Topical Encyclopedia
In the context of the New Testament, the term "proconsul" refers to a Roman official who governed a senatorial province. The role of a proconsul was significant in the Roman administrative system, as these officials wielded considerable authority and were responsible for maintaining law and order, collecting taxes, and overseeing the administration of justice within their provinces. The proconsul was typically a former consul, one of the highest elected political offices in Rome, and served a term of one year.
The New Testament mentions proconsuls in several instances, highlighting their interactions with early Christian figures and the spread of the Gospel. One of the most notable references is found in the Book of Acts, where the Apostle Paul encounters a proconsul during his missionary journeys.
Sergius PaulusIn
Acts 13:6-12, Paul and Barnabas travel to the island of Cyprus, where they meet Sergius Paulus, the proconsul of the region. Sergius Paulus is described as an intelligent man who seeks to hear the word of God. The passage states:
"When they had traveled through the whole island as far as Paphos, they found a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, summoned Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked directly at Elymas and said, 'You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.' Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord." (
Acts 13:6-12)
This account illustrates the influence and openness of Sergius Paulus to the Christian message, as well as the power of the Holy Spirit working through Paul to overcome opposition.
GallioAnother proconsul mentioned in the New Testament is Gallio, who governed the province of Achaia. In
Acts 18:12-17, Paul is brought before Gallio by the Jews who accuse him of persuading people to worship God in ways contrary to the law. Gallio's response is significant:
"While Gallio was proconsul of Achaia, the Jews made a united attack on Paul and brought him to the place of judgment. 'This man,' they charged, 'is persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the law.' Just as Paul was about to speak, Gallio said to them, 'If you Jews were making a complaint about some misdemeanor or serious crime, it would be reasonable for me to listen to you. But since it involves questions about words and names and your own law—settle the matter yourselves. I will not be a judge of such things.' So he drove them off. Then the crowd there turned on Sosthenes the synagogue leader and beat him in front of the proconsul; and Gallio showed no concern whatever." (
Acts 18:12-17)
Gallio's refusal to adjudicate religious disputes demonstrates the Roman policy of non-interference in internal religious matters, as long as they did not disrupt public order. This decision allowed Paul to continue his ministry in Corinth without further legal hindrance.
Role and InfluenceThe role of the proconsul in the New Testament narrative underscores the intersection of Roman political authority and the burgeoning Christian movement. Proconsuls, as representatives of Roman power, had the capacity to either hinder or facilitate the spread of Christianity, depending on their disposition and decisions. The accounts of Sergius Paulus and Gallio illustrate how the early church navigated the complexities of Roman governance while proclaiming the Gospel.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
Proconsul(for, or in place of, the consul). At the division of the provinces by Augustus, in the year B.C. 27, into senatorial and imperial, the emperor assigned to the senate such portions of territory as were peaceable and could be held without force of arms. Those which he retained were calledimperial , and were governed bylegates andprocurators . [PROCURATOR] Over the senatorial provinces the senate appointed by lot yearly an officer, who was called "proconsul" and who exercised purely proconsul, civil functions. The provinces were in consequence called "proconsular."
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
n.) An officer who discharged the duties of a consul without being himself consul; a governor of, or a military commander in, a province. He was usually one who had previously been consul.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PROCONSULpro-kon'-sul (anthupatos (Acts 13:7;Acts 18:12); the King James Version deputy).
SeePROVINCE.
Greek
446. anthupatos -- a consul,proconsul... a consul,
proconsul. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: anthupatos
Phonetic Spelling: (anth-oo'-pat-os) Short Definition: a
proconsul Definition
...445. anthupateuo -- act as deputy orproconsul.
... 444, 445. anthupateuo. 446 . act as deputy orproconsul.... Word Origin variant
reading for anthupatos, qv. act as deputy orproconsul....
1058. Gallion -- Gallio,proconsul of Asia
... Gallio,proconsul of Asia. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: Gallion
Phonetic Spelling: (gal-lee'-own) Short Definition: Gallio Definition: Gallio...
3972. Paulos -- (Sergius) Paulus (a Romanproconsul), also Paul...
... (Sergius) Paulus (a Romanproconsul), also Paul (an apostle...proconsul), also Paul
(an apostle) NASB Word Usage Paul (152), Paul's (5), Paulus (1). Paul, Paulus....
4588a. Sergios -- Sergius, a Romanproconsul of Cyprus
... Sergios. 4588b . Sergius, a Romanproconsul of Cyprus. Transliteration: Sergios
Short Definition: Sergius....proconsul of Cyprus NASB Word Usage Sergius (1)....
