Magistrate

How Nave’s arranged it

• An officer of civil lawJudges 18:7Ezra 7:25Luke 12:11Luke 12:58Acts 16:20Acts 16:22Acts 16:35Acts 16:38
• Obedience to, enjoinedTitus 3:1
• See Government
• See Rulers

The passages, in Bible order (9)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 9 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Judges 18:7

   So the five men departed and came to Laish, where they saw that the people were living securely, like the Sidonians, tranquil and unsuspecting. There was nothing lacking in the land and no oppressive ruler. And they were far away from the Sidonians and had no alliance with anyone.

   ›Commentary on Judges 18:72 voices

   “Put to shame - Or, that might rebuke or punish any thing, that is, any crime. Putting to shame seems to be used for inflicting civil punishment, because shame is generally the effect of it.

   “Laish - Afterward called “Dan” Jdg 18:29. The exact site has not been identified, but it was the northern extremity of Israel, near the sources of the Jordan, and about four miles from Panium, or Caesarea-Philippi. It is thought to have stood where the village Tell-el-Kadi now stands. After the manner of the Zidonians - The genius of the Zidonians being mechanical and commercial, not military, their colonists were apt to neglect fortifications and similar warlike precautions.

   Everything gathered on Judges 18:7→

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2. Ezra 7:25

   And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God which you possess, are to appoint magistrates and judges to judge all the people west of the Euphrates—all who know the laws of your God. And you are to teach these laws to anyone who does not know them.

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Luke 12:11

   When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say.

   ›Commentary on Luke 12:111 voice

   “We are taught, firstly, in these verses—that we must confess Christ upon earth, if we expect Him to own us as His saved people at the last day. We must not be ashamed to let all men see that we believe in Christ, and serve Christ, and love Christ, and care more for the praise of Christ than for the praise of man. The duty of confessing Christ is incumbent on all Christians in every age of the Church. Let us never forget that. It is not for martyrs only—but for all believers, in every rank of life.

   Everything gathered on Luke 12:11→

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4. Luke 12:58

   Make every effort to reconcile with your adversary while you are on your way to the magistrate. Otherwise, he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and the officer may throw you into prison.

   ›Commentary on Luke 12:582 voices

   “The first thing which this passage teaches us—is the duty of noticing the signs of the times. The Jews in our Lord's days neglected this duty. They shut their eyes against events of the most significant character—which were occurring in their own day. They refused to see that prophecies were being fulfilled around them—which were bound up with the coming of Messiah, and that the Messiah Himself must be in the midst of them. The ministry of John the Baptist had excited attention from one end of the land to the other.

   “When thou art going - As if he had said, And ye have not a moment to lose. For the executioners of God's vengeance are at hand. And when he hath once delivered you over to them, ye are undone forever.

   Everything gathered on Luke 12:58→

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5. Acts 16:20

   They brought them to the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews and are throwing our city into turmoil

   ›Commentary on Acts 16:202 voices

   “Brought them to the magistrates - Στρατηγοις, The commanders of the army, who, very likely, as this city was a Roman colony, possessed the sovereign authority. The civil magistrates, therefore, having heard the case, as we shall soon find, in which it was pretended that the safety of the state was involved, would naturally refer the business to the decision of those who had the supreme command. Exceedingly trouble our city - They are destroying the public peace, and endangering the public safety.

   “There is some color of truth in all such accusations, in so far as the Gospel, and generally the fear of God, as a reigning principle of human action, is in a godless world a thoroughly revolutionary principle . . .

   Everything gathered on Acts 16:20→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Acts 16:22

   The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered that they be stripped and beaten with rods.

   ›Commentary on Acts 16:222 voices

   “The multitude rose up together - There was a general outcry against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes, and delivered them to the mob, commanding the lictors, or beadles, to beat them with rods, ῥαβδιζειν. This was the Roman custom of treating criminals, as Grotius has well remarked.

   “The magistrates commanded that they should be whipped as vagabonds, by the lictors or beadles who attended the prætors, and carried rods with them for that purpose; this was one of those three times that Paul was beaten with rods, according to the Roman usage, which was not under the compassionate limitation of the number of stripes not to exceed forty, which was provided by the Jewish law.

   Everything gathered on Acts 16:22→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Acts 16:35

   When daylight came, the magistrates sent their officers with the order: “Release those men.”

   ›Commentary on Acts 16:352 voices

   “And when it was day, the magistrates sent officers. Officers were called those who were in charge of punishing the guilty. Hence in Greek they are called ῥαβδοῦχοι, from the rod, because the Greeks call a rod ῥάβδον, of which Hilary mentions in the exposition …

   “And when it was day ... - It is evident from the narrative that it was not contemplated at first to release them so soon, Act 16:22-24. But it is not known what produced this change of purpose in the magistrates. It is probable, however, that they had been brought to reflection, somewhat as the jailor had, by the earthquake, and that their consciences had been troubled by the fact, that in order to please the multitude, they had caused strangers to be beaten and imprisoned without trial and contrary to the Roman laws.

   Everything gathered on Acts 16:35→

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8. Acts 16:38

   So the officers relayed this message to the magistrates, who were alarmed to hear that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens.

   ›Commentary on Acts 16:381 voice

   “They feared when they heard - they were Romans - They feared, because the Roman law was so constituted that an insult offered to a citizen was deemed an insult to the whole Roman people. There is a remarkable addition here, both in the Greek and Latin of the Codex Bezae. It is as follows: “And when they were come with many of their friends to the prison, they besought them to go out, saying: We were ignorant of your circumstances, that ye were righteous men.

   Everything gathered on Acts 16:38→

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9. Titus 3:1

   Remind the believers to submit to rulers and authorities, to be obedient and ready for every good work,

   ›Commentary on Titus 3:12 voices

   “Put them in mind to be subject ... - See the duty here enjoined, explained in the notes at Rom 13:1, following. Principalities and powers - See these words explained in the notes at Rom 8:38. The word here rendered “powers” (ἐξουσίαις exousiais), is not, indeed, the same as that which is found there (δυνάμεις dunameis), but the same idea is conveyed; compare the notes at Eph 1:21. To obey magistrates - That is, to obey them in all that was not contrary to the word of God; Rom 13:1 note, following; Act 4:19-20 notes.

   “Put them in mind--as they are in danger of forgetting their duty, though knowing it. The opposition of Christianity to heathenism, and the natural disposition to rebellion of the Jews under the Roman empire (of whom many lived in Crete), might lead many to forget practically what was a recognized Christian principle in theory, submission to the powers that be.

   Everything gathered on Titus 3:1→

   Verse page →Original language →