Lexical Summary rhabdouchos: Magistrate, Officer, Lictor Original Word: ῥαβδοῦχος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance officer, sergeantFrom rhabdos and echo; a rod- (the Latin fasces) holder, i.e. A Roman lictor (constable or executioner) -- serjeant. see GREEK rhabdos see GREEK echo HELPS Word-studies 4465 rhabdoú NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom rhabdos and echó Definition a rod holder, i.e. (a Roman) lictor (one holding the rod of office) NASB Translation policemen (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4465: ῤαβδοῦχοςῤαβδοῦχος, ῥαβδουχου, ὁ (ῤάβδος and ἔχω; cf. εὐνοῦχος), one who carries the rods i. e. the fasces, a lictor (a public officer who bore the fasces or staff and other insignia of office before the magistrates) (A. V. serjeants): Acts 16:35, 38. (Polybius; Diodorus 5, 40; Dionysius Halicarnassus; Herodian, 7, 8, 10 (5 edition, Bekker); διά τί λικτωρεις τούς ῤαβδούχους ὀνομαζουσι; Plutarch, quaest. Rom c. 67.) Topical Lexicon Term and Role Ἀραβδοῦχος designates an official attendant of a Roman magistrate who bore the magistrate’s symbol of authority—a bundled rod or staff. These men maintained order, executed sentences, and conveyed official messages. Historical Background In Roman civic life the magistrate’s authority was publicly displayed by a cohort of “lictors” carrying the fasces. Their rods symbolized the state’s power to punish; the inserted axe-head (outside the city of Rome) signified the power of capital judgment. Any order delivered through such staff-bearers carried the immediate weight of Roman law. Citizens recognized both the dignity and the threat bound up in their appearance. Occurrences and Scriptural Context Luke alone records the term, twice in the Philippian episode (Acts 16:35, 38). After Paul and Silas had been beaten and imprisoned, • Acts 16:35: “When daylight came, the magistrates sent their officers with the order, ‘Release those men.’” Philippi, as a Roman colony, mirrored Rome’s civic structure; therefore magistrates (στρατηγοί) and their ῥαβδοῦχοι functioned exactly as in the capital. The presence of these officers underscores the fully Roman environment in which the gospel advanced. Narrative Significance 1. Validation of Roman Citizenship. Paul’s exposure of his lawful status forced the magistrates to acknowledge their miscarriage of justice. God vindicated His servants through the very machinery that had wronged them. Theological Reflections • Earthly authority is derivative. The staff-bearers’ rods represent delegated power, reminding readers that “there is no authority except from God” (Romans 13:1). Ministry Application 1. Employ lawful means without compromising faithfulness. Paul neither remained silent nor became rebellious; he used his rights to protect the mission and the fledgling church. Intertextual Echoes The imagery of a rod recurs throughout Scripture: discipline (Proverbs 13:24), shepherding (Psalm 23:4), and messianic rule (Psalm 2:9). The ῥαβδοῦχος, though a Roman figure, stands within this broader biblical motif of authority wielded for either oppression or protection—anticipating the day when Christ “will rule them with an iron scepter” (Revelation 19:15). Summary Strong’s Greek 4465 describes civil officers whose rods embodied imperial authority. Their brief but vivid appearance in Acts amplifies Luke’s themes of gospel advance, lawful order, and divine sovereignty over human institutions, offering enduring lessons for the Church’s witness in every society. Forms and Transliterations ραβδουχοι ραβδούχοι ῥαβδοῦχοι ραβδουχους ραβδούχους ῥαβδούχους ραγάδα rabdouchoi rabdouchous rhabdouchoi rhabdoûchoi rhabdouchous rhabdoúchousLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 16:35 N-AMPGRK: στρατηγοὶ τοὺς ῥαβδούχους λέγοντες Ἀπόλυσον NAS: sent their policemen, saying, KJV: sent the serjeants, saying, INT: magistrates the officers saying Let go Acts 16:38 N-NMP Strong's Greek 4465 |
    |