### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **kathédra**, represented by `{{G2515}}`, is defined as a bench or **seat**, used in both a literal and figurative sense. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible, signifying a place of sitting that can represent either simple furniture or a position of established authority.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{G2515}}` is used in two key contexts. Literally, it refers to the furniture used by vendors in the temple. Jesus, in cleansing the temple, "overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the **seats** of them that sold doves" ([[Matthew 21:12]]; [[Mark 11:15]]). Figuratively, the term denotes a position of teaching authority, as when Jesus states, "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' **seat**" [[Matthew 23:2]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words expand upon the concept of sitting and placement:
* `{{G2523}}` **kathízō**: This word means "to seat down, i.e. set (figuratively, appoint); intransitively, to sit (down)". It is used directly with `{{G2515}}` to describe how the Pharisees **sit** in Moses' seat [[Matthew 23:2]]. It also describes Christ being **set down** at the right hand of God [[Hebrews 12:2]].
* `{{G5132}}` **trápeza**: This term for a **table** or counter appears alongside `{{G2515}}` in the temple cleansing accounts. Jesus overthrew both the **tables** of the moneychangers and the seats of the dove sellers, linking the two items to the commerce taking place [[Matthew 21:12]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G2515}}` is centered on the concept of authority and its proper place.
* **Seat of Religious Authority:** The use of "Moses' **seat**" establishes a powerful metaphor for the source of teaching authority within Judaism [[Matthew 23:2]]. To occupy this **seat** was to claim the mantle of interpreting and teaching the law.
* **Profane vs. Sacred Space:** By overturning the **seats** of the vendors in the temple, Jesus makes a strong statement against the profaning of a holy place with commerce [[Matthew 21:12]]. The **seat** symbolizes an illegitimate and disrespectful establishment within God's house.
### Summary
In summary, `{{G2515}}` is more than a reference to a simple bench. It is a word that carries significant symbolic meaning, representing a position or an establishment. Whether referring to the literal **seat** of a vendor in the temple or the figurative **seat** of a religious leader, the term forces a consideration of what is appropriate and authoritative in a given context.
TRV