Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadJames Hastings Dictionary of the NT: Master
Subjects in this Topic:
In the Acts, Epistles, and Apocalypse three words ( êõâåñíÞôçò , äåóðüôçò , êýñéïò ) are translated ‘master’ in the Revised Version . The Authorized Version has ‘masters’ for äéäÜóêáëïé in Jam_3:1, the etymological meaning of magistri (so the Rhem. [Note: Rhemish New Testament.] in Heb_5:12). The Revised Version uses ‘teacher’ uniformly.
1. In Act_27:11 the Revised Version has ‘the master’ for ὁ êõâåñíÞôçò (from êõâåñíᾶí , Lat. gubernare, ‘govern’), ‘governor.’ So also Rev_18:17. The notion is that of steersman (cf. Eze_27:8; Eze_27:27 f.).
2. The term äåóðüôçò is strictly the antithesis of äïῦëïò , and signifies ‘absolute ownership and uncontrolled power’ (Thayer Grimm’s Gr.-Eng. Lexicon of the NT). So we have it in 1Ti_6:1 f., a pertinent warning to the Christian äïῦëïé not to presume on the new fellowship in Christ with their äåóðüôáé , but to give them all the more honour and service. Christianity should make better äïῦëïé (cf. also Tit_2:9). In 1Pe_2:18 äåóðüôçò is in contrast with ïἰêÝôçò ; so in 2Ti_2:21 it is ἡ ïἰêßá ôïῦ äåóðüôïõ . In 2Pe_2:1 Christ is called äåóðüôçò as One Who has purchased His servants. So also Jud_1:4 and possibly Rev_6:10, though the latter may refer to God as in the Septuagint (cf. Gen_15:2; Gen_15:8 etc.) and Act_4:24.
3. The other term, êýñéïò , has a wider meaning and is applicable to various relations and ranks of life, and does not necessarily suggest absolutism. The word is originally an adjective from êῦñïò , meaning ‘valid,’ ‘authoritative’ ( ὁ ἔ÷ùí êῦñïò ), and so the ‘master’ or ‘owner.’ It is applied to the ‘masters’ who exploited the poor girl for gain in Act_16:16; Act_16:19. It stands in opposition to äïῦëïé , as in Eph_6:5; Eph_6:9, Col_4:1-2. In Act_16:30 the jailer uses êýñéïé merely as a term of respect to St. Paul and Silas. In Act_9:5 (Act_22:8) St. Paul uses it in asking Jesus who He is, ‘Who art thou, Lord?’ It is not certain that St. Paul here meant more than respect. It is applied to God as the Ruler of the universe. êýñéïò used for God is translated ‘Lord’ (q.v. [Note: .v. quod vide, which see.] ) (cf. Act_17:24, 1Ti_6:15, Rev_4:8, etc.). With St. Paul, it may be noted, êýñéïò usually refers to Christ (cf. Rom_1:4, Gal_6:18) except in the OT quotations (cf. Rom_4:8; Rom_9:28 f.; but note 1Co_3:5). The use of êýñéïò for Nero makes ‘a polemical parallelism between the cult of Christ and the cult of Caesar’ (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, Eng. translation , 1911, p. 353).
A. T. Robertson.