The
Uses of Despotes
Instead of kurios for Lord—10
uses
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Testament Phrases
Despotes and Lord (not Jehovah) in reference to God
Despotes in reference to Christ
Slave Owners, Masters, as Despotes
Despotes and Lord (not Jehovah) in reference to God – 3 uses
Despotes in reference to Christ – 3 uses
Slave Owners, Masters, as Despotes – 4 uses
Despotes, translated lord or master in the New Testament, may refer to God or to our Lord Jesus Christ, but it never refers to the divine name, Jehovah. While kurios refers to authority and the exercise of authority that may be received from the despotes, a despotes has unlimited power based on ownership. In reference to the heavens and the earth, despotes refers to God. In reference to the church, which is his body, despotes may also be used of Christ.
In Acts 4:24 is the first New Testament reference to God as despotes:
And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord (*despotes) thou art he which hast made heaven, and earth and the sea, and all that in them is: (The Stephens text includes, thou art God, but N-A,L,T,Tr,Ab,N all replace this phrase with thou art he),
This use of despotes is not a translation or a reference to the Jehovah. Instead, it is a title for God as the Creator of the heavens and earth. This prayer of the believers is addressing God according to a title that dates back to Genesis, the sovereign ruler of heaven and earth.
The formation of this title, that here also gives the reason for God being the supreme ruler, is actually interrupted by the addition in the Stephens Critical Greek text of thou art God. The actual Biblical form of this epithet is given in Genesis 14:19, 22 below:
And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor (qanah 7069) of heaven and earth:
And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor (qanah 7069)of heaven and earth,
Since every master is also the lord of the things he or she
owns, God is also named the “Lord of heaven and earth.” The use of lord
in this epithet for the Father does not refer to His Old Testament name
Jehovah. Although there are numerous references to Jehovah God as the ruler of
heaven and earth, the first use of the title Lord in relationship to the
Father as the Creator of the heaven and earth is given in Jeremiah 32:17:
Ah Lord ('Adonay 0136) GOD (Yehovih 3069)! behold, thou hast made the
heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
It is important to note that Jeremiah 32:17 is not one of the 134 passages where the ancient gaurdians of the Hebrew text, the Sopherim, amended the Hebrew Jehovah to read Adonay. According to appendix 32 of E.W. Bullinger’s Companion Bible, the Sopherim themselves list these changes in the Massorah Hebrew Old Testament.
In Jeremiah 32:17 the King James Version translators put God in all capitals because they have translated the Hebrew tetragram for Jehovah as God. This is because they did not want to translate this as, “Oh, Lord Jehovah,” or, even worse, “Oh, Lord LORD”! Hence, the verses below use Lord to refer to God, but do not refer to Jehovah, nor do they referring to the Father as the Master (despotes) of heaven and earth:
Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Luke
10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in
spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of
heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and
prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed
good in thy sight.
Acts 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
In 2 Peter 2:1 the reference to Christ as despotes makes the meaning of despotes as lord and owner clear:
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord (despotes—the Lord Jesus Christ is the owner of the church since he redeemed us with his own blood) that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
A second use of despotes to refer to our Lord is given in 2 Timothy 2:21:
If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's (despotes— refers to the Lord Jesus Christ) use, and prepared unto every good work.
This use in Timothy is especially inspiring as part of a letter from one sold out slave, or doulos, (Paul) to another (Timothy).
The predominant use of despotes in the New Testament Greek is for slave masters. Below is one typical use:
1 Timothy 6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters (despotes— slave owners) worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
Aramaic: agrees with the Stephens text
Notice that God’s word says that believing servants should count their slave masters worthy of honor, not because slavery was just, but so that God’s word would not be blamed unjustly. Slaves were to be obedient because God’s Word would move more freely. I Corinthians 7:21 give the Father’s view of what is the best state for a believer:
Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
Even though freedom is the best state for the believer, and even thought God’s people deserve the best in Christ, God’s ability to bless is not limited to any extent worth being concerned over through even the ungodly state of slavery. The life of Joseph is an example of God’s power in this regard.
Luke 2:29 Lord (despotes— This refers to God— in the Old Testament the believers were the servants of God. In the New we are the sons of God and the servants of Christ), now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
Aramaic: agrees with the Stephens text
Acts 4:24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord (despotes— This refers to God.) thou art he which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is:
Aramaic: agrees with the Stephens text
The Vulgate: replaces thou art God with thou art he
Jude 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only sovereign ruler (Refers to God. The Stephens has despotes theos, but N/A, G,L,T,Tr, A,N all omit theos, God. This makes a lot of sense for the Greek phrase despotes theos is never used for Old Testament phrase 4—Jehovah Ellohim. For once, the Latin also uses an extensive form of Lord, Dominatorem, to signify something akin to the Greek despotes, yet it too omits God.), and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Aramaic: agrees with the Stephen’s text.
Vulgate: omits God
2 Timothy 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's (despotes— refers to the Lord Jesus Christ) use, and prepared unto every good work.
Aramaic: agrees with the Stephens text
2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord (despotes—the Lord Jesus Christ is the owner of the church since he redeemed us with his own blood) that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Aramaic: agrees with the Stephens text
Revelation 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord (despotes— refers to the Lord Jesus Christ; see Revelation 6:1), holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Aramaic: agrees with the Stephens text
1 Timothy 6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters (despotes— slave owners) worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
Aramaic: agrees with the Stephens text
1 Timothy 6:2 And they that have believing masters (despotes— slave owners), let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
Aramaic: agrees with the Stephens text
Titus 2:9 Exhort servants to be obedient unto their own masters (despotes— slave owners), and to please them well in all things; not answering again;
Aramaic: agrees with the Stephens text
1 Peter 2:18 Servants, be subject to your masters (despotes— slave owners) with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.
Aramaic: agrees with the Stephens text