ἄρχω G0757
to rule, govern, exercise authority over
A verb meaning to rule, lead, or exercise authority. Jesus notes that Gentile rulers lord it over their subjects (Mark 10:42). Paul quotes Isaiah's prophecy that the root of Jesse will rise 'to rule over the Gentiles' (Romans 15:12). Classical usage encompassed beginning/leading and ruling/commanding - being first in time or first in authority. The New Testament occurrences focus exclusively on the governance sense.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Both passages address ruling over the nations/Gentiles but with contrasting tones. In Mark 10:42, Jesus critiques how Gentile rulers 'lord it over' subjects, using this as a negative example. In Romans 15:12, Christ's rule over Gentiles is the prophetic hope. The semantic range includes legitimate governance and oppressive domination - context determines valence. Multilingual glosses uniformly use govern/rule terminology across all four languages. 2×
AR["لِيَحْكُمَ", "يَحْكُمُونَ"]·ben["শাসন-করতে", "শাসন-করা"]·DE["herrschen"]·EN["to-rule"]·FR["gouverner"]·heb["לִמְשֹׁל"]·HI["शासन-करना", "शासन-करने-के-लिए"]·ID["memerintah"]·IT["archein", "governare"]·jav["mrentah"]·KO["다스리는", "다스리다"]·PT["governar"]·RU["на-", "начальствовать"]·ES["gobernar", "para-gobernar"]·SW["kutawala"]·TR["yönetmek-için", "yönettiğini"]·urd["حاکم-ہونا", "حکومت-کرنے"]
Related Senses
G2962 1. Lord (divine title) (661×)H0136 1. Lord (divine title) (440×)H0113 1. lord, human superior (249×)G1849 1. authority, power (91×)H6485a 2. Qal: punish, bring judgment (63×)H8198 1. maidservant, female slave (63×)G2962 2. master, lord (human authority) (61×)H0034 1. needy, poor, destitute (61×)H0519 1. female servant, maidservant (56×)H6041 1. poor, needy person (55×)H0113 2. master, owner of servants (49×)H4910 1. Qal: to have dominion, exercise power over (44×)H1800 1. poor, needy (socioeconomic) (38×)H3515 1. heavy, severe, grievous (36×)G4434 1. (34×)G5092 1. honor, esteem, respect (33×)H6485a 4. Qal: visit, attend to, care for (32×)H3513 1. honor / show respect (Piel) (30×)H4910 2. Qal: to rule, govern (administrative authority) (27×)H4513 1. withhold, restrain, hold back (25×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
ἄρχω, Epic dialect infinitive ἀρχέμεναιRefs 8th c.BC+imperfect ἦρχονRefs; Doric dialect ἆρχονRefs 5th c.BC+: future ἄρξωRefs 8th c.BC+aorist ἦρξα, Epic dialect ἄρξαRefs 8th c.BC+: perfect ἦρχαRefs 1st c.AD+:—middle, Refs 8th c.BC+; non-thematic participle ἄρχμενοςRefs 3rd c.BC+: imperfect, Refs 8th c.BC+future ἄρξομαι (in middle sense, see below) Refs 8th c.BC+; Doric dialect ἀρξεῦμαιRefs 3rd…