Ruler

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

Any society must have some sort of leadership if it is to function effectively. In primitive societies the heads of families provided that leadership ( Genesis 14:14;  Genesis 32:3-6). As societies developed, the leadership came from recognized officials who administered the affairs of the community ( Ruth 4:2). There is great variety in the types of rulers who feature in the Bible, but the Bible consistently encourages God’s people to do what they can to cooperate with their rulers for the good of society as a whole ( Jeremiah 29:7;  Titus 3:1;  1 Peter 2:13-14).

Leadership in Old Testament Israel

Even when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt and had no government of their own, senior men in the community were recognized as leaders ( Exodus 3:16;  Exodus 4:29;  Exodus 12:21). After the establishment of the Israelite nation under Moses, seventy elders were appointed to share the civil leadership with Moses. In the early days of Israel’s national life, these elders served as judges in matters of civil law ( Exodus 18:17-26;  Numbers 11:16-17;  Numbers 11:24-25).

As Israel’s administration developed, elders and judges became two separate groups of officials ( Deuteronomy 21:2;  Deuteronomy 22:15;  Deuteronomy 25:7-8;  Joshua 8:33;  Joshua 20:4;  Judges 11:5;  Micah 7:3;  Zephaniah 3:3-4; see Judge ). Religious affairs, however, were under the control of priests (see Priest ).

God wanted Israel to recognize him as their supreme ruler and to obey his laws. The priests and elders were merely the administrators of those laws. But the people failed to follow God’s laws, and the first few centuries of their national life in Canaan were marked by repeated judgments from God in the form of invasions from neighbouring nations. In response to the people’s repentance, God raised up deliverers from among them to overthrow the enemy and re-establish his rule among them. But the peace was often followed by periods of disobedience, which brought renewed suffering ( Judges 2:13-19; see JUDGES, BOOK OF).

In search of stability, the people asked to have a king to rule over the whole nation, as neighbouring nations had. This was a rejection of God, for it was an attempt by the people to correct their problems by changing from one political system to another, rather than by changing from rebellion against God to obedience ( 1 Samuel 8:4-7; see King ). The people got the monarchy they wanted, though even under the new system of government the elders retained considerable influence in the nation ( 1 Kings 8:1;  1 Kings 20:7;  1 Kings 21:8;  2 Kings 23:1).

After the Jews’ captivity in Babylon and return to their homeland, the Persian overlords appointed prominent Jews to positions of leadership in the nation ( Ezra 7:25-26;  Nehemiah 5:14;  Nehemiah 7:2). During this period religious leaders became more and more involved in civil affairs. Their authority grew rapidly through the function of synagogues that began to appear throughout the country, and through the establishment of a national Jewish council called the Sanhedrin ( Matthew 23:2-4;  Matthew 26:59;  John 7:32;  John 9:22; see Sanhedrin ; Scribes ; Synagogue ).

Conditions in New Testament times

In spite of being under the rule of firstly Greece and then Rome, the Jewish leaders were able to maintain firm control over their people in many of the everyday affairs of life. In New Testament times they had considerable influence with the Roman authorities. In fact, the Jewish leaders were the ones really responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus ( Matthew 27:1-2;  Matthew 27:20;  Acts 4:8-10).

Jesus recognized the authority of civil rulers, though he pointed out that they were responsible to God for the way they used their authority ( Luke 20:25;  John 19:11). Although he refused to use force against unjust treatment ( Matthew 26:52;  John 18:36), Jesus showed, by being outspoken on one occasion and defiantly silent on another, his contempt for the misuse of power ( Luke 13:32;  Luke 23:9). When the rulers put him on trial, his conduct before them showed them clearly that he saw no justice in their actions. Yet he tried neither to escape nor to retaliate. In the end he was executed ( Matthew 27:11-14;  John 19:9-11;  1 Peter 2:23).

Christians likewise must recognize the authority of the civil rulers ( Romans 13:1-7;  1 Peter 2:13-14;  1 Peter 2:17), though they too will at times see the need to speak out against injustice ( Acts 16:37-39;  Acts 25:8-11). Like Jesus they may suffer at the hands of unjust rulers ( Matthew 10:18;  Acts 12:2-3), but they must not return evil for evil ( Romans 12:17-19;  1 Peter 2:20-21;  1 Peter 3:14; see Government ; Justice ).

