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Uncover the origins and significance of the words "preacher," "herald," and "minister," exploring their roles, duties, and authority as divine messengers, from Classical Greek to their biblical context. Discover the sacred position of the Kerux and his role as a herald of truth and obedience.
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Etymological Study of the Words “Preacher,” “Herald,” “Minister”
The Concerns of this Etymological Study • What is a "preacher"? What are his duties? What exactly is he supposed to do? What is the nature of his job? • There are many terms that generally describe God's worker known as the preacher. These words are not only descriptive of the worker, but of the work that God expects of him. • Our study here concerns about the etymology of the word, its classical use in the secular world, and its use in the Bible.
Regional Note • River navigation in America has its own words for hazards encountered in riverboat travel. • For instance, a “log sawed up and down with the vagaries of the river current” is called a sawyer. • In the Mississippi, these logs are called “snags.” • In the Yukon River (in Alaska), such logs—which are eternally bowing, creating hazards in travel —are known as “preachers”! • Hope we preachers don’t become hazards to others on their way to life!
Three Words to Consider • In the Classical Greek • KERUSSO, “to announce, to make known, to proclaim (aloud)” • KERUGMA, “proclamation, announcement, preaching” • KERUX, “herald, announcer, preacher, messenger, proclaimer” The words in the above group are derived from the nounkerux,frequently found in the writings of Homer. Compare this with the Old Indiankaruh, “singer”;Old Persianxraus, “herald”; and Aramaickaroz, “herald,” see Daniel 3:4 (cf. Colin Brown, The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, 3:48).
Definition: Kerux • Keruxwas the man commissioned by his ruler or by the state to call out with a clear voice some item of news and to make that item of news known to the public. • Keruxis a servant, spokesman or messenger of certain authorities, his chief qualification being his having a loud voice! • Kerux is also used of attendants of a prince who perform duties in keeping with the role of senior court officials.
Kerux, the word translated “preacher” • The keruxis a friend of the prince or the king. • The Kerux however is raised above the status of the people in the circle of the prince by the respect that is accorded him. • Thekerux has a staff in his hand. • That staff makes it clear that as he carries out his commission to inform or to invite, he is authorized by the prince.
Definition: Kerusso, “preaching” • Kerusso was coined from the noun kerux to describe the activity of the herald. • In the period of the polis (Greek democratic city-state) the herald’s particular function is indicated in the qualifying adjective or the genitive attached to it. • For example: “herald of the city,” “herald of the council,” “herald of the court,” “herald of the mysteries”
Definition: Kerusso • It was the heralds who called the soldiers to battle and the citizens to the assembly (the ekklesia). The heralds were also responsible for the following: • Maintaining the laws • Maintaining the good order in the assembly • Opening the assembly with prayers and sacrifices • Announcing the end of the assembly
Definition: Kerusso • As herald of the prince, his task includes the following: • To care for the personal well-being of the prince and of his family • To care for the personal well-being of the prince’s guests
Definition: Kerugma • Kerugma was later formed to describe the phenomenon of the kerussein. • Kerussein refers to the ring of the herald’s voice. • Kerussein may also refer to the act of crying aloud. • Kerugma,on the other hand, may refer to the content of the proclamation thus made, or the announcement or edict. • The content may either be anything from a mere report to an authoritative command from the king or prince (Colin Brown, 3:48).
The Kerux’s position • Homer calls the heralds angeloi theioi, meaning “divine messengers,” “messengers of the gods,” “angels of gods” • The sacred, sacrosanct position of the kerux is even more evident from the fact that when the kerux appeared, weapons were stilled! • The heralds who went to the camp of the enemy with a message during the time of war must not be touched! Touching him would incur the wrath of the one who sent him, as well as the wrath of the gods.
The Kerux’s position • Killing the kerux, the herald, is tantamount to a gross asebeia, a transgression of the religious and moral order. • Because of the position of the heralds as angeloi theioi, messengers of the gods, they function as ambassadors of the kings or ambassadors of the gods. • His position is universally guaranteed by moral law and religious law.
Kerux in the Bible • Kerux is a herald of Jesus the King, a public proclaimer of Him, with authority from Him. • With authority he declares the king’s law to the people. • That law must be obeyed. • Obedience to that law means obedience to Jesus as King.
Kerux in the Bible • Kerux is used 3 times in the New Testament: • 1 Timothy 2:7, “Whereunto I was appointed a preacherand an apostle… a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.” • 2 Timothy 1:11, “Whereunto I was appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher.” • 2 Peter 2:5, “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.”
Preachers in the New Testament • 1 Tim. 2:3-7. “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; 4 who would have all men to be saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God, one mediator also between God and men, himself man, Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself a ransom for all; the testimony to be borne in its own times; 7 whereunto I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I speak the truth, I lie not), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth” (ASV).
Preachers in the New Testament • Rom. 10:13-17: “For, Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 and how shall they preach, except they be sent? even as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So belief cometh of hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” (ASV). • It was the Lord who sent out His preachers or "heralds" into all the world.
Preachers in the New Testament • Their sole work is to proclaim His message, the gospel. • 2 Tim. 2:1-7. “Thou therefore, my child, be strengthened in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things which thou hast heard from me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. 3 Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No soldier on service entangleth himself in the affairs of this life; that he may please him who enrolled him as a soldier. 5 And if also a man contend in the games, he is not crowned, except he have contended lawfully. 6 The husbandmen that laboreth must be the first to partake of the fruits. 7 Consider what I say; for the Lord shall give thee understanding in all things” (ASV).
Preachers in the New Testament • 2 Timothy 4:2-5. “Be preaching the word at all times, in every place; make protests, say sharp words, give comfort, with long waiting and teaching; 3 For the time will come when they will not take the true teaching; but, moved by their desires, they will get for themselves a great number of teachers for the pleasure of hearing them; 4 And shutting their ears to what is true, will be turned away to belief in foolish stories. 5 But be self-controlled in all things, do without comfort, go on preaching the good news, completing the work which has been given you to do” (BBE).
Classical Heralds Contrasted to Today’s Preachers • The kerux was always under the authority of someone else, king or prince, whose spokesman he was. • The Lord’s preachers today are spokesmen for Jesus, who is their Master. • We would like to emphasize here that we are not enrolled to be spokesmen for politics, philosophies, evolution, religious hobbies, and controversies, but only for Jesus’ teaching as contained in the Word!
Classical Heralds Contrasted to Today’s Preachers • The classical kerux conveyed the message and intention of his master. He had no liberty to negotiate, or amend the message, or adulterate it. • Today, no preacher nor any man has any right to amend or adulteratethe Word of the Master. • Preachers don’t have any authority to legislate laws, but to promote Christ’s law.
Classical Heralds Contrasted to Today’s Preachers • The office of the classical kerux had in every case an official character, even when he appeared in the marketplace as a public middleman or auctioneer. • Today’s preachers must protect their office, or they would be besmirching the cause of the one who has appointed them.
Classical Heralds Contrasted to Today’s Preachers • As divine messengers and guardians of the moral order, the classical heralds had no means of their own and were totally dedicated to the task of denouncing the way of life of their contemporaries, calling them to repentance and reformation of life. • Shall today’s heralds do anything less?They are God’s key men to promote order and morality in this morally-disordered world; they are to denounce every kind of sin, and they must not be partial even to their own sins. The call thus is for a repentant and reformed life for every preacher of the King.
FINIS • Thank you!
