G3908 παρατίθημι (paratíthēmi)

Entrust (3908) (paratithemi from para = beside + tithemi = place) (click in depth study of related noun paratheke) literally means to place something beside, to set alongside or place before someone. It was used in Greek meaning to give someone something in trust and so to "deposit" with another. It conveys the picture of a precious treasure being deposited as a trust into the hands of other persons. Those to be entrusted with the message must be “faithful” persons, reliable and trustworthy men “who will not swerve aside because of fear or favor, who will not compromise with the spirit of the age through which they are passing.” Paratithemi is used 19 times in the NT (Mt 13:24, 31; Mk. 6:41; 8:6, 7; Lk. 9:16; 10:8; 11:6; 12:48; 23:46; Acts 14:23; 16:34; 17:3; 20:32; 1Co 10:27; 1Ti 1:18; 2Ti 2:2; 1Pe 4:19) and is translated as: commend, 1; commended, 1; commit, 1; entrust, 3; entrusted, 1; giving evidence, 1; presented, 2; serve, 1; served, 2; set before, 5; set...before, 1) There are 19 uses of paratithemi in the Septuagint - Ge 18:8; 24:33; 30:38; 43:31, 32; Ex 19:7; 21:1; Lev. 6:4, 10; Deut. 4:44; 1Sa 9:24; 21:6; 28:22; 2Sa 12:20; 2Ki 5:24; 6:22, 23; 2Chr. 16:10; Ps. 31:5; Pr 23:1 As shown below the NT uses paratithemi to describing setting of food before those who were hungry. How apropos then that in the figurative use, paratithemi refers to setting the "food" of God's Word before those who are hungry, setting the table for them so to speak that they might partake of the very bread of life! The TDNT has the following note regarding paratithemi writing that... In the ancient Gk. and Jewish sphere, as well as the ancient Roman, one finds the legal device whereby an object can be entrusted to another’s keeping for a specific period. This object was to be kept free, unused and undamaged until restoration. The trustworthiness of the trustee was thus most important. But there was, too, a stringent penalty for embezzlement, and the special wrath of the gods was also invoked. The legal formulae soon came to be used in a transferred sense, e.g., “to entrust someone to the care or protection of someone,” Diod. S., 17, 23, 5; "to submit words as entrusted goods" (Ed note: as here in 2 Timothy)...(In the Septuagint paratithemi is used 42 times including use as...) "a term in commercial law “to give money to someone for safekeeping,”...The responsibility of the trustee for the money handed to him is regulated in Exodus 22:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13... When the psalmist in Psalm 31:5 prays "into Thy hands I commit [Lxx = paratithemi] my spirit", as one who is persecuted, though innocent, he sets himself under the protection of the faithful God." (Ed note: And of course our Lord Jesus quoted these very words from the Cross as noted below)...(the Jewish Historian in using paratithemi...) lays special emphasis on the honesty which, grounded on fear of God and the conscience, must hold sway in trusts." The TDNT appropriately adds that "All that man is and has he should regard as something entrusted to him by God" (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Erdman) (Bolding added) As illustrated by the following passages, and as used in the present verse by Paul, paratithemi meant to entrust or commit for safekeeping with the implication that one was committing to another with confidence. It can convey (as in our present passage) the idea of investing or charging someone with a duty or responsibility. It can convey the idea of putting something into the care or protection of someone. This is very similar to use of paratithemi in classical Greek to describe anything being deposited with a friend for the purpose of safekeeping. When used with the idea of commit (as by Jesus on the Cross) paratithemi conveys the may express the general idea of delivering into another’s charge or the special sense of transferring to a superior power or to a special place of custody. Paratithemi is sometimes translated "commend" which mends to entrust for care or preservation. The sense is to deposit what belongs to one into the hands of another. In (Matthew 13:24) Jesus used paratithemi in the context of teaching, Matthew recording that... He presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field In (Mark 6:41) Jesus uses paratithemi to describe setting the table with food... "And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all." In (Luke 12:48) we see paratithemi used with the idea of trusting something into one's care, Luke recording... but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more. In probably the most notable use of paratithemi Luke (Luke 23:46|) records Jesus' words from the cross... And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS COMMIT MY SPIRIT ." Having said this, He breathed His last. Paul in his last words to the elders of the church at Ephesus (Acts 20:32) said... And now commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. Paul in this first epistle to Timothy (1Timothy 1:18) said... This command entrust to you, Timothy, my son, in accordance with the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you fight the good fight, Peter (see note 1 Peter 4:19) in a use that parallels that of our Lord's on the cross wrote that those