John 9:22

Verse

Ταῦτα εἶπον οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐφοβοῦντο τοὺς Ἰουδαίους· ἤδη γὰρ συνετέθειντο οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, ἵνα ἐάν τις αὐτὸν ὁμολογήσῃ Χριστόν, ἀποσυνάγωγος γένηται.

RBT Greek Interlinear:

3778; Tauta; Ταῦτα; these ones; DPro-ANP

2036; eipan; εἶπαν; they said; V-AIA-3P

3588; hoi; οἱ; the; Art-NMP

1118; goneis; γονεῖς; parents; N-NMP

846; autou; αὐτοῦ; himself; PPro-GM3S

3754; hoti; ὅτι; that; Conj

5399; ephobounto; ἐφοβοῦντο; were afraid of; V-IIM/P-3P

3588; tous; τοὺς; the; Art-AMP

2453; Ioudaious; Ἰουδαίους; Casters; Adj-AMP

2235; ēdē; ἤδη; already; Adv

1063; gar; γὰρ; for; Conj

4934; synetetheinto; συνετέθειντο; had agreed together; V-LIM-3P

3588; hoi; οἱ; the; Art-NMP

2453; Ioudaioi; Ἰουδαῖοι; Casters; Adj-NMP

2443; hina; ἵνα; so that; Conj

1437; ean; ἐάν; if; Conj

5100; tis; τις; anyone; IPro-NMS

846; auton; αὐτὸν; himself; PPro-AM3S

3670; homologēsē; ὁμολογήσῃ; shall confess; V-ASA-3S

5547; Christon; Χριστόν; Christ; N-AMS

656; aposynagōgos; ἀποσυνάγωγος; expelled from the synagogue; Adj-NMS

1096; genētai; γένηται; He might become; V-ASM-3S

RBT Translation:

These ones spoke the begetters of himself, because they feared the Casters. For already now the Casters had placed-together so that if anyone confesses himself Anointed one [Christ], he might become gathered-away.⁹¹

LITV Translation:
His parents said these things because they feared the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Him as Christ, he would be expelled from the synagogue.

ESV Translation:
(His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.)

Footnotes

91

Gathered Away

Strongs NT #656 ἀποσυνάγωγος (aposunagógos). This is another NT coined term. Broken down we have:

1. "ἀπό" (apo) - indicating "away from" or "from."
2. "συνάγωγος" (synagōgos) - meaning "gathered together" or "assembled."

The literal meaning therefore would be "gathered away", or "assembled away." 

In various instances in the New Testament, where unconventional concepts of "The Whole" or "The Beyond" are discussed, scholars have observed the creation or adaptation of words to articulate these ideas within the linguistic framework of Koine Greek. This phenomenon is evident in the formation of neologisms or specialized vocabulary to express theological or philosophical concepts unique to early NT thought. These innovative word formations served to convey nuanced meanings and distinguish their teachings from prevailing cultural or religious norms of the time. Examples include terms like this one, "ἀποσυνάγωγος" (aposynagōgos) in John 9:22, which has been interpreted to mean someone "expelled from the synagogue." But such a concept does not need a new word.

Ancient Greek had readily available language to convey such an idea:

1. "ἐκβολή ἀπὸ τῆς συναγωγῆς" (ekbolē apò tēs synagōgēs) - meaning "cast out from the synagogue."
2. "ἐκτροπή ἀπὸ τῆς συναγωγῆς" (ektropē apò tēs synagōgēs) - meaning "banishment from the synagogue."
3. "ἐκκλεισμός ἀπὸ τῆς συναγωγῆς" (ekkleismós apò tēs synagōgēs) - meaning "exclusion from the synagogue."

But John opts to create a new word: aposunagógos "gathered away." Why? With the Whole of darkness and the Whole of the Eternal One in mind, we can deduce that it meant gathered away from the whole of the dark one. The writers of the NT undoubtably understood the mysteries of the Hebrew texts and therefore understood in particular the meaning behind the Hebrew word אָסַף asaph meaning "gather, take away, remove" and its use in terms of those such as Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, and Jacob/Israel of whom it was written,

"And he is breathing out, and he is dying, and he is being gathered toward his people."