Dangerous Ambition: φιλοπρωτεύω (Strong’s G5383: philoprōteuō) Reveals Leadership’s Dark Side

Strong’s G5383: A compound verb meaning “to love being first” or “desire preeminence,” combining φίλος (love) with πρῶτος (first/chief). Used to describe those who seek prominence and authority for selfish reasons, particularly in ecclesiastical settings. Demonstrates the contrast between worldly ambition and servant leadership modeled by the Messiah.

U- Unveiling the Word

φιλοπρωτεύω embodies the dangerous intersection of leadership and pride, representing an ambitious desire to be first or preeminent. This compound word powerfully combines the concept of love (φίλος) with being first (πρῶτος), creating a term that describes someone consumed with the desire for prominence. In its only New Testament occurrence, it exposes the character of Diotrephes, whose love of preeminence disrupted church unity. This word serves as a stark warning against self-promoting leadership that contradicts the Messiah’s model of servant leadership. Today, it remains a relevant caution against the human tendency to seek position and power within church structures, reminding us that true Christian leadership flows from humility and service rather than self-advancement.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: φιλοπρωτεύω, philoprōteuō, fil-op-rote-YOO-o
• Detailed Pronunciation: phi (as in “fee”) + lo (as in “low”) + pro (as in “pro”) + teuō (as in “TAY-oo-oh”)
• Part of Speech: Verb

Etymology:

• φίλος (philos) – prefix meaning “loving” or “fond of”
• πρῶτος (prōtos) – root meaning “first” or “chief”
• -εύω (-euō) – verbal suffix indicating ongoing action or state

D – Defining Meanings

• To love being first
• To desire preeminence
• To strive for first place

For compound words:
The prefix φίλος indicates strong affection or desire, πρῶτος specifies the object of desire (being first), and the suffix -εύω makes it an ongoing action verb, creating the meaning “to continuously strive for first place”

Translation Options:

• “Loves to be first” – Emphasizes the emotional attachment to prominence
• “Seeks preeminence” – Highlights the active pursuit of authority
• “Craves supremacy” – Captures the intensity of the desire

E – Exploring Similar Words

• φιλαρχέω (philarcheō, fil-ar-KEH-o) – to love rule/authority – See G5383
• φιλοτιμέομαι (philotimeomai, fil-ot-im-EH-om-ahee) – to love honor – See G5389
• πρωτεύω (prōteuō, pro-TEU-o) – to be first – See G4409

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Verbal Features:

• Tense: Present
• Voice: Active
• Mood: Indicative
• Person: Third
• Number: Singular
• Aspect: Continuous/Progressive

The present tense and continuous aspect indicate ongoing action. In English, this would transform as:

• Present: loves to be first
• Imperfect: was loving to be first
• Future: will love to be first

Related Forms:

• Noun form: φιλοπρωτεία (philoprōteia)
• Adjective form: φιλόπρωτος (philoprōtos)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The lexicons provide rich insights into φιλοπρωτεύω’s significance. BDAG emphasizes its connection to ambitious self-promotion, while Thayer’s highlights its unique appearance in ecclesiastical contexts. LSJ provides evidence of its use in classical Greek to describe political ambitious. Vine’s connects it to the broader theme of pride in the New Testament. Strong’s emphasizes its compound nature, while LEH notes its absence from the Septuagint, suggesting its specialized use in describing church leadership problems. Moulton and Milligan provide papyri evidence showing its use in describing competitive behavior in various social contexts. This word particularly warns against the dangerous mixture of personal ambition with church leadership.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
3 John 1:9 “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves [φιλοπρωτεύω] to be first, will not welcome us.”

Additional References:
As a hapax legomenon (occurring only once in the New Testament), there are no additional references.

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

φιλοπρωτεύω serves as a powerful warning against the corruption of leadership through pride and selfish ambition. Its appearance in 3 John specifically confronts the danger of self-promoting leadership within the church. This word reminds us that the good news of King Jesus fundamentally transforms our understanding of leadership – not as a position to be grasped, but as an opportunity to serve. The Messiah Himself modeled this by taking the form of a servant, making Himself nothing, demonstrating that true greatness in God’s kingdom comes through humility and service to others.

D – Did You Know?

1. φιλοπρωτεύω is a hapax legomenon, appearing only once in the entire New Testament
2. The word became increasingly common in early church writings as a technical term for inappropriate ambition in church leadership
3. Its compound structure makes it one of the longest verbs used in the New Testament’s discussion of church leadership

Strong’s G5383: A compound verb meaning “to love being first” or “desire preeminence,” combining φίλος (love) with πρῶτος (first/chief). Used to describe those who seek prominence and authority for selfish reasons, particularly in ecclesiastical settings. Demonstrates the contrast between worldly ambition and servant leadership modeled by the Messiah.

Part of speech: Verb

Tags: leadership, ambition, pride, church-leadership, authority, power, service, humility, character, ecclesiastical-authority, church-governance, spiritual-pride​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​