Lexical Summary politarchés: City official, ruler of a city Original Word: πολιτάρχης Strong's Exhaustive Concordance ruler of the city. From polis and archo; a town-officer, i.e. Magistrate -- ruler of the city. see GREEK polis see GREEK archo NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom polis and archó Definition the ruler of a city NASB Translation city authorities (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4173: πολιτάρχηςπολιτάρχης, πολιταρχου, ὁ (i. e. ὁ ἄρχων τῶν πολιτῶν; see ἑκατοντάρχης), a ruler of a city or citizens: Acts 17:6, 8. (Boeckh, Corpus inscriptions Graec. ii., p. 52f no. 1967 (cf. Boeckh's note, and Tdf. Proleg., p. 86 note 2); in Greek writings πολίαρχος was more common.) Topical Lexicon Historical and Civic Background The title rendered “city officials” (Greek plur. πολιτάρχας) was peculiar to Macedonia, especially Thessalonica. Inscriptions recovered from the Vardar Gate (and elsewhere) list men who bore this office from the second century B.C. through the first century A.D. They formed a collegial board elected by the citizens and were responsible for public order, finance, and the execution of imperial directives. That Luke alone preserves the term in the New Testament reflects his attention to local vocabulary and enhances the credibility of his historical record. Occurrences in Scripture Acts 17:6 – “ …they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, shouting, ‘These men who have turned the world upside down have now come here…’ ” Acts 17:8 – “And the people and city officials were stirred up when they heard this.” Both references arise during Paul’s first visit to Thessalonica on the second missionary journey. The gospel’s disruptive impact is felt first in the synagogue; when jealousy erupts, the mob seeks redress from the municipal magistrates, showing how quickly a strictly theological dispute became a civic concern. Archaeological Corroboration of Luke’s Precision More than thirty Macedonian inscriptions naming πολιτάρχαι have been catalogued, five of them from Thessalonica itself. The most famous, preserved in the British Museum, dates to the era of Augustus. Luke’s choice of this otherwise unattested Greek term in Acts 17 antedated its discovery by modern scholarship, underscoring the historical reliability of Acts and illustrating that Scripture, while redemptive in purpose, is also accurate in detail. Civil Authority within Divine Sovereignty The confrontation at Thessalonica echoes the broader biblical theme that earthly rulers, whether imperial (John 19:10-11), provincial (Acts 18:12), or municipal (Acts 17:6-8), operate under God’s overarching dominion (Proverbs 21:1; Romans 13:1-2). The politarchs unwittingly furthered God’s plan by dismissing the charges, permitting Paul’s ministry to continue southward to Berea and eventually Corinth, where the apostle penned letters that still instruct the Church. Missional Insights 1. Urban centers are strategic. Thessalonica’s self-governing status and commercial importance meant that a small disturbance could gain the attention of influential leaders. Practical Application for Believers • Engage authorities respectfully, trusting God’s providence (Acts 16:37-39; 1 Peter 2:13-15). Related Offices Noted by Luke Proconsul (Acts 13:7), Magistrates (Acts 16:20), City Clerk (Acts 19:35). Luke differentiates each office, indicating familiarity with local governmental structures across the Mediterranean world. Summary Politarchs appear only twice in the New Testament, yet their brief emergence illuminates Luke’s historical accuracy, illustrates the early Church’s interaction with civic authority, and reminds believers that Christ’s kingdom confronts every level of human government with the call to acknowledge the true Lord. Forms and Transliterations πολιταρχας πολιτάρχας politarchas politárchasLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 17:6 N-AMPGRK: ἐπὶ τοὺς πολιτάρχας βοῶντες ὅτι NAS: before the city authorities, shouting, KJV: unto the rulers of the city, crying, INT: before the city authorities crying out Acts 17:8 N-AMP |
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