A Reexamination of τάσσω in Acts 13.48: “Enrolled,” “Appointed,” or “Arranged”?

Abstract

Most commentaries interpret Acts 13.48 as a strongly predestinarian verse. Key to this reading is the perfect passive participle τεταγµένοι. Modern translations frequently translate the word with the equivalent of “to appoint,” “to ordain,” or “to choose.” Typically, God is understood as the unstated active agent of this participle form of τάσσω, which results in a translation of “as many as were appointed to eternal life believed” (ESV). Often the biblical concept of enrollment in the Book of Life is woven into explanations. In this article, the evidence for this interpretation and translation is critically evaluated and demonstrated to be problematic to support the typical understanding. Instead, by examining the semantic range of τάσσω and the discourse context, the following translation has better lexical and contextual merit. The thesis is that Acts 13.48b should be understood as, “they believed, as many as were arranged by Paul for eternal life, specifically the Gospel.”

Luke’s editorial comment in Acts 13.48b concerning the Gentiles who heard Paul’s sermon at Pisidian Antioch has played a role in systematic theologies’ presentation of God’s election of individuals to salvation that far outweighs its apparent emphasis in Luke’s overall portrayal of the events. ¹ C. K. Barrett (2004, 658) states, “The present verse is as unqualified a statement of absolute predestination … as is found anywhere in the NT.” ESV reflects the typical English translation: “And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.” ² The focus is this last phrase, ὅσοι ἦσαν τεταγµένοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον “as many as were appointed to eternal life.”

Commentary discussions generally conclude that God is the one who appoints individual Gentiles from the crowd to eternal salvation. ³ Of the nineteen commentaries or handbooks examined, thirteen concluded that Luke presents God as choosing individuals to be saved. ⁴ Only one commentator, Joseph Fitzmyer (2007, 521–22), seemed to conclude that Luke was not presenting God as choosing individuals to salvation. ⁵ One came to no conclusion (Marshall 2008, 231), and four did not discuss the topic. ⁶

When issues of syntax and grammar are discussed, they tend to be about whether the perfect participle, τεταγµένοι, is passive or middle voice, and whether the same word, τάσσω, has the meaning of “enroll.” None of the commentaries or handbooks surveyed argued for a middle voice for the perfect participle. Several explicitly argued that the participle was passive voice, and that God was the active agent even though that is not clearly stated by Luke. ⁷ There were also several that favorably discussed the meaning of “to enroll.” ⁸ This is a curious option because it is not found as part of the semantic range of τάσσω listed in the surveyed lexica. ⁹ In using this option as a definition, interpreters import the concept of being written in God’s rolls or God’s heavenly Book of Life. Furthermore, only four of the commentators referred to a lexicon, and of those, only two provided information about the semantic range of τάσσω. ¹⁰ Most striking is that not one commentary attempted to define the word τάσσω or explain its meaning in Acts 13.48 by appeal to its immediate discourse context.

The above presentation demonstrates the need for a textual analysis of Acts 13.48 within its immediate discourse and informed by the semantic range of τάσσω. Within the following analysis, I will examine the semantic range of τάσσω and critically evaluate the option of “to enroll” as a meaning for τάσσω. Furthermore, three observations drawn from the immediate discourse context prove critical for a reevaluation of this verse: first, the defining role of Paul’s missionary strategy of “Jew first, then Gentile”; second, Paul as the active agent of the perfect passive participle τεταγµένοι will be argued; third, the phrase “eternal life” will be explicated by its only other use in Acts at 13.46.

The semantic range of τάσσω

Concerning the semantic range for τάσσω, LSJ provides three options. ¹¹ First, τάσσω can mean to “draw up in order of battle, form, array, marshal.” Second, τάσσω can mean to “appoint to any service, military or civil.” Third, τάσσω can mean to “place in a certain order or relative position.” BDAG provides two options for the eight uses of the word in the New Testament. ¹² First, τάσσω can mean “to bring about an order of things by arranging, arrange, put in place.” Second, τάσσω can mean “to give instructions as to what must be done, order, fix, determine, appoint.” ¹³ BDAG puts Acts 13.48 under the first option “to order” or “to arrange.” The remaining uses of τάσσω in Acts are organized under the second semantic option. Apparently, many English Bible translations disagree with BDAG at this point because “to appoint” is the more common English translation option. In fact, I have not found any English translations which opt for “to arrange.”

