Lexical Summary stratia: Army, host Original Word: στρατιά Strong's Exhaustive Concordance captain of the guard. From stratopedon and archo; a ruler of an army, i.e. (specially), a Praetorian praefect -- captain of the guard. see GREEK stratopedon see GREEK archo Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4759: στρατοπεδάρχηςστρατοπεδάρχης, στρατοπεδαρχου, ὁ (στρατόπεδον and ἄρχω) (cf. Buttmann, 73 (64)); a. the commander of a camp and army, a military tribune: Dionysius Halicarnassus 10, 36; Lucian, hist. conscr. 22; (Josephus, b. j. 2, 19, 4). b. Praetorian prefect, commander of the praetorian cohorts, i. e. captain of the Roman emperor's bodyguard: Acts 28:16 (L T Tr WH omit the clause, see Abbot in B. D., American edition, under the word, Captain of the Guard). There were two praetorian prefects, to whose custody prisoners sent bound to the emperor were consigned: Josephus, Antiquities 18, 6, 6; Pliny, epistles 10, 65 (57). (See B. D. American edition as above; Lightfoot on Philippi, p. 7f.) STRONGS NT 4759a: στρατοπεδαρχος [στρατοπεδαρχος, στρατοπεδαρχου, ὁ: see the preceding word. The dative στρατοπεδάρχῳ is the reading of some manuscripts (cf. WH rejected marginal reading) in Acts 28:16; cf. ἑκατοντάρχης, at the beginning The single New Testament occurrence of στρατοπεδάρχης (Acts 28:16) frames the final stage of Paul’s long journey from Caesarea to Rome. After months at sea and the dramatic shipwreck on Malta, the prisoners reach the capital under the escort of a centurion from the Augustan Cohort. Luke notes that “the centurion delivered the prisoners to the commander of the camp” while “Paul was permitted to stay by himself, with a soldier to guard him” (Acts 28:16). By mentioning this official, Luke signals both the arrival at imperial jurisdiction and the change in Paul’s custodial status that would facilitate two years of fruitful ministry (Acts 28:30-31). Role in Roman Military Administration The στρατοπεδάρχης was the prefect of the praetorian camp—commander of the elite guard stationed just outside the Servian Wall on the northeastern side of Rome. Created by Emperor Tiberius around A.D. 23 to curb the power of the praetorian prefects, the office oversaw discipline, supplies, and housing for the guard. In Paul’s day the office likely worked in tandem with the more politically prominent praetorian prefects Afranius Burrus (until A.D. 62) and, afterwards, Tigellinus. Whereas the prefects wielded broad judicial and administrative power, the camp commander was responsible for receiving incoming prisoners, assigning guards, and arranging their quarters—functions that directly affected Paul. Interaction with the Apostle Paul Paul’s appeal to Caesar (Acts 25:11-12) placed him under imperial custody, yet Luke stresses the unusual leniency granted upon arrival. Handing the ordinary prisoners to the στρατοπεδάρχης freed the centurion of further duty; assigning Paul to a single soldier under house arrest reflected recognition of his Roman citizenship and the non-violent nature of the charges. This arrangement: • Enabled Paul to receive visitors freely (Acts 28:30). Implications for Christian Witness under Roman Authority Luke’s precise reference serves several theological and historical purposes: 1. Accuracy: It confirms that the narrative is rooted in verifiable Roman procedures, underscoring the reliability of Scripture. Related Biblical Themes • Governmental Oversight – Joseph’s favor with Egyptian officials (Genesis 39:21-23) and Daniel’s rise in Babylon (Daniel 1:19-20) parallel Paul’s treatment, illustrating God’s sovereignty over secular administrations. Application for Ministry Today The brief glimpse of the στρατοπεδάρχης reminds modern believers that: 1. Detailed historical setting in Scripture strengthens confidence in biblical authority. Englishman's Concordance Acts 28:16 Noun-DMSGRK: δεσμίους τῷ στρατοπεδάρχῃ ἐπετράπη τῷ KJV: the prisoners to the captain of the guard: but INT: prisoners to the captain of the guard was allowed |
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