RULER [isbe]
RULER - rool'-er:1. In the Old Testament:
(1) moshel, "ruler," "prince," "master" (tyrant), applied to Joseph in Egypt (Gen 45:8; compare Ps 105:21); to the Philistines (Jdg 15:11); to David's descendants, the future kings of Israel (2 Ch 7:18; compare Jer 33:26); to Pharaoh (Ps 105:20); to a wicked prince, a tyrant (Prov 28:15; compare Isa 14:5; 49:7); to theocratic king, the Messiah (Mic 5:2); it is often used in general (Prov 6:7; 23:1; 29:12; Eccl 10:4; Isa 16:1, etc.).
(2) naghidh, "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 Sam 25:30; 2 Sam 6:21; 1 Ki 1:35, etc.). It is used of Azrikam having charge of the palace of King Ahaz (2 Ch 28:7, "governor" of the house, the King James Version); of Azariah (Seraiah, Neh 11:11), who is called the "ruler of the house of God" (1 Ch 9:11; compare 2 Ch 31:13); he was the leader of a division or group of priests. In 2 Ch 35:8 the names of three others are given (Hilkiah, Zechariah and Jehiel).
(3) nasi, "prince" (so Nu 13:2, the King James Version "ruler"); generally speaking, the nasi' is one of the public authorities (Ex 22:28); the rulers of the congregation (Ex 16:22; compare 34:31); "The rulers brought the onyx stones" (Ex 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" (Lev 4:22).
(4) caghan, 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" (Ezek 23:12,23), "deputy" (Jer 51:23,28,57), and, in most cases, "ruler" with "deputy" in margin (Ezr 9:2; Neh 2:16; 4:14,19; 5:7,17; 7:5; 12:40; 13:11; Isa 41:25; Ezek 23:6) always used in plural
(5) qatsin, "a judge" or "magistrate" (Isa 1:10; 3:6,7; 22:3; Mic 3:1,9); "a military chief" (Josh 10:24).
(6) rodheh, one having dominion: "There is little Benjamin their ruler" (Ps 68:27); the meaning is obscure; still we may point to the facts that Saul, the first one to conquer the heathen (1 Sam 14:47 f), came of this the smallest of all the tribes, and that within its boundaries the temple of Yahweh was erected.
(7) rozen, a "dignitary," a "prince." "The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against Yahweh" (Ps 2:2); in the New Testament the word is rendered archontes (Acts 4:26).
(8) 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," Gen 47:6); "rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds," etc. (Ex 18:21); they had to be men of good character because they were endowed with judicial power (Ex 18:22); in Dt 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, Jdg 9:30), meaning "governor" (compare 1 Ki 22:26; 2 Ki 23:8); "rulers (or captains; compare 1 Ki 16:9) of his (Solomon's) chariots" (1 Ki 9:22); the rulers of Jezreel (2 Ki 10:1) were, presumably, the ruler of the palace of the king and the ruler of the city of Samaria (compare 2 Ki 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 Ch 27:31) overseers of the royal domain; "The rulers were behind all the house of Judah" (Neh 4:16), the officers were ready to assume active command in case of an attack.
(9), (10) shilTon, "a commander," "an officer": "the rulers of the provinces" (Dan 3:2 f); shalliT, "a person in power," "a potentate" (Dan 2:10); there seems to be little doubt that the Aramaic term is used as an adjective (compare the Revised Version margin); in Dan 5:7 occurs the verb shelaT, "to have dominion," "he shall rule as the third in rank" (compare 5:16,29).
(11) maghen, "shield": "Her rulers (shields) dearly love shame" (Hos 4:18). Perhaps we ought to read (with Septuagint) migge'onam, "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) archon, used of the "rulers" of the Spartans (1 Macc 14:20) and, in a general sense, of the priest Mattathias (1 Macc 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) hegoumenos, "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) hoi megistanes, a rare word found only in the plural, for "rulers of the congregation" (Sirach 33:18). The same word in Mk 6:21 is translated "lords."
(4) 2 Macc 4:27 the King James Version for eparchos (the Revised Version (British and American) "governor").
(5) The King James Version inserts the word without Greek equivalent in 1 Macc 6:14; 11:57; 2 Macc 13:2.
3. In the New Testament:
(1) archon, "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" (Mt 9:18), meaning a ruler of the synagogue (compare Mk 5:22; Lk 8:41); see (2) below; "one of the rulers of the Pharisees" (Lk 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" (Lk 23:13,15; 24:20; compare Jn 3:1; 7:26,48; 12:42; Acts 3:17; 4:5,8; 13:27; 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 Ex 22:28, nasi'; see 1, (3) above), a magistrate, a person in authority (compare Acts 7:27,35; Rom 13:3, the public authorities); "the rulers of this world" (1 Cor 2:6,8), persons being mentally superior to their fellow-men, and so having great influence in shaping their opinions and directing their actions.
(2) archisundgogos, "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," Mk 5:22,35; Lk 8:41,49; in Mt 9:18 Jairus is simply called archon); the ruler mentioned in Lk 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 Jn 9:22; 12:42; 16:2).
(3) architriklinos, the ruler ("steward," the Revised Version margin) of the feast (Jn 2:8,9). See separate article.
(4) kosmokrator, a "world-ruler" (Eph 6:12). The angels of the devil (Mt 25:41; 12:45) or Satan, the prince of this world (Jn 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) politarches; the prefect of a city (Acts 17:6,8). 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 (epi tous politarchas). These magistrates suffered themselves to be made the tools of the unscrupulous Jews by demanding and getting security from Jason and the rest.
William Baur
Ruler [baker]
See God, Names of
RULER [bridgeway]
Any society must have some sort of leadership if it is to function effectively. In primitive societies the heads of families provided that leadership (Gen 14:14; 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 (Jer 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 (Exod 3:16; 4:29; 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 (Exod 18:17-26; Num 11:16-17,24-25).
As Israel’s administration developed, elders and judges became two separate groups of officials (Deut 21:2; 22:15; 25:7-8; Josh 8:33; 20:4; Judg 11:5; Micah 7:3; Zeph 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 (Judg 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 Sam 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; 20:7; 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; Neh 5:14; 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 (Matt 23:2-4; 26:59; John 7:32; 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 (Matt 27:1-2,20; 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 (Matt 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; 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 (Matt 27:11-14; John 19:9-11; 1 Peter 2:23).
Christians likewise must recognize the authority of the civil rulers (Rom 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14,17), though they too will at times see the need to speak out against injustice (Acts 16:37-39; 25:8-11). Like Jesus they may suffer at the hands of unjust rulers (Matt 10:18; Acts 12:2-3), but they must not return evil for evil (Rom 12:17-19; 1 Peter 2:20-21; 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 5:29,40-41; 1 Peter 4:16; Rev 13:6-7; 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; Rev 2:10-11; 20:4; see MARTYR).