Furthermore, τάσσω is not used in Paul’s literature to discuss predestination. Paul uses the word προορίζω when he makes a claim about something chosen beforehand. ¹⁴ Luke also uses προορίζω in Acts 4.28. In this verse, the early church acknowledges in their prayer that God implemented his plan which he chose ahead of time (i.e., predestined) to occur. Clearly, προορίζω does not have the meaning of individuals and their eternal state in Acts 4.28. It is noteworthy that Luke uses προορίζω in Acts 4.28, and yet he does not use the same word when discussing the Gentiles’ salvation in Acts 13.48. If Luke had used προορίζω in Acts 13.48, it would have tethered the verse to the early church’s claim of God’s predestined plan in a way that would have more clearly communicated individual predestination to salvation. Final arbitration of the meaning of τάσσω lies with the immediate context; however, before moving to that discussion we must examine the suggestion several commentators make that τάσσω is akin “to enroll.”

As noted previously, several commentators explain τάσσω by appealing to the notion of enrollment in God’s heavenly Book of Life. Two of the commentators provide a limited lexical argument to support this opinion. Of the six commentators cited above, four mention the option of “to enroll” without argument (either lexical or contextual). For example, Barrett (2004, 659), after discussing the verse’s meaning as God’s predestination of individuals to salvation, then provides the comment, “Luke’s language is Jewish. For the notion of enrollment in God’s book of the saved,” and then provides a list of Old Testament, pseudepigraphal, and rabbinic sources which reference the heavenly Book of Life. Barrett does not clearly express why these passages are relevant or how they inform his understanding of this verse in this context. In a similar way, so also Bock (2007, 465), Holladay (2016, 282), and Schnabel (2012, 589) present their positions.

Two commentators do provide some evidence for why “to enroll” is relevant to this passage and why the heavenly Book of Life is conceptually helpful. Keener (2012, 2101) states, “The phrase ‘appointed’ applies to ‘enrollment’ in papyri, relevant in view of the perspective in Luke 10.20. One may think of the Book of Life in early Jewish literature.” Although this is brief, two footnotes provide clarification. In regard to the papyri, he refers readers to the commentaries of Bruce (1988) and Lake and Cadbury (1979). In regard to the Book of Life, he presents similar texts as found in Barrett (2004), Bock (2007), Holladay (2016), and Schnabel (2012). Clearly this is not an extensive argument, and readers must refer to the other referenced commentaries to see the supposed connections in the papyri which link τάσσω with “to enroll” and the Book of Life.

Bruce provides the most significant evidence relating τάσσω with “to enroll” despite being brief as well. Bruce (1988, 267) comments:

Distasteful as this announcement was to the synagogue leaders, it was joyful news to the Gentiles who heard it, and many of them believed the gospel—all, in fact, who had been enrolled for eternal life in the records of heaven (for this appears to be the sense of the words here used).

In a footnote, Bruce (1988, 267n111) provides evidence for his assertion:

The Greek participle is τεταγµένοι from τάσσω, and there is papyrus evidence for the use of this verb in the sense of “inscribe” or “enroll” (cf. ὁρισµὸν ἔταξας, “thou hast signed a decree,” in Theodotion’s version of Dan. 6:12). The idea of being enrolled in the book of life or the like is found in several biblical contexts (e.g., Ex. 32:32-33; Ps 69 [LXX 68]: 28; Isa. 4:3; Dan 12:1; Luke 10:20; Phil. 4:3; Rev. 13:8; 17:8; 20:12-15; 21:27), in the pseudepigrapha (e.g., Jub. 30:20; 1 Enoch 47:3; 104:1; 108:3), and in rabbinical literature (e.g., TJ Rosh ha-Shanah 1.9a; TB Rosh ha-Shanah 16b). The Targum of Jonathan on Isa. 4:3 (“written among the living”) explains this as being “written for the life of the age to come” (i.e., eternal life).

