Bible Dictionary
COMMIT
To commit means either to entrust something or someone to another’s care, or to practice an action, especially sinful conduct. Biblical context determines whether the emphasis is faithful stewardship or repeated wrongdoing.
Definition
To commit may mean to give something into another’s charge or entrust it for preservation. It may also mean to do or practice something, especially sinful conduct.
Biblical Usage
Scripture speaks of committing the word of reconciliation or a good deposit to someone’s care. In other passages, “commit sin” denotes practicing sin, not merely performing one isolated sinful act.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>ko-mit': Used in two senses:</p><p>(1) "To give in charge" or "entrust": sim, "to put" (Job 5:8); galal, "to roll" (Ps 37:5; Pr 16:3); paqadh, "to give, in charge" (Ps 31:5 the King James Version; compare Lu 23:46); tithemi, "committed to us (the Revised Version, margin "placed in us") the word of reconciliation" (2Co 5:19); paratheke, "that which I have committed unto him" (2Ti 1:12; the Revised Version, margin "that which he hath committed unto me," Greek "my deposit"); "that which is committed unto thee" (1Ti 6:20, Greek "the deposit"); "that good thing," etc. (2Ti 1:14, Greek "the good deposit").</p><p>(2) "To do or practice (evil)": prasso "commit such things" (Ro 1:32, the Revised Version (British and American) "practice"; compare Ro 2:2). In 1Jo 3:4,8 "doeth sin" (poieo, the King James Version "committeth sin") shows that it is not committing a single sin that is in view, but sinful practice.</p><p>W. L. Walker</p>