Government Governor
Government Governor
(1) The term government occurs twice in the Authorized Version of the NT, in neither case with reference to civil government. In the first passage, 1Co 12:28, it occurs in the plural, being a translation of the Greek , which, like the English government, is a metaphor from steersmanship (see following article). In the second passage, 2Pe 2:10 (cf. Jud 1:8), the word appears to be abstract, but to have an implicit reference to the domination of angels (see article Dominion).
(2) The word governor occurs many times in the NT. In nearly every passage it is a translation of or some word connected with it. This word is the most general term in this connexion in the Greek language (=Lat. prses). This can be seen in two ways. In the first place, in Mar 13:9 (and parallels) and 1Pe 2:13 the word is coupled with kings (emperors), and the two words together include all the Gentile authorities before whom the followers of Jesus will have to appear. In the second place, the term, or its cognates, is used with reference to authorities of such diverse status as the Emperor Tiberius (Luk 3:1), the legate P. Sulpicius Quirinius (Luk 2:3, a special deputy of consular rank sent by the Emperor Augustus in an emergency to have temporary rule over the great province of Syria), and the successive procurators of the small and unimportant province of Judaea , Pontius Pilate and Felix; for 2Co 11:33 see Ethnarch. It was in accordance with Greek genius to avoid specific titles and to use general terms, and to the Oriental the king (emperor) dwarfed everyone else. The procurator (agent) was really a servant of the Emperors household, never of higher rank than equestrian, and belonged to the lowest class of governor. He is never called by his own (Greek) name () except in a variant reading of Luk 3:1.
A. Souter.