The full footnote has been cited so that the limited evidence can be evaluated. ¹⁵ First, after the initial sentence, no other evidence supports a reading of τάσσω meaning “to enroll.” The remainder of the note is a list of the same sources cited in the previous commentaries which merely refer to the Book of Life or some other heavenly record. In other words, none of the references is intended to demonstrate that τάσσω means “to enroll.” In fact, not one of the biblical references even has the word τάσσω in it. The references are merely provided so that readers can investigate further the language of being written in the Book of Life, which has no stated connection to τάσσω. There is no attempt to argue for a connection between the biblical concept of the Book of Life and τάσσω, or with Acts 13.48.

Second, the only papyrus evidence that Bruce provides is from Theodotion’s translation of Dan 6.12. However, this reference does not support Bruce’s argument. The Greek word τάσσω is used; however, its meaning in this context is clearly “to appoint” and not “to enroll.” The English translation “to enroll” does not make sense in the context and would be a poor translation.

καὶ προσελθόντες λέγουσιν τῷ βασιλεῖ βασιλεῦ οὐχ ὁρισµὸν ἔταξας ὅπως πᾶς ἄνθρωπος ὃς ἂν αἰτήσῃ παρὰ παντὸς θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπου αἴτηµα ἕως ἡµερῶν τριάκοντα ἀλλ᾽ ἢ παρὰ σοῦ βασιλεῦ ἐµβληθήσεται εἰς τὸν λάκκον τῶν λεόντων

The New English Translation of the Septuagint (NETS; Pietersma and Wright 2007) provides a helpful English translation:

And they approached the king and said, “O king! Did you not post an interdict, that any person who makes a request of any god or human, for thirty days, except of you, O king, will be thrown into the lions’ pit?”

The translator for Theodotion Daniel in NETS, Timothy McLay, has used the verb “to post” (“did you not post an interdict”), which is a comparable English option for “did you not appoint an interdict.” ¹⁶ This option fits well with BDAG’s second semantic option of “to give instructions as to what must be done, order, fix, determine, appoint.” However, the option of “to enroll” does not make sense. One wonders what would be meant if τάσσω were translated “to enroll” in this verse: “did you not enroll an interdict?” Furthermore, even the brief translation that Bruce provides does not support his own argument. In his footnote he translates the Greek as “thou hast signed a decree.” This is an understandable English translation, but it does not demonstrate how τάσσω could be “to enroll.” Thus, we see that Bruce’s one piece of evidence is not valid. The word τάσσω does not mean “to enroll,” nor should it be connected with the biblical concept of the Book of Life. ¹⁷ We now turn to the most important arbiter of meaning, which is the discourse of Acts 13.13-52.

The discourse role of Acts 13.13-52

The delimitation of the pericope is straightforward. Paul and Barnabas continue to Pisidian Antioch from Perga. The remainder of the narrative focuses on their time in this city until they continue to travel in Acts 14.1. Acts 13.13-52 provides our first detailed look into Paul’s message, presentation of Jesus, and mission method.

Beginning with the mission method of Paul, it is important to recall Luke’s rhetorical arrangement of the preceding narratives. Paul meets the risen Jesus and is given a commission to go to the Gentiles (Acts 9.15). Next, Luke tells of Peter’s vision and Cornelius’s conversion (Acts 10.44-48). These narratives prepare the reader for Paul’s first missionary journey which begins the motif of increasing Jewish rejection and increasing Gentile acceptance of the Gospel that is found in the remainder of the book.

Concerning Paul’s presentation of Jesus and the Gospel, Acts 13.13-52 is our first detailed look at Paul’s argument to a Jewish audience concerning Jesus’ death and resurrection. Previous details of Paul’s ministry have been summarized by Luke. For example, Paul’s ministry in Cyprus is characterized as “proclaiming the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews” (Acts 13.5 ESV). As a result of their rebuke of the Jewish false prophet Bar-Jesus, a Gentile, proconsul Sergius Paulus, believes their message (Acts 13.12). Even though the details of their message are omitted, this narrative foreshadows the next pericope where Jewish rejection precedes Gentile salvation.

