G5021 τάσσω (tássō)

Established by ("Instituted by" = NET, ESV; "put in place" = GWT, "been appointed by" = NJB; "have been placed there" = NLT) (5021) (tasso) means to place, to draw up in order, to arrange in place, assign or dispose to a certain position, order or lot or to a particular task. To ordain or to designate. In relation to a properly assigned authority tasso means = be instituted, be appointed, be established (as here in Ro 13:1). Tasso is used in determining a fixed time or course of events (Mt 28:16, Acts 28:23). Tasso can convey the idea of devoted in some context (1Cor 16:15), of doing something regularly and devotedly. Tasso is a root word in a number of other Greek words - e.g., atakteo = out of line, disorderly, unruly. Atakteo comes from the verb tassō which is a military term referring to the act of arranging soldiers in military order in the ranks. When the Greeks wanted to make a word mean the opposite to what it meant originally, they placed the letter Alpha as its first letter (a = without + tasso = set in order). Thus atakteō refers to soldiers marching out of order or quitting the ranks, thus being disorderly. The word therefore means “deviating from the prescribed order or rule.” Its original meaning was that of riot or rebellion. The word is found only in the Thessalonian epistles, in its verb form in 2Th 3:7, as an adjective in 1Th 5:14-note (ataktos = unruly = any deviation from the prescribed order or rule of the Christian life), and as an adverb in 2Th 3:6, 11. (Adapted from Word Study by Kenneth Wuest) Another interesting derivative word is epitasso - which is translated "commands" in Mark 1:27 (And they were all amazed, so that they debated among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands (epitasso) even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”) Wuest explains that “Commands” is epitassō, a military term; the noun form used in the military sense of an “orderly array.” The single verb tassō was used in classical Greek, “to draw up in order of battle, array, marshal.” Our Lord has the hosts of Satan under His absolute power at all times. Unwilling and incorrigible as they are, He can command them at will, and they obey Him. Satan always operates on a limited tether. To the synagogue crowd, the most astonishing thing was that the demons obeyed Him. (Hallelujah! Our God Reigns!) (Wuest, K. S. Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament: Eerdmans or Logos or Wordsearch) In this verse, the perfect tense pictures a past completed action with present ongoing effect or result and so could be translated "Have been ordained and the ordinance remains in force." Wuest translation brings out the perfect tense "the existing authorities stand permanently ordained by God." Thus human government is a permanent institution brought into being by God for the regulation of human affairs for He alone is the sovereign ruler of the universe (Ps 62:11, 103:19, 1Ti 6:15). Wuest notes that... The simple verb tassō was used in classical Greek in a military meaning, “to draw up in order of battle, to form, array, marshal” both troops or ships. It speaks of soldiers marshaled in military order under a commanding officer. Thus, it speaks of the subjection of one individual under or to another. BDAG says tasso means (1) To bring about an order of things by arranging = to arrange, put in place...of an authority structure (Ro 13:1)...in a person put into a specific position ("to place under authority of another" = Mt 8:9, Lk 7:8)...be put under someone’s command...assign someone to a (certain) classification...passive - belong to, be classed among those possessing ("eternal life" in Acts 13:48)...devote oneself to a service (1Cor 16:15). (2) To give instructions as to what must be done = to order, fix, determine, appoint (Acts 15:2, 18:2, 22:10) - "set a day" (Acts 28:23), designated a mountain to meet (Mt 28;16). (Arndt, W., Danker, F. W., & Bauer, W. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature or Wordsearch) TDNT “to appoint,” “to order,” with such nuances as “to arrange,” “to determine,” “to set in place,” “to establish,” and middle “to fix for oneself.” (Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. Eerdmans or Wordsearch) Liddell-Scott summarizes the secular Greek uses of tasso... "To arrange, put in order, Herodotus, etc.: esp. to draw up in order of battle, to form, array, marshal, both of troops and ships...to fall in, form in order of battle...to post, station, Herodotus...to serve among the infantry...to appoint to any service, military or civil...to order one to do a thing...to assign to a class...to appoint, ordain, order, prescribe...of taxes or payments, to appoint or fix a certain payment...to agree upon, to settle...to impose punishments... perfect participle passive = fixed, prescribed," Tasso - 8x in 8v in NAS - appointed(2), designated(1), determined(1), devoted(1), established(1), set(1) placed (1) Matthew 28:16 But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. Luke 7:8 "For I also am a man placed under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, 'Go!' and he goes, and to another, 'Come!' and he comes, and to my slave, 'Do this!' and he does it." Acts 13:48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. Acts 