Executioner
Executioner
(, for Lat. speculator, originally a scouet, afterwards a life- guardsman under the emperor), a member of the royal bodyguard adopted by Herod in imitation of the Romans (see Tacitus, Hist. 2:11; Suetonius, Claud. 35), and in accordance with Oriental despotisni, and enplooyed to execute his sanguinary orders (Mar 6:27). (See Smith’s Dict. of Class. Antia. s.v. Spaculatores; Schwarz, De Speculatoribus vett. Romanorum, Altd. 1726.) SEE CHERETRITE.
In ancient times persons of the highest rank and station were employed to execute the sentence of the law. The office of Potiphar, in the Egyptian court, mentioned in Gen 37:36, is thought to have been chief of the executioners,” as in the margiuc of our version. SEE GUARD. This is still a high office in the East as a court office. Such executioners have nothing to do with carrying into effect the awards of the law in its ordinary course, but only with those of the king. It is there an office of great responsibility; and to insure its due and strict fulfillment, it is entrusted to an officer of the court, who has necessarily under his command a body of men whose duty it is to preserve the order and peace of the palace and its precincts, and to attend and guard the royal person on public occasions; and, under the direction of their chief, to inflict such punishment as the king awards upon those who incur his displeasure. Potiphar, therefore, in this sense might be called captain of the guard. He had his official residence at the public jail (Gen 40:3). Nebuzaradan (2Ki 25:8; Jer 39:9) and Arioch (Dan 2:14) held the same office. That the “captain of the guard” himself occasionally performed the duty of an executioner appears from 1Ki 2:25; 1Ki 2:34. Nevertheless the post was one of high dignity, and something beyond the present position of the zabit of modern Egypt (comp. Lane, 1:163), with which Wilkinson (2:45) compares it. It is stillnot unusual for officers of high rank to inflict corporal punishment with their own hands (Wilkinson, 2:43). It does not appear that the Jews had public executioners, but the prince or general laid his commands on any of his attendants. Gideon commanded Jether, his eldest son, to execute his sentence on the kings of Midian; Saul ordered the footmen who stood around him, and were probably a chosen body of soldiers for the defense of his person, to put to death the priests of the Lord, and when they refused, Doeg, an Edomite, one of his principal officers executed, the command (1Sa 22:18).
Long after the days of Saul, the reigning monarch commanded Benaiah, the chief captain of his armies, to perform the duty of putting Joab to death. Sometimes the chief magistrate executed the sentence of the law with his own hands; for when Jether shrank from the duty which his father required, Gideon, at that time the supreme magistrate in Israel, did not hesitate to do it himself. Thus also in Homer (Odyss. 21, fin.; 22, imit.) we read that the exasperated Ulysses commanded his son Telarnsachus to put to death the suitors of Penelope, which was immediately done. In condemnations under the Mosaic law, the congregation or assembly of people executed the criminal, but the witnesses commenced the work of death (Lev 24:16; Deu 17:7; Joh 8:7; Act 7:57-60). Executions in the East are often very prompt and arbitrary. In many cases, among the Turks and Persians, the suspicion is no sooner entertained, or the cause of offense given, than the fatal order is issued, the messenger of death hurries to the unsuspecting victim, shows his warrant, and executes his order that instant in silence and solitude (2Ki 6:32; Pro 16:14; Mar 6:27). SEE PUNISHMENT.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Executioner
(Mark 6:27). Instead of the Greek word, Mark here uses a Latin word, speculator, which literally means “a scout,” “a spy,” and at length came to denote one of the armed bodyguard of the emperor. Herod Antipas, in imitation of the emperor, had in attendance on him a company of speculatores. They were sometimes employed as executioners, but this was a mere accident of their office. (See MARK, GOSPEL OF.)
Fuente: Easton’s Bible Dictionary
Executioner
An officer of high rank in the East; commander of the bodyguard who executed the king’s sentence. So Potiphar (Gen 37:36 margin, Gen 40:3); his official residence was at the public jail. So Nebuzaradan (Jer 39:9), and Arioch (Dan 2:14; Mar 6:27). “The king (Herod) sent an executioner,” literally, one of his bodyguard; speculator, a military watch or scout, from the vigilance the office required.
Fuente: Fausset’s Bible Dictionary
Executioner
This word does not occur in the O.T. except in the margin . In three places persons are pointed out as ‘captain of the guard,’ who in the margin are called ‘chief of the executioners or slaughtermen.’ Gen 37:36; Jer 39:9; Dan 2:14. In Solomon’s day Benaiah the chief of the army was called to fulfil this office, 1Ki 2:25; 1Ki 2:34; 1Ki 2:46, though doubtless the ‘chief ‘ had others under him that actually carried the king’s word into execution, unless the persons were of high rank. In Mar 6:27 Herod Antipas called to an executioner, or one of his guard to behead John the Baptist.
Fuente: Concise Bible Dictionary
Executioner
General references
Gen 37:36; Pro 16:14; Jer 39:9; Dan 2:14; Mat 14:10 Punishment
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Executioner
Executioner. The post of executioner was one of high dignity. Potiphar was “captain of the executioners.” Gen 37:36. See margin. That the “captain of the guard” himself occasionally performed the duty of an executioner appears from 1Ki 2:25; 1Ki 2:34.
Fuente: Smith’s Bible Dictionary
Executioner
* For EXECUTIONER, Mar 6:27, see GUARD, A, No. 2