Because of their loyalty to God, Christians may at times have to disobey laws that are anti-Christian. As a result they may suffer imprisonment and even death ( Acts 5:29;  Acts 5:40-41;  1 Peter 4:16;  Revelation 13:6-7;  Revelation 18:24). Through it all, however, God will be faithful to them, and in the end they will be the victors ( 1 Peter 4:19;  Revelation 2:10-11;  Revelation 20:4; see Martyr ).

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: ἄρχων (Strong'S #758 — Noun Masculine — archon — ar'-khone )

"a ruler, chief, prince," is translated "rulers," e.g., in  1 Corinthians 2:6,8 , RV (AV, "princes"); "ruler,"  Revelation 1:5 (AV, "prince"). See Magistrate , Prince , No. 2.

2: ἀρχή (Strong'S #746 — Noun Feminine — arche — ar-khay' )

"a rule, sovereignty," is rendered "rulers" in  Luke 12:11 , RV (AV, "magistrates"). See Beginning.

3: κοσμοκράτωρ (Strong'S #2888 — Noun Masculine — kosmokrator — kos-mok-rat'-ore )

denotes "a ruler of this world" (contrast pantokrator, "almighty"). In Greek literature, in Orphic hymns, etc., and in rabbinic writings, it signifies a "ruler" of the whole world, a world lord. In the NT it is used in  Ephesians 6:12 , "the world rulers (of this darkness)," RV, AV, "the rulers (of the darkness) of this world." The context ("not against flesh and blood") shows that not earthly potentates are indicated, but spirit powers, who, under the permissive will of God, and in consequence of human sin, exercise satanic and therefore antagonistic authority over the world in its present condition of spiritual darkness and alienation from God. The suggested rendering "the rulers of this dark world" is ambiguous and not phraseologically requisite. Cp.  John 12:31;  14:30;  16:11;  2 Corinthians 4:4 .

4: πολιτάρχης (Strong'S #4173 — Noun Masculine — politarches — pol-it-ar'-khace )

"a ruler of a city" (polis, "a city," archo, "to rule"), "a politarch," is used in  Acts 17:6,8 , of the magistrates in Thessalonica, before whom the Jews, with a mob of market idlers, dragged Jason and other converts, under the charge of showing hospitality to Paul and Silas, and of treasonable designs against the emperor. Thessalonica was a "free" city and the citizens could choose their own politarchs. The accuracy of Luke has been vindicated by the use of the term, for while classical authors use the terms poliarchos and politarchos of similar "rulers," the form used by Luke is supported by inscriptions discovered at Thessalonica, one of which mentions Sosipater, Secundus, and Gaius among the politarchs, names occurring as those of Paul's companions. Prof. Burton of Chicago, in a paper on "The Politarchs," has recorded 17 inscriptions which attest their existence, thirteen of which belong to Macedonia and five presumably to Thessalonica itself, illustrating the influence of Rome in the municipal organization of the place.

5: ἀρχιτρίκλινος (Strong'S #755 — Noun Masculine — architriklinos — ar-khee-tree'-klee-nos )

denotes "the superintendent of a banquet," whose duty lay in arranging the tables and food (arche, "ruler," triklinos, lit., "a room with three couches"),  John 2:8,9 .

 Mark 13:9 Luke 21:12Synagogue.  Matthew 24:45 Matthew 24:47 25:21,23 Luke 12:42,44

