γραμματεύς,
-έως, (accusative plural
-εῖς, Winers Grammar, § 9, 2; [Buttmann, 14 (13)]),
ὁ, (
γράμμα),
Sept. for
סֹפֵר and
שֹׁטֵר;
1. in secular authors and here and there in the
O. T. [e. g. 2 Samuel 8:17;
2 Samuel 20:25;
2 Kings 19:2;
2 Kings 25:19;
Psalm 44:2 (
Ps. 45:2)],
a clerk, scribe, especially
a public scribe, secretary, recorder, whose office and influence differed in different states:
Acts 19:35 (Sir. 10:5); [cf.
Lightfoot in The Contemporary Review for 1878, p. 294;
Wood, Discoveries at Ephesus, Appendix, Inscriptions from the Great Theatre, p. 49 n.],
2. in the Bible,
a man learned in the Mosaic law and in the sacred writings, an interpreter, teacher:
Matthew 23:34;
1 Corinthians 1:20 (called also
νομικός in
Luke 10:25, and
νομοδιδάσκαλος in
Luke 5:17; [Meyer (on
Matthew 22:35), while denying any essential difference between
γραμματεύς and
νομικός (cf.
Luke 11:52,
53 — yet see critical texts), regards the latter name as the more specific (
a jurisconsult) and Classic,
γρ. as the more general (
a learned man) and Hebraistic; it is also the more common in the Apocrypha, where
νομ. occurs only 4 Macc. 5:3. As
teachers they were called
νομοδιδάσκαλοι. Cf.
B. D. under the word Lawyer, also under the word Scribes I. 1 note]);
Jeremiah 8:8 (cf.
Jeremiah 2:8);
Nehemiah 8:1;
Nehemiah 12:26,
36;
2 Esdr. 7:6, 11, and especially Sir. 38:24, 31ff; Sir. 39:1-11. The
γραμματεῖς explained the meaning of the sacred oracles,
Matthew 2:4 [
γρ.
τοῦ λαοῦ,
Joshua 1:10; 1 Macc. 5:42; cf. Sir. 44:4];
Matthew 17:10;
Mark 9:11;
Mark 12:35; examined into the more difficult and subtile questions of the law,
Matthew 9:3;
Mark 2:6;
Mark 12:28; added to the Mosaic law decisions of various kinds thought to elucidate its meaning and scope, and did this to the detriment of religion,
Matthew 5:20;
Matthew 15:1ff;
23:2ff;
Mark 7:1ff; cf.
Luke 11:46. Since the advice of men skilled in the law was needed in the examination of causes and the solution of difficult questions, they were enrolled in the Sanhedrin; and accordingly in the
N. T. they are often mentioned in connection with the priests and elders of the people:
Matthew 21:15;
Matthew 26:3 R G;
Mark 11:18,
27;
Mark 14:1;
Mark 15:1;
Luke 19:47;
Luke 20:1;
Luke 22:2. Cf.
Schürer, Neutest. Zeitgesch. § 25 ii.;
Klöpper in Schenkel v. 247ff; [and thorough articles in
BB. DD. under the word Scribes; cf.
W. Robertson Smith, The
O. T. in the Jewish Ch., Lect. iii.]:
3. universally,
a religious teacher:
γραμματεὺς μαθητευθεὶς εἰς τὴν βασιλ.
τῶν οὐρ. a teacher so instructed that from his learning and ability to teach advantage may redound to the kingdom of heaven,
Matthew 13:52 [but
G T Tr WH read
μαθ.
τῇ βασιλείᾳ (L
ἐν τ.
β.); and many interpret
made a disciple unto the kingdom of heaven (which is personified); see
μαθητεύω, at the end].
THAYER’S GREEK LEXICON, Electronic Database.
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