SUNAGO (To Gather)
WRITTEN BY DREW MATZ
What is the Word?
Holidays such as Thanksgiving are special to us for many reasons. It brings people together to reflect upon the many blessings that God has given to us. It is a time for laughter, conversation, and yes – excellent food. While Thanksgiving is not necessarily a Church holiday, it is so thoroughly Biblical in its essence – it invites us to gather together for the purpose of thanking and praising the God who has given us all things. The word the New Testament uses for this gathering is sunagó.
How does the Bible use this word?
In Greek, sunagó is a verb that is closely linked to hospitality. Most specifically, it means to bring together or to assemble. It has connotations of making one out of many (think of catching fish together in a net). What’s more, there are also shades of hospitality – of hosting, entertaining, or taking in. Thus, it is a word used to express the centrality of community in the life of the church, as well as the actions of the Holy Spirit, who gathers us all together in the body of Christ.
Where in the Bible?
As previously mentioned, the word is used by Jesus to describe the actions that he himself performs:
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered (συναγαγούσῃ) fish of every kind.
Matthew 13:47
In this illustration, Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven as a net that gathers together fish of every kind. He is the great “fisher of men” who casts his net far and wide, who brings together peoples of every tribe, tongue, and color to gather around the table in his kingdom which has no end.
We can also see the word used to describe the early Church community, who gathered together regularly for fellowship:
On the first day of the week, when we were gathered (συνηγμένων) together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.
Acts 20:7
The “first day of the week” is a reference to Sunday – and the breaking of bread is a reference to the participation in the Lord’s Supper. In the church setting, Jesus gathers together his people as one body, one spirit, and in one baptism – that all become members of one another in Christ.
Gather Together, Live Together
Thanksgiving is an excellent reminder for us to be thankful for what we have been given. However, it is also a touchpoint for us to be thankful in all things each and every day. Our gratitude is not limited to one day each November, but should flow from our hearts unceasingly (1 Thes. 5:16-18). In this thanksgiving, the fruit of the gospel is manifested so that the world might know the God we call Father through Jesus Christ our Lord.