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

‘The ruler of the temple’ occurs in  Acts 4:1 AVm[Note: Vm Authorized Version margin.], but is more correctly represented by ‘the captain of the temple’ (Authorized Versionand Revised Version). He was a priest, second in command to the high priest himself, and had under him the officers who commanded the Temple police. His duty was to superintend the priests and Levites who guarded the Temple and its precincts. The word ‘ruler,’ however, generally represents ἄρχων or some derived word, and the general idea behind ἄρχων is that of a magistrate of a city, whereas ἡγεμών, suggests rather a governor of a country (see Government). In  Acts 3:17,  Acts 4:5;  Acts 4:8,  Acts 13:27 ἄρχοντες is used of the Jews in authority who had Jesus put to death, and therefore includes the high priests (cf. R. J. Knowling in Expositor’s Greek Testament, ‘Acts,’ 1900, on  Acts 4:5). In  Acts 4:26,  Acts 7:27;  Acts 7:35 (referred to Moses in Egypt)  Acts 23:5 the word occurs in quotations from the Septuagint. In  Romans 13:3 magistrates (and possibly also governors and the Emperor) are referred to. In  Acts 13:15 rulers of the synagogue are mentioned at Pisidian Antioch. In Asia Minor there is evidence that the title was one of honour, and therefore could be held by more than one person simultaneously; there is a case known of even a woman bearing this title at Smyrna. In Corinth, however ( Acts 18:17), the normal practice of having one ruler of the synagogue with real power appears to have been maintained. In  Acts 14:5 the leading men among the Jews at Iconium are intended, probably including the honorary rulers of the synagogue. In  Acts 16:19 Luke first uses the general term ἄρχοντες, and then the specific στρατηγοί for the two leading Roman magistrates of the colonia Philippi (see under Praetor). In  Acts 17:8, again, it is the leading magistrates of Thessalonica, the πολιτάρχαι, to whom reference is made (see under Magistrate). In  Ephesians 6:12 ‘the rulers of the darkness of this world’ (Authorized Version) might be more exactly rendered ‘the world-rulers of this darkness’ (Revised Version). The reference here is to spiritual powers of evil to which this world is really in bondage, while all the time it falsely asserts its independence of the only true God. This world is the realm of darkness of these powers. References to such powers under various names are frequent in the NT where they are part of the heritage from later Judaism.

A. Souter.

King James Dictionary

RU'LER, n.

1. One that governs, whether emperor, king, pope or governor any one that exercises supreme power over others. 2. One that makes or executes laws in a limited or free government. Thus legislators and magistrates are called rulers. 3. A rule an instrument of wood or metal with straight edges or sides, by which lines are drawn on paper, parchment or other substance. When a ruler has the lines of chords, tangents, sines, &c. it is called a plane scale.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) One who rules; one who exercises sway or authority; a governor.

(2): ( n.) A straight or curved strip of wood, metal, etc., with a smooth edge, used for guiding a pen or pencil in drawing lines. Cf. Rule, n., 7 (a).

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

See Names Of God

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

rōōl´er .

1. In the Old Testament:

(1) משל , mōshēl , "ruler," "prince," "master" (tyrant), applied to Joseph in Egypt (  Genesis 45:8; compare  Psalm 105:21 ); to the Philistines ( Judges 15:11 ); to David's descendants, the future kings of Israel ( 2 Chronicles 7:18; compare  Jeremiah 33:26 ); to Pharaoh ( Psalm 105:20 ); to a wicked prince, a tyrant ( Proverbs 28:15; compare  Isaiah 14:5;  Isaiah 49:7 ); to theocratic king, the Messiah ( Micah 5:2 ); it is often used in general ( Proverbs 6:7;  Proverbs 23:1;  Proverbs 29:12;  Ecclesiastes 10:4;  Isaiah 16:1 , etc.).

(2) נגיד , nāghı̄dh , "leader," "noble" (nobles), "prince." In a number of instances the Revised Version (British and American) renders it "prince," where the King James Version has ruler (  1 Samuel 25:30;  2 Samuel 6:21;  1 Kings 1:35 , etc.). It is used of Azrikam having charge of the palace of King Ahaz ( 2 Chronicles 28:7 , "governor" of the house, the King James Version); of Azariah (Seraiah,  Nehemiah 11:11 ), who is called the "ruler of the house of God" ( 1 Chronicles 9:11; compare  2 Chronicles 31:13 ); he was the leader of a division or group of priests. In  2 Chronicles 35:8 the names of three others are given (Hilkiah, Zechariah and Jehiel).

(3) נשׂיא , nāsı̄' , "prince" (so   Numbers 13:2 , the King James Version "ruler"); generally speaking, the nāsı̄' is one of the public authorities ( Exodus 22:28 ); the rulers of the congregation ( Exodus 16:22; compare  Exodus 34:31 ); "The rulers brought the onyx stones" ( Exodus 35:27 ), as it was to be expected from men of their social standing and financial ability: "when a ruler (the head of a tribe or tribal division) sinneth" ( Leviticus 4:22 ).

