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Gregory L. Linton Prohistemi: The New Testament Word for Church Leadership

According to the New Testament, what do church leaders actually do? What responsibilities or activities are essential for church leaders to fulfill? A significant verb that occurs in several passages related to church leadership is prohistēmi. This word can also be transliterated as proïstēmi, which is pronounced pro-eestāmee. This article will examine the background of the word, its possible meanings, and how it is used in various New Testament passages. In particular, we will investigate the style of leadership implied by this term. Does it imply authority, rule, and control? Or does it imply caring, protection, and guidance? Prohistēmi is a compound word that combines pro (“before”) and histēmi (“stand”). When used transitively (i.e., with a direct object), it means “to put before” or “to present.” This meaning never occurs in the NT. When used intransitively (i.e., without a direct object), its basic meaning is “to put oneself at the head of,” “to go first,” or “to preside.” L. Coenen (1975) observes that in ancient Greek literature the participial form of this verb (which occurs also in the NT) is used to refer to “the functions of leadership in an army, a state, or a party” (p. 193). In these usages, the type of leadership involves guarding and protecting others. According to Bo Reicke (1985), prohistēmi has three nuances of meaning in the NT. The first meaning is to “’preside’ in the sense ‘to lead, conduct, direct, govern.’” H. Balz and G. Schneider (1993) suggest the translation “be at the head of” or “manage.” F. W. Danker (2000) says that it means “to exercise a position of leadership,” and he prefers the translations “rule, direct, be at the head of.” The second meaning is “to protect,” “to care for,” or “to help.” Danker (2000) says that it means “to have an interest in,” and he suggests the translations “show concern for, care for, give aid.” Balz and Schneider (1993) also like the translations of “care for” or “give aid to.” According to Reicke, the first meaning of the word usually implies the second meaning also. It is difficult to distinguish sharply those two meanings of the word as they occur in the NT. The third meaning implies being preoccupied with something in the sense of “to arrange,” “to handle,” or “to execute.” Danker (2000) offers the meaning “busy oneself with, engage in.” H. Balz and G. Schneider (1993) suggest translating the third meaning as “apply oneself to.” In the NT, this meaning occurs only two times (in Titus) with reference to good works. This verb appears only eight times in the NT, all in Paul’s letters. Three times it appears as an infinitive and five times as a participle. Three of its occurrences describe the activity of church leaders. Three occurrences describe responsibilities in the household. Two of the occurrences relate to doing good works in general. The table below lists the verse where each occurrence is found, its focus, the parsing of its form (for those who know Greek), and how it is translated in three major English translations. Table 1: NT Occurrences of Prohistēmi Verse Focus Form NIV NASB NRSV Rom 12:8 Church Pres mid ptcp masc sing nom “leadership” “he who leads” “the leader” 1 Thess 5:12 Church Pres mid ptcp masc pl acc “who are over” “those who have charge over” “those who have charge of” 1 Tim 3:4 Household Pres mid ptcp masc sing acc “He must manage” “He must be one who manages” “He must manage” 1 Tim 3:5 Household Aor act inf “manage” “manage” “manage” 1 Tim 3:12 Household Pres mid ptcp masc pl nom “manage” “be managers” “manage” 1 Tim 5:17 Church Perf act ptcp masc pl nom “direct the affairs of” “rule” “rule” Titus 3:8 Good works Pres mid inf “to devote themselves” “to engage in” “to devote themselves” Titus 3:14 Good works Pres mid inf “to devote themselves” “to engage in” “to devote themselves”

According to Reicke (1985), even when the primary meaning of the word is “to lead,” it also includes the idea of “to care for.” For example, the context of Romans 12:8 shows that it includes both meanings. In the NRSV, the participle form of prohistēmi is translated “the leader.” Romans 12:6-8 lists seven spiritual gifts and attaches to each a word that expresses how the gift is to be utilized. The phrase that precedes “the leader” refers to giving and the following phrase refers to compassion. The idea of leadership or rule is out of place in this context, but the idea of caring fits well with the other terms. Therefore Reicke proposes translating the phrase as “he who cares with zeal.” He believes that the word here refers to “a special group separated by the Spirit for the primary task of caring for others” (p. 701). C. E. B. Cranfield says that it refers to “the administrator in charge of the charitable work of the congregation” (1979, p. 626).

Other commentators dispute that the word here refers to the person in charge of the benevolence ministry. They point out that this meaning would be hard to distinguish from other gifts in the list such as “ministry” (diakonia) and “the giver” (metadidous). However, the fact that the word is sandwiched between “the giver” and “the compassionate” suggests that the primary responsibility of “the one who presides” or “the leader” is taking care of others.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:12, the readers are instructed “to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you” (NRSV). The Greek construction indicates that Paul is referring to one group of people who carry out three different but related responsibilities. Reicke thinks that the task described here by the translation “have charge of you” is actually that of “pastoral care.”

