Brief Overview of συμπρεσβύτερος (Strong’s G4850: sympresbyteros)

Strong’s G4850: A compound noun combining συν- (with) and πρεσβύτερος (elder), meaning “fellow elder.” Used by Peter to identify himself with other church elders, demonstrating leadership humility and the shared nature of pastoral responsibility.

U- Unveiling the Word

συμπρεσβύτερος represents the concept of shared leadership and pastoral collegiality. As a compound word, it combines togetherness (συν-) with elder (πρεσβύτερος) to express equal standing among church leaders. In the New Testament, Peter uses it to identify himself with other elders, showing remarkable humility from an apostle. The early church saw this term as crucial for understanding leadership as shared responsibility rather than hierarchy. Today, it continues to inform our understanding of collaborative church leadership and mutual accountability among spiritual leaders.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: συμπρεσβύτερος, sympresbyteros, /soom-pres-boo-ter-os/
• Detailed pronunciation: soom (unstressed) – PRES (stressed) – boo – ter – os
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• Prefix: συν-/συμ- (syn-/sym-) meaning “with, together”
• Root word: πρεσβύτερος (presbyteros) meaning “elder”
• From πρέσβυς (presbys) meaning “old man”
• Comparative suffix: -τερος (-teros) indicating status

D – Defining Meanings

• Fellow elder
• Co-elder
• Fellow presbyter

For compound words:
The prefix συν- indicates shared status
The root πρεσβύτερος contributes the concept of eldership
Together they express collegiate leadership

Translation Options:

1. Fellow elder – Most common and direct translation
2. Co-elder – Emphasizes equality of role
3. Fellow presbyter – More formal ecclesiastical term

E – Exploring Similar Words

• πρεσβύτερος (presbyteros) /pres-boo-ter-os/ – elder – See G4245
• συνεργός (synergos) /soon-er-gos/ – fellow worker – See G4904
• σύνδουλος (syndoulos) /soon-doo-los/ – fellow servant – See G4889

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological Features:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular, Plural
• Gender: Masculine
• Declension: Second declension

Example English morphing:
Nominative: fellow elder
Genitive: fellow elder’s
Dative: to/for the fellow elder
Plural: fellow elders

• Cross-references include the verb πρεσβεύω (to be an ambassador) and συμπρεσβεύω (to be a fellow ambassador)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes its use in expressing collegiality among church leaders. Thayer’s highlights Peter’s humility in using the term. LSJ notes its rare usage outside Christian contexts. Vine’s connects it to shared pastoral responsibility. Strong’s emphasizes the equality implied. Moulton and Milligan document its early church usage.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:

The elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a [συμπρεσβύτερος] fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of the Messiah, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed 1 Peter 5:1

Additional References:
This word appears only once in the New Testament.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

συμπρεσβύτερος beautifully captures the collaborative nature of spiritual leadership. It proclaims the good news that in King Jesus’s kingdom, even the most prominent leaders serve alongside others as equals. This word reminds us that authentic Christian leadership is characterized by humility and shared responsibility.

D – Did You Know?

1. Peter, despite his apostolic authority, chose to identify himself as a fellow elder.
2. The term influenced early church development of collaborative leadership models.
3. It appears prominently in early church documents discussing leadership structure.

Strong’s G4850: A compound noun combining συν- (with) and πρεσβύτερος (elder), meaning “fellow elder.” Used by Peter to identify himself with other church leaders, demonstrating leadership humility and the shared nature of pastoral responsibility.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: leadership, eldership, church-governance, humility, collaboration, pastoral-ministry, fellowship, authority, shared-ministry, accountability, church-leadership, collegiality​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​