Lexical Summary prosedreuó: To attend constantly, to persist, to be devoted Original Word: προσκαρτερέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance wait on, serveFrom a compound of pros and the base of hedraios; to sit near, i.e. Attend as a servant -- wait at. see GREEK pros see GREEK hedraios NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originvariant reading for paredreuó, q.v. Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4332: προσεδρεύωπροσεδρεύω; (πρόσεδρος sitting near (cf. πρός, IV. 3)); 1. properly, to sit near ((Euripides, others)). 2. to attend assiduously: τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ (see παρεδρεύω), 1 Corinthians 9:13 Rec.; Protevangelium Jacobi, 23, 1 (where we also find the variant παρεδρεύω); τῇ θεραπεία τοῦ Θεοῦ, Josephus, contra Apion 1, 7, 1; ταῖς φιλοπονιαις, Aristotle, pol. 8, 4, 4, p. 1338b, 25; τοῖς πραγμασι, Demosthenes, pp. 14,15 (i. e. Olynth. 1, 18); with the dative of person to be in attendance upon, not to quit one's side, Josephus, contra Apion 1, 9, 1; (cf. Demosthenes, 914, 28). The verb παρεδρεύω conveys the idea of being stationed beside something or someone for the purpose of ongoing service. In Scripture it is applied to those who stand alongside the altar, performing sacred duties that authorize them to share in the resources generated by that ministry. Old Testament Background Priestly service in the tabernacle and later the temple was defined by close proximity to holy things (Exodus 28:1; Numbers 18:1-7). Levites “stood before the LORD to minister” (Deuteronomy 10:8) and, by divine ordinance, received portions of sacrifices and tithes as their livelihood (Deuteronomy 18:1-8). This pattern established two principles that underlie παρεδρεύω: 1. Physical nearness to the altar denoted exclusive appointment. Use in Second Temple Judaism Jewish literature of the Second Temple era employs related vocabulary for priests and Levites assigned to daily sacrifices. Josephus describes them as men who “continually attend the altar,” implying constant watchfulness as well as a rightful claim to portions of the offerings. By the first century, such attendance had become a recognized social class within Israel. New Testament Occurrence: 1 Corinthians 9:13 “Do you not know that those who serve in the temple eat from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the offerings of the altar?” (1 Corinthians 9:13) Paul uses παρεδρεύω to remind the Corinthian church that temple attendants legitimately lived off the sacrifices they offered. The single New Testament occurrence gathers centuries of priestly precedent into one illustration supporting the financial support of gospel ministers. Theological Significance 1. Divine Provision. God consistently provides for those He appoints to sacred service (Numbers 18:8-10; 2 Chronicles 31:4-10). Implications for Christian Ministry • Legitimate Support. Pastors, missionaries, and other full-time workers may receive material support without compromising the gospel (1 Corinthians 9:14). Christological Fulfillment Jesus Christ, the ultimate High Priest, “sat down at the right hand of God” after offering Himself once for all (Hebrews 10:12). While παρεδρεύω depicts continuous service beside an earthly altar, Christ’s completed sacrifice secures eternal access and redefines priesthood for those who believe (1 Peter 2:5). Yet the term still instructs the church: faithful service near the true altar—Christ Himself—remains central, and God’s people are called to uphold those whom He places in gospel service. Doctrinal and Practical Lessons • God ordains both the work and the wage. Thus, Strong’s Greek 4332 highlights a timeless pattern: those who draw near in devoted service are sustained by the very altar they serve, and in the new covenant the altar is the saving work of Jesus Christ. Englishman's Concordance 1 Corinthians 9:13 V-PPA-NMPGRK: τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ παρεδρεύοντες τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ KJV: the temple? and they which wait at the altar INT: at the altar attending with the altar |
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