Appoint (2525) (kathistemi from katá = down + hístēmi = to set or stand) means literally “to stand or set down".
Most of the NT uses of kathistemi are figurative and refer to "setting someone down in office" or appointing or assigning a person to a position of authority. To put in charge or to appoint one to administer an office. To set in an elevated position.
In Acts 17:15 kathistemi means to conduct or "bring down" to a certain place.
In Romans 5:19 kathistemi means to "set down", to constitute (to give formal existence to; to make a thing what it is), to cause or show someone to be (either sinner or righteous)
Kathistemi is used 22x and is translated in the NAS as - appoint(1), appointed(4), appoints(1), conducted(1), made(5), makes(1), put in charge(7),render(1), set(1).
Matthew 24:45 "Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge (set you over, assigning to a position of authority) of his household to give them their food at the proper time?
Matthew 24:47 "Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
Matthew 25:21 (Jesus in the parable of the talents describes the master's declaration) "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master.'
Matthew 25:23 "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
Luke 12:14 But He said to him, "Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbiter over you?"
Luke 12:42 And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and sensible steward, whom his master will put in charge of his servants, to give them their rations at the proper time?
Luke 12:44 "Truly I say to you, that he will put him in charge of all his possessions.
Acts 6:3 "But select from among you, brethren, seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
Acts 7:10 and rescued him from all his afflictions, and granted him favor and wisdom in the sight of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him (put him in charge as) governor over Egypt and all his household.
Acts 7:27 "But the one who was injuring his neighbor pushed him away, saying, 'Who made (put you in charge as) you a ruler and judge over us?
Acts 7:35 "This Moses whom they disowned, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?' is the one whom God sent to be both a ruler and a deliverer with the help of the angel who appeared to him in the thorn bush.
Acts 17:15 Now those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.
Romans 5:19 (note) For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made (constituted) sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made (constituted) righteous.
Titus 1:5 (note) For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you,
Hebrews 5:1 (note) For every high priest taken from among men is appointed (passive voice = they did not appoint themselves) on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins;
Hebrews 7:28 (note) For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.
Hebrews 8:3 (note) For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices; hence it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer.
James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.
James 4:4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes (shows or exhibits himself) himself an enemy of God.
2 Peter 1:8 (note) For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render (make or cause you to experience) you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Kathistemi is used about 18.36" class="scriptRef">36 times in the non-apocryphal Septuagint (LXX) -- 20.11.22" class="scriptRef">22.9" class="scriptRef">9" class="scriptRef">9.4-Gen.39.10.23" class="scriptRef">23" class="scriptRef">Gen. 39:4f; 41.33-Gen.41.57" class="scriptRef">7" class="scriptRef">41:328" class="scriptRef">3f, 41, 43; 47:5; Exod. 2:14; 5:14; 18.21" class="scriptRef">18:21; Num. 3:10, 32; 4:19; 15" class="scriptRef">21:15; 31.48" class="scriptRef">31:48; Deut. 1:13, 15; 12.16" class="scriptRef">16.18" class="scriptRef">16:18; 17:14f; 19:16; 20:9; 25:6; 28:13, 36; 32:25; Jos. 6:23; 8:2; 27" class="scriptRef">9:27; 10:18; 20:3, 9; 1 Sam. 1:9, 26; 3:10; 5:3; 8:1, 5; 10:19, 23; 12:7, 16; 18:13; 19:20; 22:9; 29:4, 10; 30:12; 2 Sam. 3:39; 6:21; 15:4; 17:25; 18:1; 1 Ki. 2:35; 4:5, 7, 27; 5:16; 11:28; 2 Ki. 7:17; 10:3; 22:5, 9; 25:22f; 1 Chr. 6:31; 9:29; 11:25; 12:18; 22:2; 26:32; 2 Chr. 11:15, 22; 12:10; 17:2; 19:5, 8; 21:5; 24.11" class="scriptRef">24:11; 25:3; 28:15; 29:4; 31:13; 33:14; 34:10; 36:1, 4; Ezr. 7:25; Neh. 12:44; 13:19; Esther 2:3; 3:13; 5:1; 8:2, 12; Job 16:12; Ps. 2:6; 8:6; 9:20; 18:43; 45:16; 97:1; 105:21; 109:6; Prov. 29:14; Is 3:13; 49:8; 62:6; Jer. 1:10; 6:17; 20:1; 23:3; 29:15; 30:24; 40:4, 7, 11; 41:2, 18; 44:28; 46:4; Ezek. 34:18; Dan. 1:11, 20; 2:21, 24, 38, 48f; 3:12, 30; 4:1, 31; 5:11; 6:1, 3f, 28
Vincent comments that the primary meaning of kathistemi is
to set down, it is used in classical Greek of bringing to a place, as a ship to the land, or a man to a place or person; hence to bring before a magistrate...From this comes the meaning to set down as, i.e., to declare or show to be; or to constitute, make to be. (Word studies in the New Testament: Vol. 3, Page 1-64)
Kathistemi is used in Acts meaning to bring to a certain place or to conduct, Luke recording
Now those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed. (Acts 17:15)
Kathistemi means to "to make someone something" and is used by Paul explaining that
"as through the one man’s disobedience the many were made (constituted - kathistemi) sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made (constituted - kathistemi) righteous." (see note Romans 5:19)
William Newell writes that "There is no more direct statement in Scripture concerning justification than we find in" this verse. By the one act of Adam in disobeying God, the human race was constituted sinful, and this by the judicial act of God. Likewise, by the one act of obedience of the Lord Jesus, all who believe are constituted righteous, and this by the judicial act of God.
Paul was assigning Titus, "setting him down" (giving him charge) to a position of authority over the believers in the assemblies of Christians in the various cities of Crete. Now that Paul had gone, Titus was in charge. Appoint is preferable to the KJV rendering ordain, as there is nothing in the context to imply a formal ecclesiastical ordination. This was to an appointment, for the recognition of the local churches, of those who had already been raised up and qualified by the Holy Spirit, and had given evidence of this in their life and service. Similarly , the writer of Hebrews says that
"every high priest taken from among men is appointed (kathistemi) on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins." (see note Hebrews 5:1)
The position of High-Priest in the Levitical system was by appointment only. No man could legitimately appoint himself High-Priest.
Luke used kathistemi to describe the selection of deacons who were to be
men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom whom we may put in charge (kathistemi) of this task (of serving tables) (Acts 6:3)
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