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Here are fourteen compounds of sun employed in making known the truth of the
Mystery, which the Apostle felt no call to use when expounding the calling of the
Hebrews. These are facts, whatever the deduction may be that are drawn from them, and
such facts we ignore at our peril. The word in which we are specially interested at the
moment is sugkathizo "to sit together". This word occurs but once elsewhere, and in a
non-doctrinal context.
"And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down
together, Peter sat down among them" (Luke 22: 55).
Our inquiry must at least embrace the following points:
(1)
The ordinary usage of kathizo "to sit".
(2)
The special usage of kathizo in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
(3)
The effect of the combination sun with kathizo.
(4)
The extraordinary nature of the calling thus indicated in Eph. 2: 6
The ordinary usage of kathizo. There are comparatively few occurrences of this word
where the meaning is just "to sit' in the sense of taking a rest. In most of the references,
the word is associated with the exercise of authority.
(1)
As a Teacher.
"When He was set" (Matt. 5: 1)
"The Pharisees sit in Moses' seat" (Matt. 23: 2).
"He sat down and taught" (Luke 5: 3; John 8: 2)
(2)
As a Judge.
"Pilate . . . . . sat down in the judgment seat" (John 19: 13).
"I sat on the judgment seat" (Acts 25: 17).
"Set them to judge" (I Cor. 6: 4).
(3)
On a Throne.
(This includes references to "judging" as well as "kingship")
"When the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of His glory, ye also
shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel"
(Matt. 19: 28 also see 25: 31).
"Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on Thy right hand,
and the other on the left, in Thy kingdom" (Matt. 20: 21, 23).
See also Rev. 3: 21 and 20: 4.
(4)
At or on the Right Hand of God.
"He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God"
(Mark 16: 19).
"And set (Him) at His own right hand" (Eph. 1: 20).
Out of the forty-eight occurrences of kathizo, those listed under the headings 1, 2, 3
and 4 account for thirty, which indicates fairly clearly the special association which this
idea of being seated has with the exercise of authority.
The special usage of kathizo in the Epistle to the Hebrews.
There are four occurrences of this word in Hebrews, namely at Heb. 1: 3; 8: 1;
10: 12 and 12: 2, and they speak of one act, namely the seating of Christ in resurrection
at the right hand of God. Both the word sugkathizo and the idea involved in such a
compound are absent from this epistle; indeed, the very theme of the epistle forbids its
use. Even though the Hebrews were bidden to "draw near" with "boldness of entry" into