Lexical Summary prótoklisia: Place of honor, chief seat Original Word: πρωτοκλισία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance chief place, seat of honorFrom protos and klisia; a reclining first (in the place of honor) at the dinner-bed, i.e. Preeminence at meals -- chief (highest, uppermost) room. see GREEK protos see GREEK klisia NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom prótos and klisia Definition the chief place (at the table) NASB Translation place of honor (2), places of honor (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4411: πρωτοκλισίαπρωτοκλισία, πρωτοκλισίας, ἡ (πρῶτος and κλισία), the first reclining-place, the chief place, at table (cf. Rich, Dict. of Rom. and Greek Antiq. under the phrase,lectus tricliniaris; the relative rank of the several places at table varied among Persians, Greeks, and Romans; and what arrangement was currently followed by the Jews in Christ's day can hardly, perhaps, be determined; (yet see Edersheim. Jesus the Messiah, ii., pp. 207f 494)): Matthew 23:6; Mark 12:39; Luke 11:43 Lachmann in brackets; Topical Lexicon Term πρωτοκλισία – rendered in English translations as “chief seat,” “place of honor,” or “best seat at the banquet.” Scriptural Occurrences Matthew 23:6; Mark 12:39; Luke 14:7; Luke 14:8; Luke 20:46. Cultural and Historical Background In first-century Jewish and Greco-Roman society, formal meals were arranged according to status. Couches or cushions were set in a horseshoe pattern around a low table; the position nearest the host’s right hand conveyed highest honor, with descending prestige farther away. In the synagogue, benches closest to the Torah ark and facing the congregation were likewise viewed as marks of distinction. Public observance of rank was therefore visibly reinforced at both religious and social gatherings. Gospel Contexts 1. Matthew 23:6; Mark 12:39; Luke 20:46 – Jesus censures scribes and Pharisees who “love the places of honor at banquets” and parade their spiritual authority for applause. Theological Emphasis The Spirit-inspired record uses πρωτοκλισία not to prohibit orderly seating but to expose pride that seeks recognition. Scripture consistently presents humility as the pathway to divine exaltation (Proverbs 15:33; Philippians 2:3-11). By highlighting the term in judgment scenes, the Gospels underscore the moral disconnect between outward religiosity and inward self-interest. Christ as Model of True Honor Jesus, the rightful Lord of glory, intentionally chose the servant’s place—even washing the disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17). His willingness to forego the πρωτοκλισία of heaven for the “form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7) redefines greatness. Disciples are therefore called to embrace downward mobility for the sake of the kingdom. Implications for Church Leadership 1 Peter 5:2-6 exhorts elders to shepherd “not lording it over those entrusted to you.” Positions in worship or governance must never become platforms for self-promotion. Any system of church order that cultivates competition for prominence contradicts the Savior’s ethic. James warns against favoritism based on seating or wealth (James 2:1-4). Such partiality resurrects the very spirit of πρωτοκλισία that Jesus condemned. Pastoral and Discipleship Applications • Encourage hospitality that honors the marginalized (Luke 14:12-14). Reception in Early Christian Thought The Didache (circa A.D. 100) warns against prophets who “order a table” for themselves; Clement of Alexandria contrasts the Christian banquet of love with pagan feasting where seats are scrambled for. Patristic writers saw πρωτοκλισία as a concise symbol of the old order overturned by the gospel. Synthesis Strong’s 4411 serves as a lexical window into a universal temptation: the desire to sit first. By situating the term in concrete scenes, the Holy Spirit exposes the heart’s quest for prestige and summons believers to humble imitation of Christ, whose cross becomes the true seat of honor. Forms and Transliterations πρωτοκλισιαν πρωτοκλισίαν πρωτοκλισιας πρωτοκλισίας πρωτολογία protoklisian protoklisían prōtoklisian prōtoklisían protoklisias protoklisías prōtoklisias prōtoklisíasLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 23:6 N-AFSGRK: δὲ τὴν πρωτοκλισίαν ἐν τοῖς NAS: They love the place of honor at banquets KJV: love the uppermost rooms at INT: moreover the chief place at the Mark 12:39 N-AFP Luke 14:7 N-AFP Luke 14:8 N-AFS Luke 20:46 N-AFP Strong's Greek 4411 |
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