In Acts 13.13-52 Paul connects Jesus to God’s work with Israel and with her leaders (Acts 13.20-22). Paul’s message culminates in the Jerusalem rulers killing Jesus and God raising Jesus from the dead, through which he brings forgiveness of sins (Acts 13.38-39). Paul’s final comment is a warning not to reject the resurrected Jesus and consequently miss out on what God is presently doing (Acts 13.41). This first scene ends positively with many Jews and “devout converts to Judaism” (ESV, CEB, NIV, NLT, NRSV; “God-fearing proselytes” NET, NASB) interested in hearing further. The second scene informs us that the next Sabbath, almost the entire city showed up to hear Paul. Thus, the positive ending of the first scene is continued, and the spread of excitement has moved the predominantly Gentile city. Immediately, this positive excitement among the Gentiles creates the plot’s major conflict. The Jews are filled with jealousy and turn against Paul and his message of “eternal life” through Jesus. Luke has previously referred to jealousy as a motivation for Jewish rejection of the message of Jesus (Acts 5.17; 13.45). At this point in the narrative, we make our first of three key observations which inform a contextual reading of τάσσω in Acts 13.48.

First, Paul responds to Jewish rejection by stating his mission method: to go to the Jews first and then the Gentiles (Acts 13.46). What Luke has foreshadowed is now made explicit. God revealed to Ananias that Paul would go to Gentiles (Acts 9.15). Also, in Cyprus, Paul goes to the Jewish synagogues prior to Sergius Paulus, a Gentile, coming to faith. Now, Paul explicitly summarizes his mission’s strategy to go first to the Jewish people in each city he visits, and then to the Gentiles. This strategy is emphasized repeatedly throughout the remainder of the book (14.1; 17.1, 10; 18.4, 19; 19.8-10; 26.23; 28.24-28). Notably, Luke ends his work by emphasizing this very theme. In Acts 28.25-28, after the Jewish audience disagrees about whether to believe Paul’s message, Paul quotes Isa 6.9-10 and explains that he will bring this message to the Gentiles. Acts 28.25-28 is not the beginning of the Gentile mission. Readers are aware that Paul’s repeatedly enacted method has been Jews first and then Gentiles all along. ¹⁸ Thus, Luke clearly articulates this theme through the words of Paul that will reverberate for the entirety of the book.

There are many ways that Paul could have fulfilled his vocation before God. The explicit strategy stated in Acts 13.46 appears to be a strategy on which Paul decided. It is not apparent in Acts that God determined that Paul should go to the Jews first and then the Gentiles; it appears to be Paul’s decision. Furthermore, Paul’s decision is informed by his view of Israel’s mission in Isa 49.6 (Acts 13.47). Israel was to be a light to the nations; since the Jewish people have judged themselves unworthy (at least in Pisidian Antioch), Paul will fulfill this role on behalf of Israel. ¹⁹ This is relevant for two reasons. The mission method’s continued repetition either through Paul’s speech or Luke’s narration throughout Acts demonstrates the foundational nature of these verses to establish this theme. Luke emphasizes Paul’s mission strategy by reporting Paul’s declaration of it and his defense of it by applying Isa 49.6. Furthermore, specifically in Acts 13.13-52, Paul arranges his message of Jesus strategically to be to the Jews first in Pisidian Antioch, and then to the Gentiles second. Thus, Paul exemplifies the order of his presentation of the Gospel. Although the word τάσσω is not used in Acts 13.46-47, the arrangement of Jew first then Gentile is clearly Paul’s (and Luke’s) point and immediately precedes the use of τάσσω in Acts 13.48.

The second key observation is closely related to the first but concerns the syntax of the verb. The Greek participle τεταγµένοι is perfect tense and is part of a periphrastic construction with the copular verb ἦσαν. The combination of the imperfect active main verb plus the perfect tense participle equals a single portrayal of the action as pluperfect, “had arranged” (Blass et al. 1961, §352; Wallace 1996, 647–50). In other words, Luke alerts readers that this action occurred in the past and has effects that have occurred in the past, although, not necessarily into the present action (Wallace 1996, 583). However, who is doing this action?