15:2 And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue. Acts 22:10 "And I said, 'What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, 'Get up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been appointed for you to do.' Acts 28:23 When they had set a day for Paul, they came to him at his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. Romans 13:1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 1 Corinthians 16:15 Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints), Tasso - 59x in the non-apocryphal Septuagint - Ge 3:24; Exod 8:9, 12; 29:43; 1 Sam 20:35; 22:7; 2 Sam 7:11; 20:5; 23:23; 1 Kgs 2:5; 2 Kgs 10:24, 27; 12:17; 1 Chr 16:4, 7; 17:10; 2 Chr 31:2; Esth 3:13; 8:12; Job 14:13; 30:22; 31:24; 36:13; Song 2:4; 6:4, 10; Isa 38:1; Jer 2:15; 3:19; 5:22; 7:30; 10:22; 11:13; 18:16; 19:8; Lam 3:21; Ezek 4:2; 14:4, 7; 16:14; 17:5; 19:5; 20:28; 24:7; 40:4; 44:5; Hos 2:3, 14; Mic 5:1; Hab 1:12; 2:9; 3:19; Zeph 1:14; Hag 1:5; Zech 7:12, 14; 10:3f; Mal 1:3 Gen 3:24 So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed (Lxx = tasso) the cherubim, and the flaming sword which turned every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life. Habakkuk 1:12 Are You not from everlasting, O LORD, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. You, O LORD, have appointed (Lxx = tasso ~ designated) them (Babylonians would "judge" Judah for her sins of idolatry and failure to keep the Sabbath years for 490 years) to judge; And You, O Rock, have established them to correct. Habakkuk 3:19 The Lord GOD is my strength, And He has made (Lxx = tasso ~ He has appointed or designated) my feet like hinds' feet, and makes me walk on my high places. For the choir director, on my stringed instruments. Haggai 1:5 Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider (Hebrew = sum = to place, put or set; Lxx = tasso in the aorist imperative = do this - the Greek adds the word "kardia" for heart and so reads something like "Order your heart unto your ways") your ways! Zechariah 7:12 "They made (Lxx = tasso = they ordered) their hearts like flint so that (term expresses purpose - always begs question - "What purpose?") they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. This principle that all authority is from God is seen in both the Old and New Testament... He raises the poor from the dust, He lifts the needy from the ash heap To make them sit with nobles, And inherit a seat of honor; For the pillars of the earth are the LORD 's, And He set the world on them. (1Samuel 2:8) Pr 8:15 “By Me kings reign, and rulers decree justice.16 “By Me princes rule, and nobles, all who judge rightly. Dan 2:21-note “And it is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men, and knowledge to men of understanding. Dan 4:32-note and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’ "(Speaking of King Nebuchadnezzar Daniel records this incredible event and the even more incredible result) (Nebuchadnezzar) as also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until (a crucial time phrase) he recognized that the Most High (El Elyon) God is Ruler over the realm of mankind, and that He sets over it whomever He wishes." (Daniel 5:21) Jesus answered (Pilate who claimed to have authority over Jesus' destiny), "You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me up to you has the greater sin." (John 19:11) John MacArthur has an excellent comment on this section writing that These seven verses contain the clearest and most specific NT teaching on the Christian’s responsibility to civil authority. Every Christian, no matter what form of government he lives under, is under command from the Lord to maintain proper and useful submission to that government for the sake of leading a peaceful life and having an effective witness. This recurring theme of submission to society’s controlling power is nowhere more forcefully dealt with than here....The monumental miracle of salvation impacts every relationship associated with the believer’s life. ... First, and most important and obvious, is the effect on our relationship to God. When we are saved, our initial response should be to fully present our “bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is [our] spiritual service of worship” (Ro 12:1- note). The apostle’s next concern is for our having a right relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ (Ro 12:3-6-note) and with non Christians, including even our enemies (Ro 12:17-note Ro 12:18-21-note). After dealing with those matters, the inspired writer focuses on the need to have a right relationship to the human governments under which we live (Romans 13:1-7). Due to the religious freedom that most westerners have enjoyed for many generations, it is difficult for believers living in such countries to fully appreciate the struggle that many of their brothers and sisters in Christ face under regimes that restrict freedom and oppress Christianity.... We are to be the conscience of the nation through faithful preaching & godly living, confronting it not with the political pressure of man’s wisdom—including our own—but with the spiritual power of God’s Word. Using legislation, adjudication, or intimidation to achieve a superficial, temporal “Christian morality” is