of the importance of Christian fellowship and mutual support in our spiritual journey.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: συνοδία, sunodia, /sün-od-ee’-ah/
• Pronunciation Guide: soon-oh-DEE-ah
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• σύν (syn) – prefix meaning “with, together”
• ὁδός (hodos) – root noun meaning “way, road, journey”
• -ία (-ia) – feminine noun suffix denoting a collective or abstract concept

D – Defining Meanings

• A company of travelers
• A caravan
• A group of pilgrims traveling together

For compound words:
The prefix σύν adds the concept of togetherness, while ὁδός provides the core meaning of journey or way. The suffix -ία makes it a feminine noun denoting a collective group.

Translation Options:

• “traveling company” – emphasizes the group aspect
• “caravan” – highlights the organized nature of the journey
• “pilgrim company” – stresses the religious nature of the journey

E – Exploring Similar Words

• ὁδοιπορία (hodoiporia) /hod-oy-por-ee’-ah/ – a journey
  See G3597
• συνοδεύω (sunodeuo) /sün-od-yoo’-ō/ – to journey with
  See G4922
• πορεία (poreia) /por-i’-ah/ – a journey, way
  See G4197

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Nominal Features:

• Case: Dative, Genitive, Accusative
• Number: Singular
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: First

The word appears in various case forms:

• συνοδία (nominative) – the traveling company
• συνοδίας (genitive) – of the traveling company
• συνοδίᾳ (dative) – in/with the traveling company

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes the word’s use in describing pilgrim caravans. Thayer’s notes its connection to festival journeys. LSJ provides examples from travel narratives and commercial contexts. Vine’s connects it to fellowship in journey. Strong’s highlights the collective nature of the term. LEH and Moulton and Milligan note its common usage in travel documents and pilgrimage accounts.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Luke 2:44: “But supposing Him to be in the caravan [συνοδία], they went a day’s journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances.”

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

συνοδία beautifully captures the communal nature of our spiritual journey. This word proclaims the good news that we’re not meant to walk alone but to journey together as God’s people. It reminds us that, like the ancient pilgrims traveling to Jerusalem, we’re part of a larger community moving toward our heavenly destination in the Messiah.

D – Did You Know?

1. συνοδία appears only once in the New Testament
2. The word influenced the development of the term “synod” in church history
3. Ancient pilgrims traveled in συνοδία for both safety and spiritual fellowship

Strong’s G4923: A compound noun combining σύν (with) and ὁδός (way, road), συνοδία refers to a company of travelers journeying together, particularly in a caravan. In Luke’s Gospel, it describes the pilgrim company Mary and Joseph assumed Jesus was among during their return from Jerusalem.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: pilgrimage, fellowship, journey, caravan, community, temple worship, festivals, travel, compound words, Greek nouns, pilgrim community​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​