The perfect participle, τεταγµένοι, could be either in the passive or middle voice. Both passive and middle voices have the same form in the perfect participle, thus, context and lexeme determine which voice is intended. A decision here is difficult to make. If the middle voice is intended, then Luke portrays the action as the Gentiles being the agents who “had arranged” to eternal life. The Gentiles believed after they “had arranged [themselves]” to eternal life presumably by showing up to hear Paul speak. ²⁰ Luke possibly signals this meaning by connecting the “had arranged” to their belief (Acts 13.48). They “had arranged [themselves] to eternal life” which signals a past action with past results (i.e., they had shown up to hear Paul and were, thus, present), and this activity preceded their believing the “good news” (Acts 13.32). Thus, a translation might be, “[the Gentiles] believed, as many as were present” or “as many as had attended.” This is a plausible option.

On the other hand, if the participle is passive voice, then what is not expressly stated in the text is the identity of the active agent who is doing the arranging to the Gentiles. ²¹ If we ask the question “who is doing the arranging?” in light of the first observation made concerning Paul’s mission method, then we find that Luke has guided readers concerning how Gentiles “had been arranged” (τεταγµένοι) by giving multiple statements about Paul’s mission method (Acts 13.46-47). Readers do not have to search the context to find the agent. It is Paul. Paul has already stated that he intentionally came to the Jews first (Acts 13.46). Furthermore, Paul clearly states that because of Jewish rejection, he will now go to the Gentiles (Acts 13.46). ²² After Paul quotes Isa 49.6 to attach his ministry to Israel’s OT calling to be a light to the Gentiles, Luke observes that the Gentiles were rejoicing and believed, as many as “had been arranged” by Paul. This group of Gentiles is specifically defined as those who came to hear Paul (as distinct from those Gentiles who did not attend), and those to whom Paul preached. ²³ Although both middle and passive voice translations are grammatically possible, the contextual evidence favors the passive voice due to Paul’s statements about his mission method in Acts 13.46-47, which immediately precedes 13.48. Luke seems intent to alert readers to Paul’s mission method of order and arrangement to provide context for τάσσω.

The present proposal that Paul did the arranging brings to bear a clear option in the semantic range of τάσσω “to arrange” and Paul’s mission strategy that is stated by Paul and referred to by Luke. Therefore, an expanded translation of the verse would be, “and the Gentiles, after hearing this, were rejoicing, and they were glorifying the word of the Lord, and they believed, as many as had been arranged [by Paul] to eternal life” or “as many as Paul had arranged to eternal life.”

The above conclusion raises a question and brings us to our third observation to determine the meaning of τάσσω based on the discourse. If Paul is the active agent arranging the Gentiles to be second for eternal life, then how should we understand the phrase “eternal life”? This phrase is only used twice in the book of Acts: 13.46 and 13.48. ²⁴ The limited use of this phrase in the entire book and the proximity of the only two uses in the book beg readers to interpret them in light of one another. It is tempting to import meaning into this phrase as if it refers to unending life, forgiveness, or life in the eschaton (Schnabel 2012, 588). However, the Jewish people were neither rejecting forgiveness in Acts 13.46, nor were they rejecting their future hope in the resurrection of the dead. They did not reject the benefits of salvation. They rejected Paul’s means of attaining those blessings (i.e., Jesus’ death and resurrection) because of Gentile participation in those blessings. In other words, they were rejecting Jesus the Christ as the one who provides those blessings for both Jew and Gentile. They rejected the Gospel.

The initial use of this phrase by Paul to describe the Jewish rejection of Jesus and the second use of this phrase by Luke the narrator in regard to the Gentiles’ response connects them together and invites readers to contrast these two audiences and their reactions. Luke picks up on Paul’s use of the phrase “eternal life” (Acts 13.48) to connect back to Paul’s condemnation of the Jewish audience’s rejection of the Gospel—specifically the message of Jesus as the means to attain eternal life (Acts 13.46). The referent of Luke’s use of “eternal life” (Acts 13.48) is the same as Paul’s use in Acts 13.46. The Jewish audience rejected “eternal life,” in other words, they rejected Jesus as the resurrected Messiah, that is, the Gospel. Since Paul’s focus then shifts to the Gentiles, Luke portrays this shift by Paul’s arrangement of the Gentiles to “eternal life” (i.e., the Gospel). Luke describes the arrangement of the Gentiles and the acceptance of the Gospel by intentionally framing it with the same phrase that Paul used of the Jews rejection of the Gospel. Thus, the phrase “eternal life” is used as a shorthand for the Gospel message of King Jesus’ death for sin and his resurrection (Acts 13.28-32a, 46).