believers... also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. In the secular Greco-Roman world, paratithemi was used as a banking term meaning to deposit something valuable as a trust or for protection. The point of this specific verb is that truth is not simply to be given away but is to be carefully deposited, much like we might make a monetary deposit in a promising investment. Thus as we pass on the "baton" of God's truth to the next "runner" we dare not fail to communicate the sober responsibility that accompanies reception and transmittal of this truth for the eternal truths of God's matchless Word are not on an equal par with other interesting and valuable information. Thus we must never forget or fail to communicate to others that the word of God is a "good deposit" for which God will call us into account one day. And on that day the burning question will not be "How much did you know?" But "How fully do you obey what you knew?" Paul is commanding Timothy even with a sense of urgency (aorist imperative conveys urgency ~ do this and do it effectively!) to deposit the "good deposit" (NIV; see note 2 Timothy 1:14) (Gk word paratheke derived from the verb paratithemi) to trustworthy (pistos - trustworthy, dependable, reliable, worthy of placing one's confidence in) men. These are not just any believer but were to be men who could be trusted, who would pass the gospel "deposit" on to other men. These were to be men Timothy could place his confidence in...men who would be sure to follow through to the end even if it cost them their life. They must prove themselves worthy of this eternal investment by their faithfulness, the dividing line between mediocrity and excellence in Christian living. Note that the requirement is not eloquence, charisma, intellect, or natural talent even though these tend to attract men's attention and praise. Instead Paul commanded Timothy to look for faithful men, through whom there is no limit what God can do. John Wesley said, "If I had 300 men who feared nothing but God, hated nothing but sin, and were determined to know nothing among men except Jesus Christ and Him crucified; I would set the world on fire." Paul used the same verb (paratithemi ) when he exhorted and admonished the Ephesian elders upon his departure, saying "now I commend (paratithemi ~ "I deposit you") you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32) Vine notes that "There is no hint here, or anywhere else in the New Testament, of apostolic succession. The apostle is arranging for the maintenance and the perpetuation of the faith. Nor is there any intimation, in the charge here given, of a communication of an official right to preach. Timothy was not commissioned to consecrate men, or to impart authority to them, he was to hand on the truth as he had received it." (Vine, W. Collected writings of W. E. Vine. Nashville: Thomas Nelson ) A pastor’s ministry is never to be a “one-man show”. He must be continually raising up people in ministry around him, and pushing ministry down to others who strengthened by grace in Christ can perform "good works". Serving the Lord is not an onerous burden but a gracious privilege that must be shared with faithful men. J Vernon McGee comments "As sons of God (Mt 5:9-note, Lk 20:36, Ro 8:14-note, Ro 8:19-note, Ga 3:26) we ought to be concerned about our Father’s business. The Lord Jesus in His humanity as a boy said (quoting from KJV translation), “I must be about my Father’s business.” Well, I have become a son of God—not like the Lord Jesus, but I’ve become a son of God through faith in Christ. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power [the authority] to become the sons of God, even to them that [do no more nor less than] believe on his name” (John 1:12). Now that I am a son of God I am interested in my Father’s business. By the way, are you interested in your Father’s business? And the main business is getting out the Word of God (cp Ps 40:9-note, , Jonah 3:2, Lk 9:60, Ro 10:14, 15-note, Col 1:25-note, 2Ti 4:1-note, 2Ti 4:2-note, 2Ti 4:3, 4-note, 2Ti 4:5-note). But we need to recognize that we need the grace of God (Acts 14:26; 20:24; Ro 5:15-note; 1Co 3:10; 15:10; 2Co 1:12; Titus 2:11-note; Titus 2:12-note; He 12:15-note; 1Pe 5:12-note) to do the business of God—as well as in every facet of our lives as His children." As Jesus taught His disciples in Luke "Do business...until I come back." (Lk 19:13) (McGee, J V: Thru the Bible Commentary: Nashville: Thomas Nelson) To faithful men - What is their chief characteristic? They can be trusted to retain the standard of sound words (2Ti 1:13-note) and guard through the Holy Spirit Who indwells them the treasure that has been entrusted to them (2Ti 1:14-note) and secondly they are adequate, qualified and competent to teach ("pass the baton" to) other trustworthy men (in essence this is the fulfillment of Jesus' great charge to go and make disciples or learners - not just "smarter sinners" but "learners who obey" [see esp v20 that follows] - Mt 28:18, 19, 20, cp Paul's example in 2Ti 3:10, 11-note, 2Ti 3:12-note). E. K. Simpson writes that... The torch of heavenly light must be transmitted unquenched from one generation to another, and Timothy must count himself an intermediary between apostolic and later ages.