Greek word · G4956

συστατικός

systatikos

recommended

Found only here in the NT. The adjective means "introductory, recommending," and in the phrase systatikē epistolē ("letter of recommendation") it is a fixed technical term.

Appears once in the Greek New Testament. ·

What it means

συ-στατικός (Tr. συν-), -ή, -όν

(συνίστημι),

1. for putting together, constructive.

2. for bringing together, introductory, commendatory: ἐπιστολή (Arist., Diog. L., al.; and see MM, xxiv), 2 Corinthians 3:1.†

(AS)

From G. Abbott-Smith, A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament (1922), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 2 Corinthians 3:1

Range of meaning

Found only here in the NT. The adjective means "introductory, recommending," and in the phrase systatikē epistolē ("letter of recommendation") it is a fixed technical term.

Against the English

KJV's "epistles of commendation" and modern "letters of recommendation" are both accurate. KJV's "epistles" can make modern readers think of New Testament books, though the word means ordinary letters.

Used elsewhere in the period

Epictetus (Discourses 2.3.1) uses the phrase systatika grammata: when someone asked Diogenes for a letter of recommendation, Diogenes replied that the man would be recognised for what he was without one. Letters of introduction are among the most common kinds of private letter in Egyptian papyri. Cicero devoted a whole book of his letters (Ad Familiares 13) to recommendations. Early Christians used them too: the believers in Ephesus wrote ahead for Apollos (Acts 18:27), Saul carried letters from the high priest (Acts 9:2; 22:5), and Paul planned to send letters with the collection carriers (1 Cor 16:3).

Where it appears

2 Corinthians · 1

  1. 2 Corinthians 3:1 συστατικῶν commendatory

    Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you?

    Here: An adjective from the same root as the verb synistanein. Combined with "letters" it is the standard term for a letter of introduction or reference.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.