“Eternal life” is not the only shorthand for the Gospel in this passage. Three times, Luke uses the phrase the “word of the Lord” (Acts 13.44, 48, 49). What might be the referent of this phrase? It seems clear that the referent of the “word of the Lord” is Paul’s message of Jesus’ death and resurrection for sin, that is, the Gospel. This exact phrase (ὁ λόγος τοῦ κυρίου) is used repeatedly in Acts (8.25; 15.35, 36; 16.32; 19.10) consistently to refer to the Gospel. Thus, Paul preaches the “word of the Lord” (i.e., the Gospel; Acts 13.44), then points out that first the Jewish audience must hear the “word of God” (i.e., the Gospel; Acts 13.46), and then judge themselves unworthy of “eternal life” (i.e., the Gospel). Luke utilizes similar terminology in his narratorial comments (Acts 13.48-49) when he states that the “word of the Lord” (i.e., the Gospel) was glorified because of the belief of the Gentiles, those who had been arranged by Paul for “eternal life” (i.e., the Gospel). Luke’s entire phrase “as many as had been arranged to eternal life” appears to hearken back to Acts 13.46 (“it was necessary the word of God be spoken first to you … [you] judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life”) in two ways: it points to mission method (arrangement) and the Gospel.

Furthermore, Paul characterizes the Jewish rebellion as “you reject” (ἀπωθεῖσθε) and “you do not judge yourselves worthy” (οὐκ ἀξίους κρίνετε ἑαυτοὺς) in Acts 13.46. ²⁵ The first characteristic clearly portrays the Jewish audience as active and responsible; the second characteristic is clearly a reflexive action. The Jewish audience is doing this to themselves. There is no predestination of their rejection in this passage. ²⁶ Their response is part of Paul’s “turning to the Gentiles” in his mission order which causes the Gentiles to rejoice. By way of contrast, the context clearly mentions that the Gentiles believed Paul’s message in 13.48; therefore, readers are to understand that the Gentiles’ faith is a result of Paul’s clear offer of the Gospel to them. Thus, “they believed, as many as had been arranged [by Paul] to eternal life [i.e., the Gospel].”

Suggested English translation

If the argument above is persuasive, then a formal English translation of Acts 13.48, which captures the above conclusions, could be rendered as, “And the Gentiles, after hearing this, were rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and they believed, as many as were arranged by Paul to eternal life, specifically the Gospel.” By this translation, both Luke’s intentional reuse of “eternal life” and Paul’s missionary method are emphasized. However, if translators desire a more dynamic translation of the final phrase, then the following may be more appropriate: “they believed, the many Gentiles to whom Paul proclaimed the Gospel.” This option hides the difficulties discussed in this article but does replicate the meaning of the verse argued in this article. Paul preached to Jews first and then to Gentiles, and Luke uses Paul’s phrase “eternal life” to point to the Gospel message.

Conclusion

Bruce’s (1998, 267) statement that “There is no good reason for weakening the predestinarian note here” is challenged by the preceding discussion. Several good reasons exist which undermine a translation of “to ordain” for τάσσω in Acts 13.48: First, the semantic range of τάσσω does not encompass the actions of “to enroll,” “to choose,” or “to choose beforehand.” There is no exegetical reason to entertain passages relating the Book of Life to Acts 13.48. Second, the context of the immediate discourse provides a clear context in which to understand τάσσω as “to arrange,” which is in line with various lexica. Third, there is no exegetical reason to understand God as the active agent of the passive participle of τάσσω; however, there is immediate contextual evidence in the discourse for Paul as the active agent of the passive participle. This decision to read Paul as the active agent is confirmed by the motif of Paul’s mission method found repeated throughout the book. Fourth, by defining the phrase “eternal life” in coordination with its only other usage (Acts 13.46), we see that Luke focuses readers on rejection or acceptance of the Gospel message. The proposed expanded translation argued in this article for Acts 13.48b is that “they believed, as many as had been arranged by Paul to eternal life, specifically the Gospel,” or simply a translation which reflects the meaning clearly: “they believed, the many Gentiles to whom Paul proclaimed the Gospel.” ²⁷