(4) סגן , ṣāghān , the representative of a king or a prince; a vice-regent; a governor; then, in the times of Ezra and Nehemiah, a leader or principal of the people of Jerusalem under the general supervision of these two men. The English Versions of the Bible renders it "ruler" (  Ezekiel 23:12 ,  Ezekiel 23:23 ), "deputy" ( Jeremiah 51:23 ,  Jeremiah 51:28 ,  Jeremiah 51:57 ), and, in most cases, "ruler" with "deputy" in margin ( Ezra 9:2;  Nehemiah 2:16;  Nehemiah 4:14 ,  Nehemiah 4:19;  Nehemiah 5:7 ,  Nehemiah 5:17;  Nehemiah 7:5;  Nehemiah 12:40;  Nehemiah 13:11;  Isaiah 41:25;  Ezekiel 23:6 ) always used in plural

(5) קצין , ḳācı̄n , "a judge" or "magistrate" (  Isaiah 1:10;  Isaiah 3:6 ,  Isaiah 3:7;  Isaiah 22:3;  Micah 3:1 ,  Micah 3:9 ); "a military chief" ( Joshua 10:24 ).

(6) רדה , rōdheh , one having dominion: "There is little Benjamin their ruler" (  Psalm 68:27 ); the meaning is obscure; still we may point to the facts that Saul, the first one to conquer the heathen ( 1 Samuel 14:47 f), came of this the smallest of all the tribes, and that within its boundaries the temple of Yahweh was erected.

(7) רוזן , rōzēn , a "dignitary," a "prince." "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh" (  Psalm 2:2 ); in the New Testament the word is rendered árchontes ( Acts 4:26 ).

(8) שׂר , sar , "chief," "head"; prince, king; a nobleman having judicial or other power; a royal officer. The Revised Version (British and American) renders it frequently "prince": "rulers over my cattle" ("head-shepherds,"   Genesis 47:6 ); "rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds," etc. ( Exodus 18:21 ); they had to be men of good character because they were endowed with judicial power ( Exodus 18:22 ); in  Deuteronomy 1:15 the rendering of English Versions of the Bible is captains," etc.; they were military leaders. "Zebul the ruler of the city" (of Shechem,   Judges 9:30 ), meaning "governor" (compare  1 Kings 22:26;  2 Kings 23:8 ); "rulers (or captains; compare  1 Kings 16:9 ) of his (Solomon's) chariots" ( 1 Kings 9:22 ); the rulers of Jezreel ( 2 Kings 10:1 ) were, presumably, the ruler of the palace of the king and the ruler of the city of Samaria (compare  2 Kings 10:5 ). It is difficult to explain why they should be called the rulers of Jezreel; both Septuagint and Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) omit the word; "the rulers of the substance which was king David's" ( 1 Chronicles 27:31 ) overseers of the royal domain; "The rulers were behind all the house of Judah" ( Nehemiah 4:16 ), the officers were ready to assume active command in case of an attack.

(9), (10) שׁלטון , shilṭōn , "a commander," "an officer": "the rulers of the provinces" (  Daniel 3:2 f); שלּיט , shallı̄ṭ , "a person in power," "a potentate" ( Daniel 2:10 ); there seems to be little doubt that the Aramaic term is used as an adjective (compare the Revised Version margin); in  Daniel 5:7 occurs the verb shelaṭ , "to have dominion," "he shall rule as the third in rank" (compare  Daniel 5:16 ,  Daniel 5:29 ).

(11) מגן , māghēn , "shield": "Her rulers (shields) dearly love shame" (  Hosea 4:18 ). Perhaps we ought to read (with Septuagint) migge'ōnām , "their glory," and to translate it "they love shame more than their glory"; they would rather have a good (!) time than a good name.

2. In the Apocrypha:

(1) ἄρχων , árchōn , used of the "rulers" of the Spartans (  1 Maccabees 14:20 ) and, in a general sense, of the priest Mattathias ( 1 Maccabees 2:17 ). the King James Version has the word also in a general sense in  Sirach 41:18 (the Revised Version (British and American) "mighty man").

(2) ὴγούμενος , hēgoúmenos , "one leading the way." A quite general term,   Sirach 10:2 (ruler of a city); 17:17 (of Gentile nations); 46:18 (of the Tyrians). Also 2:17 the King James Version (the Revised Version (British and American) "he that ruleth"), and   Sirach 32:1 the Revised Version (British and American) ("ruler of a feast ," the King James Version "master").

