ἀρχι-τρίκλῑνος G0755
master of the feast, head waiter; the one overseeing a banquet's arrangements and service
This noun designates the person in charge of a banquet or feast, coordinating the meal and service. In John's account of the Cana wedding, the servants bring water-turned-wine to 'the master of the feast,' who tastes it without knowing its source and praises the bridegroom for saving the best wine until last (John 2:8, 9 twice). This official was responsible for ensuring the feast's success, tasting food and wine, and managing the celebration. His astonishment at the wine's quality highlights the miraculous nature of Jesus's first sign.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Appears exclusively in John 2:8-9 (three times) as the official overseeing the Cana wedding feast. Servants brought the water-turned-wine to 'the master of the feast' (ἀρχιτρίκλινος) who, unaware of its miraculous origin, tasted it and pronounced it exceptional. His position as banquet overseer made him the appropriate judge of the wine's quality. The French 'maître-du-festin,' Spanish 'maestresala,' and German 'Speisemeister' (feast master) all designate this coordinating role at formal dining occasions. 3×
AR["-رَئِيسِ-الْمُتَّكَأِ", "رَئِيسُ-الْمُتَّكَأِ"]·ben["ভোজ-প্রধান", "ভোজ-প্রধানের-কাছে"]·DE["Speisemeister"]·EN["master-of-the-feast"]·FR["maître-du-festin"]·heb["רֹאשׁ הַמִּשְׁתָּה"]·HI["भोज-प्रबन्धक,", "भोज-प्रबन्धक-को।", "भोज-प्रबन्धक-ने,"]·ID["pemimpin-pesta,", "pemimpin-pesta."]·IT["architriklino", "architriklinos"]·jav["lurah-pamestèn,", "lurah-pamestèn."]·KO["잔치-장-에게", "잔치-장이"]·PT["mestre-sala,", "mestre-sala."]·RU["распорядитель-пира", "распорядителю-пира"]·ES["-maestresala", "maestresala"]·SW["mkuu-wa-karamu"]·TR["baş-hizmetkâr", "baş-hizmetkâra"]·urd["میزبان-نے،", "میزبان،", "میزبان۔"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἀρχι-τρίκλῑνος, ὁ, president of a banquet (triclinium), NT __2 head-waiter, Refs 3rd c.AD+