not our calling—and has no eternal value....the Christian’s priority [is] of proclaiming the gospel and living a holy life to demonstrate that God is a saving God. Both the Old and New Testament present illustrations of believers whose earthly role placed them in civil service, and they were useful to God there. Joseph in Egypt and Daniel in Babylon are the two supreme Old Testament examples. After Jesus healed the centurion’s servant, He did not advise him to leave the army (Mt 8:5-13). After Zaccheus was converted, he did not leave his civil profession but became an honest tax collector (see Lk 19:1-10). Cornelius, another Roman centurion, was saved through the ministry of Peter and continued to serve in the army (Ac 10). And there is no reason to believe that the proconsul Sergius Paulus did not remain in his high civil office after he was saved (Acts 13:4-12). In a message delivered at Oxford University in 1898, the British theologian Robert L. Ottley observed: The Old Testament may be studied . . . as an instructor in social righteousness. It exhibits the moral government of God as attested in his dealings with nations rather than with individuals; and it was their consciousness of the action and presence of God in history that made the prophets preachers, not merely to their countrymen, but to the world at large....There is indeed significance in the fact that in spite of their ardent zeal for social reform they did not as a rule take part in political life or demand political reforms. They desired...not better institutions but better men. Henry Alford adds this note... Alford has a helpful note here. “We may observe that the apostle here pays no regard to the question of the duty of Christians in revolutionary movements. His precepts regard an established power, be it what it may. It, in all matters lawful, we are bound to obey. But even the parental power does not extend to things unlawful. If the civil power command us to violate the law of God, we must obey God before man. If it commands us to disobey the common laws of humanity, or the sacred institutions of our country, our obedience is due to the higher and more general law, rather than the lower and particular. These distinctions must be drawn by the wisdom granted Christians in the varying circumstances of human affairs: they are all only subordinate portions of the great duty of obedience to LAW. To obtain, by lawful means, the removal or alteration of an unjust or unreasonable law, is another part of this duty: for all powers among men must be in accord with the highest power, the moral sense. But even where law is hard and unreasonable, not disobedience, but legitimate protest, is the duty of the Christian. Romans 13:2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. Greek: hoste o antitassomenos (PMPMSN) te exousia te tou theou diatage anthesteken (3SRAI) hoi de anthestekotes (RAPMPN) heautois krima lempsontai (3PFMI) Amplified: Therefore he who resists and sets himself up against the authorities resists what God has appointed and arranged [in divine order]. And those who resist will bring down judgment upon themselves [receiving the penalty due them]. Barclay: So he who sets himself up against authority has really set himself up against God’s arrangement of things. Those who do set themselves against authority will receive condemnation upon themselves. NLT: So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow. Phillips: Every Christian ought to obey the civil authorities, for all legitimate authority is derived from God's authority, and the existing authority is appointed under God. To oppose authority then is to oppose God, and such opposition is bound to be punished. Wuest: So that the one who sets himself in array against the authority, against the ordinance of God has set himself, with the result that he is in a permanent position of antagonism against the ordinance. And those who resist shall receive for themselves judgment. Young's Literal: so that he who is setting himself against the authority, against God’s ordinance hath resisted; and those resisting, to themselves shall receive judgment. THEREFORE HE WHO RESISTS AUTHORITY: hoste o antitassomenos (PMPMSN) te exousia: (Jeremiah 23:8-17; 44:14-17; Titus 3:1) "Therefore he who resists and sets himself up against the authorities" (Amplified) Therefore (5620) (hoste) introduces a conclusion, the logical result (see term of conclusion) - Because God has willed that there be orderly states, anyone who sets himself in opposition rebels against what God has ordained. Paul is making it clear that the believer is to respect the state & not make himself the final arbiter. Manson adds "Resistance to legitimate authority legitimately exercised is wrong." To resist the authorities that God has set in place is to resist what God has commanded and such resisters will bring judgment on themselves. As alluded to above, there is an exception. A Christian is not required to obey if the government orders him to sin or to compromise his loyalty to Jesus Christ (Acts 5:29). No government has a right to command a person’s conscience. So there are times when a believer must, by obeying God, incur the wrath of man. In such cases he must be prepared to pay the penalty without undue complaint.