Syntyche

Syn´tyche, a female Christian named in Php 4:2.

Syn’tyche. (with fate). A female member, of the church of Philippi. Php 4:2-3. (A.D.57).

(See EUODIAS.)

[Syn’tyche]

A believing woman at Philippi whom Paul exhorted along with Euodias to be of the same mind. Php 4:2.

SYNTYCHE.—A Christian, perhaps a deaconess, at Philippi (Php 4:2); see art. Euodia.

A. J. Maclean.

sin´ti-kē (Συντύχη, Suntúchē, literally, “fortunate” (Php 4:2)): A Christian woman in the church at Philippi; She and Euodia, who had some quarrel or cause of difference between them, are mentioned by name by Paul, and are besought separately: “I beseech Euodia, and I beseech Syntyche” (the King James Version) to be reconciled to one another, to be “of the same mind in the Lord.” The apostle also entreats an unnamed Christian at Philippi, whom he terms “true yokefellow,” to “help these women, for they labored with me in the gospel.” What he means is that he asks the true yokefellow to help Euodia and Syntyche, each of whom had labored with Paul.

This refers to the visit which he, in company with Silas and Luke and Timothy, paid to Philippi (Act 16:12 ff), and which resulted in the gospel being introduced to that city and the church being formed there. Euodia and Syntyche had been among the first converts and had proved helpful in carrying on the work. The word used for “labored” signifies “they joined with me in my struggle,” and probably refers to something more than ordinary labor, for those were critical times of danger and suffering, which the apostle and his companions and fellow-workers then encountered at Philippi.

That workers so enthusiastic and so honored should have quarreled, was very sad. Paul, therefore, entreats them to be reconciled. Doubtless his request was given heed to, especially in view of his promised visit to Philippi. See EUODIA; YOKE-FELLOW.

(Óõíôý÷ç)

Syntyche was a Christian lady of Philippi who seems to have held a prominent place in the Church, and who, at the date of the Apostle’s letter to the Philippians, had a difference of opinion with another lady called Euodia (q.v. [Note: .v. quod vide, which see.] ). St. Paul exhorts them ‘to be of the same mind in the Lord’ (Php_4:2). It is impossible to form any certain conclusions regarding the nature of the controversy between the two women, who may have been deaconesses, but who were more likely prominent female members of the Church, of the type of Lydia of Act_16:14-15. In fact, the conjecture has been put forward that one of them may have been Lydia herself, as ‘Lydia’ may not be a personal but a racial or geographical designation signifying ‘the Lydian’ or the native of the province of Lydia, where the city of Thyatira, to which she belonged, was situated. This cannot of course be verified. Nor can we say whether the difference between the two partook of the nature of a religious controversy or of a personal quarrel. Before this date both had rendered signal service to the cause of the gospel in Philippi, and the Apostle adduces this as a reason why they should be helped towards a reconciliation. St. Paul expects that they will get help in their differences from one whom he describes as ‘Synzygus’ (Authorized Version ‘true yokefellow,’ but probably a proper name; cf. article Synzygus), probably a prominent official of the church of Philippi. The names of both Euodia and Syntyche are found frequently, and there is no reason for supposing them to be allegorical names for Jewish and Gentile Christianity, as is done so arbitrarily by the Tübingen school.

W. F. Boyd.