The Words Συντελεία and Τέλος in Mt 24

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Bernd Strauss
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The Words Συντελεία and Τέλος in Mt 24

Post by Bernd Strauss »

Is there a particular reason why the writer of Matthew chapter 24 chose to use the word συντελεία in vs. 3 while using the word τέλος in vss. 6, 14? Is some distinction made between these words in the chapter? Or are they used interchangeably with the same meaning?
Robert Emil Berge
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Re: The Words Συντελεία and Τέλος in Mt 24

Post by Robert Emil Berge »

We can't know the motive for the choice of words. Both could probably have worked in both settings here, but there is a nuance of a difference. συντελεία is a completion of something, often of a common effort towards a goal, while τέλος simply means end or goal, but it can of course also be used when one means a common goal. The context here would have supplied us with a notion of what kind of end or goal the writer is talking about no matter which word he or she had chosen, I think.
Stirling Bartholomew
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Re: The Words Συντελεία and Τέλος in Mt 24

Post by Stirling Bartholomew »

συντέλεια <OR> τέλος

συντέλεια in Matthew and elsewhere is used in eschatological expressions. τέλος has a wide semantic range and some overlap with συντέλεια. The words are not synonymous.

In Matthew 24 he starts with συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος which is unambiguous and follows with τέλος which probably functions as an abbreviated key word with the same referent as συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος. This is comparable to the way discourse participants are introduced with unambiguous full noun phrases followed by reduced encoding. Once the referent of συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος has been established τέλος becomes unambiguous.

Matt. 13:40 ὥσπερ οὖν συλλέγεται τὰ ζιζάνια καὶ πυρὶ [κατα]καίεται, οὕτως ἔσται ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος·

Matt. 13:40 (NRSV) Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.


Matt. 13:49 οὕτως ἔσται ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος· ἐξελεύσονται οἱ ἄγγελοι καὶ ἀφοριοῦσιν τοὺς πονηροὺς ἐκ μέσου τῶν δικαίων

Matt. 13:49 (NRSV) So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous

Dan. 12:13 καὶ σὺ δεῦρο καὶ ἀναπαύου· ἔτι γὰρ ἡμέραι εἰς ἀναπλήρωσιν συντελείας, καὶ ἀναστήσῃ εἰς τὸν κλῆρόν σου εἰς συντέλειαν ἡμερῶν.

Shep. 89:3 Ὅτι, φησίν, ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν τῆς συντελείας φανερὸς ἐγένετο, διὰ τοῦτο καινὴ ἐγένετο ἡ πύλη, ἵνα οἱ μέλλοντες σώζεσθαι δι᾿ αὐτῆς εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν εἰσέλθωσι τοῦ θεοῦ.

Shep. 89:3 “Because,” he said, “he was revealed in the last days of the consummation; that is why the door is new, in order that those who are going to be saved may enter the kingdom of God through it.

Text & Trans. M. W. Holmes 1992
C. Stirling Bartholomew
Bernd Strauss
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Re: The Words Συντελεία and Τέλος in Mt 24

Post by Bernd Strauss »

Thank you. Apparently the word τέλος in vss. 6, 14 refers to the same end as συντελεία in vs. 3. The two words are often rendered with the same English word “end” in English Bible translations.
Josh Baker
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Re: The Words Συντελεία and Τέλος in Mt 24

Post by Josh Baker »

Bernd strauss, I tried to PM you. I'd like to ask a few questions about your research on parousia and conclusion. You can PM me Thanks.
Bill Ross
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Re: The Words Συντελεία and Τέλος in Mt 24

Post by Bill Ross »

Consider an English speaker might use two English cognates, "end" and "ending".

In the first situation one reaches the extremity and the movie is over. "Okay, let's go because that was the end".

But in the other situation one reaches to the finale: "We'll find out who killed Colonel Mustard in the ending".

If I were composing the examples above is one koine cognate more appropriate than the other? The reason I ask is that I notice that Daniel 9:27 uses συντέλεια to describe what may or may not refer to an "ending"
Brenton LXX Dan 9:27 And one week shall establish the covenant with many: and in the midst of the week my sacrifice and drink-offering shall be taken away: and on the temple the abomination of desolations; and at the end of time an end shall be put to the desolation.