This interpretation is supported by C. A. Wanamaker (1990) who notes that, if the word referred to those who “preside” over the church, it would have been placed at the beginning of the series and not in the middle. W. Meeks (1983) posits that this phrase refers to wealthier members of the church who acted as patrons, benefactors, and protectors of others. Because of the care and protection that they provide for others, they have earned the right to admonish them, that is, to direct them ethically. In turn, the believers should respect, acknowledge, and appreciate their guidance.

Three of the four occurrences of prohistēmi in 1 Timothy describe responsibilities of overseers and deacons in the household. First Timothy 3:5 states that “if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church?” The verb “take care of” (epimelēsetai) explains the meaning of “manage” (prohistēmi). These words are synonymous or parallel in this sentence. This parallelism shows that prohistēmi is not used in a strongly authoritarian sense here. The bishop or overseer guides both his household and the church in a protective, caring way. Reicke says that in these three occurrences of the term “his attention is primarily directed, not to the exercise of power, but to the discretion and care to be shown therein” (p. 702).

R. Clark (2006) has argued that, when this word is used with reference to the household, it means that church leaders are to be involved in the family. He suggests that this contrasts with the Roman custom that viewed the father’s role as control, management, and delegation. Roman fathers remained emotionally distant and aloof from their children, but Paul is saying that fathers should be involved in the lives of their children. Consequently, Clark does not like the translations “manage” or “rule” in these contexts.

Clark then goes on to argue that in the church setting the word also implies “involvement, protection, and engagement in the lives of others” (p. 251). He concludes that “Christian leadership in the church and family is about involvement rather than control.” Persuasion is the primary method of leadership rather than coercion, manipulation, and control.

The fourth occurrence of the term in 1 Timothy is in 5:17: “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” The participle form of prohistēmi here is translated “rule” in the NRSV. The terms “preaching and teaching” explain the activities involved in ruling well. Here again, “take care of” may be a better translation than “rule.” Reicke suggests that in all these verses in 1 Timothy the word includes the senses of both “lead” and “care for.”

In Titus 3:8, 14, the verb is used to describe the responsibilities of all believers to devote themselves to good works. The use of the term here does not relate specifically to church leadership, and it bears a slightly different meaning from its other occurrences.

J. P. Louw and E. A. Nida (1988) produced a well-respected Greek lexicon in which they group NT Greek words by their meanings (“semantic domains”). They include prohistēmi in the semantic domain of “guide, lead.” Along with four other Greek synonyms, they think it means “to so influence others as to cause them to follow a recommended course of action” (p. 465). They observe that the five Greek words in this category “also imply a minimum of control on the part of the one guiding or leading.”

Louw and Nida have a separate domain for words that mean “control, rule.” They do not include prohistēmi in this domain. The following table lists other verbs used in the NT that imply rule and control with the translation suggested by Louw and Nida for each word. Only the last two of these verbs (poimainō and hēgeomai) are used also in connection with church leadership, but in those contexts Louw and Nida suggest that they mean “guide, lead” rather than “rule, control.”  If Paul wanted to express an authoritarian view of church leadership, he could have used one of the words in this list to express those ideas. But when he discusses church leadership, he seems to avoid words that imply ruling, dominating, or having authority over someone.

Table 2: NT Greek Words That Mean "Rule, Govern"

The use of prohistēmi in three passages describing church leadership suggests that the responsibilities of the church leader include management and pastoral care. The word does not suggest an authoritarian view of leadership where the leaders make all the decisions and no one else has any input. This is consistent with Jesus’ teaching in Mark 10:42:  “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them [katakyrieuousin], and their great ones are tyrants over them [katexousiazein]. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant” (NRSV).

The word analyzed in this article is just one piece of the picture of leadership in the New Testament. To complete the picture would require looking at other nouns and verbs used for leadership and also examining examples of decision-making and leadership in Acts, Paul’s letters, and other NT writings. I believe that such a study would reveal a remarkable lack of concern for the “authority” of the leader and a great amount of concern for the service and pastoral care provided by the leader. But that evidence awaits investigation in the future.

Sources:
Balz, H., & Schneider, G. (1993). προϊστημι. In Exegetical dictionary of the New Testament (Vol. 3, pp. 156-157). Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

Clark, R. (2006, Fall). Family management or involvement?:  Paul’s use of προϊστημι in 1 Timothy 3 as a requirement for church leadership. Stone-Campbell Journal, 9(2), 243-252.

Coenen, L. (1975). Bishop. In C. Brown (Ed.), The new international dictionary of New Testament theology (Vol. 1, pp. 192-201). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Cranfield, C. E. B. (1979). A critical and exegetical commentary on the epistle to the Romans (Vol. II). Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark.

Danker, F. W., Ed. (2000). A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature (3rd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A., Eds. (1988). Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: Based on semantic domains. New York: United Bible Societies.

Meeks, W. B. (1983). The first urban Christians: The social world of the apostle Paul. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Reicke, B. (1985). προϊστημι. In G. Kittel & G. Friedrich (Eds.), Theological dictionary of the New Testament (Vol. VI, pp. 700-703). Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.

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