4588. Sergios -- Sergius, a Romanproconsul of Cyprus
... Sergius, a Romanproconsul of Cyprus. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration:
Sergios Phonetic Spelling: (serg'-ee-os) Short Definition: Sergius...
882. Achaia -- Achaia, a Roman province incl. most of Greece
... Achaia Phonetic Spelling: (ach-ah-ee'-ah) Short Definition: Achaia Definition: the
Roman Province Achaia, governed by aproconsul, and practically conterminous...
Library
From the Work on the Passover. When Servilius Paulus wasProconsul...
... When Servilius Paulus wasproconsul of Asia, at the time that Sagaris suffered
martyrdom, there arose a great controversy at Laodicea concerning the time of...
The Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs.
... Vestia. Saturninus theproconsul said: Ye can win the indulgence of our
lord the Emperor, if ye return to a sound mind. Speratus...
Polycarp Refuses to Revile Christ.
... And when he came near, theproconsul asked him whether he was Polycarp.
On his confessing that he was, [theproconsul] sought to...
The Revocation of the Rulers.
... conqueror of the Adiabeni, Tribune of the people the twentieth time, Emperor the
nineteenth time, Consul the eighth time, Father of his country,Proconsul;...
He Shows by the Example of victorinus that There is More Joy in...
... things that are." [632] And yet, even that "least of the apostles," [633] by whose
tongue Thou soundest out these words, when Paulus theproconsul [634] "his...
Acts XIII
... as far as Paphos, they found a certain magician, a false prophet, a Jew whose name
was Bar-Jesus, (7) who was with Sergius Paulus theproconsul, a prudent man...
On the Emperor's Return from the West, the Acacians Assemble at...
... And now the emperor returned from the West and appointed a prefect over Constantinople,
Honoratus by name, having abolished the office ofproconsul....
Symeon, Bishop of Jerusalem, Suffers Martyrdom.
... [888] And after being tortured for many days he suffered martyrdom, and all, including
even theproconsul, marveled that, at the age of one hundred and twenty...
Acts xiii. 4, 5
... And observe this man, how, while they preached to the others, he did not take
it much amiss, but only when they approached theproconsul....
The African Rome
... Eschmoum. Hard by these sanctuaries, theProconsul's palace dominated Carthage
from the height of the acclivity of the Acropolis....
Thesaurus
Proconsul (4 Occurrences)...PROCONSUL. pro-kon'-sul (anthupatos (Acts 13:7; Acts 18:12); the King James Version
deputy). See PROVINCE. Multi-Version Concordance
Proconsul (4 Occurrences).
...Paulus (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Sergius Paulus. A "prudent man" (RV, "man of
understanding"), the deputy (RV, "proconsul") of Cyprus (Acts 13:6-13)....
Sergius (1 Occurrence)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary Sergius Paulus. A "prudent man" (RV, "man of
understanding"), the deputy (RV, "proconsul") of Cyprus (Acts 13:6-13)....
Gallio (3 Occurrences)
... He was "deputy", ie,proconsul, as in Revised Version, of Achaia, under the
emperor Claudius, when Paul visited Corinth (Acts 18:12)....
Bar-jesus (1 Occurrence)
... sorcerer (Greek magos), a false prophet, a Jew" whom Paul and Silas found at Paphos
in Cyprus in the train of Sergius Paulus, the Romanproconsul (Acts 13:6...
Barjesus (1 Occurrence)
... sorcerer (Greek magos), a false prophet, a Jew" whom Paul and Silas found at Paphos
in Cyprus in the train of Sergius Paulus, the Romanproconsul (Acts 13:6...
Deputy (7 Occurrences)
... It is the modern word pasha. In Acts 13:7, 8, 12; 18:12, it denotes aproconsul;
ie, the governor of a Roman province holding his appointment from the senate....
Paphos (2 Occurrences)
... and passing through the whole island, about 100 miles in length, Barnabas, Paul
and Mark reached Paphos, the residence of the Romanproconsul, Sergius Paulus...
Keen (3 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Keen (3 Occurrences). Acts 13:7 who was a friend of the
Proconsul Sergius Paulus. TheProconsul was a man of keen intelligence....
Intelligence (45 Occurrences)
... He gave. (WEY). Acts 13:7 who was a friend of theProconsul Sergius Paulus.
TheProconsul was a man of keen intelligence. He sent...
Resources
Who was Bar-Jesus in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the difference between miracles and magic? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the occult? | GotQuestions.orgProconsul: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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