(3) οἱ μεγιστάνες , hoi megistánes , a rare word found only in the plural, for "rulers of the congregation" (  Sirach 33:18 ). The same word in  Mark 6:21 is translated "lords."

(4)  2 Maccabees 4:27 the King James Version for ἐπάρχος , epárchos (the Revised Version (British and American) "governor").

(5) The King James Version inserts the word without Greek equivalent in  1 Maccabees 6:14;  11:57;  2 Maccabees 13:2 .

3. In the New Testament:

(1) ἄρχων , árchōn , "a person in authority," "a magistrate" "a judge," "a prince"; a councilor, a member of the supreme council of the Jews; a man of influence. "There came a ruler" (  Matthew 9:18 ), meaning a ruler of the synagogue (compare  Mark 5:22;  Luke 8:41 ); see (2) below; "one of the rulers of the Pharisees" ( Luke 14:1 ), perhaps a member of the Jewish council belonging, at the same time, to the Pharisees, or, more probably, one of the leading Pharisees; "the chief priests and the rulers" ( Luke 23:13 ,  Luke 23:15;  Luke 24:20; compare  John 3:1;  John 7:26 ,  John 7:48;  John 12:42;  Acts 3:17;  Acts 4:5 ,  Acts 4:8;  Acts 13:27;  Acts 14:5 ); the rulers were, with the chief priests and the scribes, members of the Sanhedrin, either of two councils of the Jews (the Great and the Lesser); they were lay-members (elders); "before the rulers" ( Acts 16:19 ), the police magistrates ( praetores , "praetors") of the city of Philippi; "Thou shalt not speak evil of a ruler of thy people" ( Acts 23:5; compare  Exodus 22:28 , nāsı̄'  ; see 1, (3) above), a magistrate, a person in authority (compare  Acts 7:27 ,  Acts 7:35;  Romans 13:3 , the public authorities); "the rulers of this world" ( 1 Corinthians 2:6 ,  1 Corinthians 2:8 ), persons being mentally superior to their fellow-men, and so having great influence in shaping their opinions and directing their actions.

(2) ἀρχισυνάγωγος , archisunágōgos , "ruler of the synagogue." He was the presiding officer of a board of elders, who had charge of the synagogue. Sometimes they, also, were given the same name (compare "one of the rulers of the synagogue,"   Mark 5:22 ,  Mark 5:35;  Luke 8:41 ,  Luke 8:49; in  Matthew 9:18 Jairus is simply called archōn ); the ruler mentioned in  Luke 13:14 was, of course, the president of the board (compare   Acts 18:17 , Sosthenes), while in  Acts 13:15 the phrase "rulers of the synagogue" simply signifies the board. It was a deliberative body, but at the same time responsible for the maintenance of good order in the synagogue and the orthodoxy of its members; having, therefore, disciplinary power, they were authorized to reprimand, and even to excommunicate, the guilty ones (compare   John 9:22;  John 12:42;  John 16:2 ).

(3) αρχιτρίκλινος , architrı́klinos , the ruler ("steward," the Revised Version margin) of the feast (  John 2:8 ,  John 2:9 ). See separate article.

(4) κοσμοκράτωρ , kosmokrátōr , a "world-ruler" (  Ephesians 6:12 ). The angels of the devil ( Matthew 25:41;  Matthew 12:45 ) or Satan, the prince of this world ( John 12:31 ), participate in his power; they are his tools, their sphere of action being "this darkness," i.e. the morally corrupt state of our present existence.

(5) πολιτάρχης , politárches  ; the prefect of a city (  Acts 17:6 ,  Acts 17:8 ). Luke being the only one of the Biblical authors to hand down to us this word, it is a noteworthy fact that, in relatively modern times, a Greek inscription Was discovered containing this very word and, moreover, having reference to the city of Thessalonica ( AJT , 1898, II, 598-643). Here it was where Paul and Silas preached the gospel so successfully that the Jews, "being moved with jealousy," caused Jason and certain brethren to be dragged before the rulers of the city ( epı́ toús politárchas ). These magistrates suffered themselves to be made the tools of the unscrupulous Jews by demanding and getting security from Jason and the rest.