Featured Abbreviated Word Study G5087, tithemi

“Tithemi” has three basic meanings, to set something somewhere; (2)to change the status of someone for a purpose; and (3) to present or set forth an idea or account, such as set forth the gospel.

The first basic meaning is to put, place, set, or lay something somewhere. This meaning is by far the most common meaning found in scripture.

The second basic meaning, to change the status of someone for a purpose, either by designating a person for a task or office, or by establishing needed characteristics of a person such that they can complete a task or fulfil the requirements of the office.

The third basic meaning is to present or set forth something, such as to set forth the gospel.

The second and third basic meaning can be translated into English using designate, establish, and set forth.

Lets look at the verses where the second or third basic meaning appears to be the intended meaning:

Matthew 24:51, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

I think designate is a little better than assign because it can be viewed as dismissal or at least to be set apart. In baseball, players cut from the team are designated for assignment.

Luke 12:46, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

Designate again implies putting a person away from oneself, i.e. set apart.

John 15:16, You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

Here, I think “established” better presents the intended message. In order to bear fruit, we must abide in Christ and Christ in us; therefore we are a new creation. We have been established, converted in Christ.

Acts 1:7, He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority;

Designated conveys the message more concordantly.

Acts 5:4, While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.”

Here I think set forth captures the idea better, the evil plan was not just conceived, it was developed, arranged and set forth in his heart as a plan of action.

Acts 13:47, For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH.’

Here, I think, “established” you as a light better reflects the gifting of Paul by the Holy Spirit.

Acts 20:28, Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.

Here, “established” you as overseers provides the implication of a changed (converted) status, i.e. gifted in administration.

Acts 27:12, Because the harbor was not suitable for wintering, the majority reached a decision to put out to sea from there, if somehow they could reach Phoenix, a harbor of Crete, facing southwest and northwest, and spend the winter there.

The majority set forth the decision to put out to sea. Again, the idea is not just a conceived idea, but a developed plan, involving not only to leave, but where to go and why.

Romans 4:17, (as it is written, “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.

Here, if we stick with a literal translation of “tithemi” we would go with “established.” However, that would obscure the linkage to Genesis 17:5 where we find “made.” While the Hebrew word in Genesis also means to put or set, it is translated as “made” over 100 times. So I think a footnote is required, i.e. “made or established”

1 Corinthians 9:18, “What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may offer the gospel without charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

Here, set forth the gospel points to a full presentation, and not an abbreviated feel good alteration.

1 Corinthians 12:18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

Established points to the act of the Holy Spirit gifting members to build up the body.

1 Corinthians 12:28, And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.

For the same reason, “established” is better here, pointing to the gifting of the Holy Spirit rather than putting someone not specially equipped in a position.

2 Corinthians 5:19, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Set forth better captures the idea of reconciliation being provided through the whole gospel.

1 Thessalonians 5:9, For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Designated works best here, i.e. God has set us apart for salvation.

1 Timothy 2:7, For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

“Established as” seems better, conveying the gifting of Paul by the Holy Spirit.

2 Timothy 1:11, for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher.

Again, “established as” seems a better choice.

Hebrews 1:2, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

“Established as” seems better, because of Christ’s authenticating miracles.

1 Peter 2:8, and, “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

Again, they were designated because of their stumbling over salvation through faith and not works.

2 Peter 2:6, and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter;

Here, I think, “set them forth as” is better than “made” because the purpose was to provide an illustration.

In summary, G5087, tithemi, is used about 19 times where the meaning is designate (5 times), establish (9 times), and set forth (5 times.)

One of the key insights arising from this word study is that God did not just assign a person to an office or task, many times He equipped the person,i.e. gifts of the Holy Spirit, so as to establish the person for that task or office.

 

Tithemi is one of the words that means "appoint unilaterally" and thus can be translated as designate. This avoids overlap with another Greek word that is translated "appointed" and refers to an appointment made by mutual consent.

 

LOL, yet more posts where Rippon simply bolsters my view that translations translate the very same word meaning in a myriad of ways.

Note that in John 15:16 the idea of equipping for service, i.e. being established for a purpose, is left out of some translations.

And again keeping it simple, using the same word or phrase for each word meaning to reach the goals of transparency and concordance, is said not to make the cut.

 

LOL, here we have the "anything" but whatever Van chose post repeated. Still no reasoning, other than clinging to whatever differs is offered.

Is established the very best way to capture the idea of being both equipped or empowered or gifted and positioned or placed for a purpose?

One person has said "made" is better, but that leaves our the meaning of being placed.

 

Another rendering is "arranged" and thus both actions can be "read into" the word. But with "established" the meaning also seems to need to be "read in."

However, if we consider all the usages (John 15:16; Acts 13:47, 20:28; Romans 4:17; 1 Corinthians 12:18, 28; 1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11, and Hebrews 1:2) I still think established is superior to "arranged."

Another possibility would be to us an alliterative "provisioned and placed" phrase. Or we could simply go with the meaning equipped and placed.

In John 15:16 "established" works better than "equipped and placed.

In Acts 13:47, equipped and placed works better than established.

In Acts 20:28, established or equipped and placed both work equally well. But concordance is better served if we use equipped and placed.

In Romans 4:17 I think the footnote "made or established" works best.

In 1 Corinthians 12:18, I think equipped and placed works best.

In 1 Corinthians 12:28 I think equipped and placed works best.

In 1 Timothy 2:7, established works best.

In 2 Timothy 1:11, established works best.

In Hebrews 1:2, established works best.

 

More mind reading I see. Rippon says Van wants to... and then makes up a nefarious motive. Never mind I have posted why I chose "designated."

Then Rippon continues to fabricate my views on a variety of Biblical Doctrines.

And finally we get the news the translation choice I made, i.e. designate" is not as good as other choices.

Rippon seems not to be able to actually do word studies, but given a verse, he can look up how other translation choices were made, and then proclaim the best one based on majority rule. You have got to love them folks.

 

The second basic meaning of Tithemi is to change the status of someone for a purpose, either by designating a person for a task or office, or by establishing needed characteristics of a person such that they can complete a task or fulfill the requirements of the office.

So in the case of designating someone for an office, task or position, I think designate is better than assign or appoint, because it means to "set apart" and when used in a negative context, implies putting the person away from the one designating.

So in 1 Peter 2:8 those that stumbled over salvation by faith rather than salvation by works were designated or set apart and put away from salvation in Christ.

 

First we have usual ad homenim, i.e. Van does not understand the context.
These logical fallacies are worthless and reflect the sheer mindlessness of Rippon's arguments.

Does tithemi mean destined? Nope, it means to designate or set apart and put away those that rejected salvation by faith.

Word studies bring to light cases where translations hit the mark and where they miss the mark.

 

Matthew 24:51, and will cut him in pieces and designate him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luke 12:46, the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and designate him a place with the unbelievers.

Acts 1:7, He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has designated by His own authority;

1 Thessalonians 5:9, For God has not designated us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

1 Peter 2:8, and, “A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also designated.

The above have tithemi translated as designated, and reflect a transparent and concordant translation choice consistent with the context.

Would assigned be better? I could not say assigned would not be equally as good.

 

I am still trying to figure out why you post, Rippon.

I gave my reasoning for saying designate was better than assign, but did you address that? Nope.

Now you attack adjusting views in light of information gained. Working theories get tweaked along the way.

Designated and assigned are pretty close in meaning and was simply acknowledging that fact.