καὶ δυναμώσει διαθήκην πολλοῖς ἑβδομὰς μία καὶ ἐν τῷ ἡμίσει τῆς ἑβδομάδος ἀρθήσεταί μου θυσία καὶ σπονδή καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ ἱερὸν βδέλυγμα τῶν ἐρημώσεων καὶ ἕως **συντελείας** καιροῦ **συντέλεια** δοθήσεται ἐπὶ τὴν ἐρήμωσιν

Confirmabit autem pactum multis hebdomada una: et in dimidio hebdomadis deficiet hostia et sacrificium: (s) et erit in templo abominatio desolationis: et usque ad **consummationem et finem** perseverabit desolatio.
The masoretic has כָּלָה:

Image

https://www.blueletterbible.org/lxx/dan ... onc_859027

...which seems to be translating either (though someone who knows a Piel from a peel might be able to discern). It seems to be saying "the ending of the time of the end" or something to that effect.

So my question is, do either of the cognates we're discussion lend themselves more to a terminus and which to a final "ending"?
What I lack in youth I make up for in immaturity.
Barry Hofstetter
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Re: The Words Συντελεία and Τέλος in Mt 24

Post by Barry Hofstetter »

Bill, I think they are essential synonyms, although both the Greek and Latin translations are quite interesting. However:

וְהִגְבִּ֥יר בְּרִ֛ית לָרַבִּ֖ים שָׁב֣וּעַ אֶחָ֑ד וַחֲצִ֨י הַשָּׁב֜וּעַ יַשְׁבִּ֣ית׀ זֶ֣בַח וּמִנְחָ֗ה וְעַ֨ל כְּנַ֤ף שִׁקּוּצִים֙ מְשֹׁמֵ֔ם וְעַד־כָּלָה֙ וְנֶ֣חֱרָצָ֔ה תִּתַּ֖ךְ עַל־שֹׁמֵֽם

כָּלָה֙ is actually "destruction, desolation, and the word meaning end is יַשְׁבִּ֣ית from שָׁבַת, and וְנֶ֣חֱרָצָ֔ה from חָרַץ.
N.E. Barry Hofstetter, M.A., Th.M.
Ph.D. Student U of FL
Instructor of Latin
Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy
καὶ σὺ τὸ σὸν ποιήσεις κἀγὼ τὸ ἐμόν. ἆρον τὸ σὸν καὶ ὕπαγε.
Bill Ross
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Re: The Words Συντελεία and Τέλος in Mt 24

Post by Bill Ross »

Barry Hofstetter wrote: January 17th, 2019, 12:13 pm Bill, I think they are essential synonyms, although both the Greek and Latin translations are quite interesting. However:

וְהִגְבִּ֥יר בְּרִ֛ית לָרַבִּ֖ים שָׁב֣וּעַ אֶחָ֑ד וַחֲצִ֨י הַשָּׁב֜וּעַ יַשְׁבִּ֣ית׀ זֶ֣בַח וּמִנְחָ֗ה וְעַ֨ל כְּנַ֤ף שִׁקּוּצִים֙ מְשֹׁמֵ֔ם וְעַד־כָּלָה֙ וְנֶ֣חֱרָצָ֔ה תִּתַּ֖ךְ עַל־שֹׁמֵֽם

כָּלָה֙ is actually "destruction, desolation, and the word meaning end is יַשְׁבִּ֣ית from שָׁבַת, and וְנֶ֣חֱרָצָ֔ה from חָרַץ.
That's an eye opener, thanks!
What I lack in youth I make up for in immaturity.
Bill Ross
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Re: The Words Συντελεία and Τέλος in Mt 24

Post by Bill Ross »

One important distinction between συντελείας and Τέλος I have discovered since posting this question (from http://jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/ ... t-feast-of) is that συντελείας "ἡ ἑορτὴ συντελείας" was how the "feast of tents" was referred to. I find this association very eschatologically significant. It is also used twice in Dan 9:27. This is not really a feature of the words, just their Jewish associations I guess.
What I lack in youth I make up for in immaturity.
Bill Ross
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Re: The Words Συντελεία and Τέλος in Mt 24

Post by Bill Ross »

The Feast of Tabernacles relates to a harvest. IE: suntelia seems to be a harvest.
What I lack in youth I make up for in immaturity.
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