Like our phrase, in church . For pantote always, read pantev all. Sunercontai is rather come together, assemble . Rev., where all the Jews come together. Literally, gave a blow.
Interpreters differ as to whether it was a blow with a rod , or with the hand .
The kindred verb rJapizw, from rJapiv, a rod , is etymologically related to rJabdizw, from rJabdov, a rod , and occurs Matt. This latter passage, however, leaves the question open, since, if the meaning to smite with a rod can be defended , there is nothing to prevent its being understood there in that sense. The earlier meaning of the word was, undoubtedly, according to its etymology, to smite with a rod . So Herodotus of Xerxes. It passes, in classical Greek , from this meaning to that of a light blow with the hand .