A person's seniority and/or status, especially in military, government or priestly positions. Christians should not be concerned about rank or status.
Differences in rank amongst those in charge of both military and civil affairs
Emperor
King
Judge
Judges 2:16–19 The book of Judges calls individual judges “deliverers” e.g., Judges 3:9, 15.
Prince
Leader
Numbers 2:3–7, Numbers 2:10–12; Judges 4:4; 1 Samuel 10:1
Military ranks
Commander
Captain
Genesis 39:1; Judges 5:14; 2 Kings 1:9–13; Isaiah 3:3
Officer
1 Kings 4:5, 1 Kings 9:22; 1 Chronicles 27:1; Acts 25:23
Centurion
Civil ranks
Noble
Official
1 Chronicles 28:1; Jeremiah 52:10
Governor
1 Kings 4:7–19; Haggai 1:1; Acts 23:24
Tetrarch
Heads of clans/tribes
Heads of families
Division of labour involving different degrees of responsibility
Rank was conferred as a reward
Rank within the priesthood
The high priest
Leviticus 21:10; Numbers 35:25, Numbers 35:28, Numbers 35:32; Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 3:1; Luke 3:2
Priests
Exodus 28:1–2; Leviticus 8:5–12; Numbers 4:16; Joshua 22:31; 2 Kings 11:9
Levites
Exodus 32:26; Numbers 1:50; Deuteronomy 12:18–19; 2 Chronicles 11:13–14
Officers in the NT church
In contrast to the priesthood, offices within the NT Church are according to gifts; individuals with different gifts are listed but do not form a hierarchy: Romans 12:4–8; 1 Corinthians 12:28–30; Ephesians 4:11; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1–13
Some elders are worthy of double honour
1 Timothy 5:17 Comparison between verses 17 and 28 of Acts 20 shows that the same individuals could be called “elders”, “overseers” or “shepherds” (pastors).
All believers are called priests
1 Peter 2:5, 1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6, Revelation 5:10, Revelation 20:6
Jesus Christ taught his disciples not to seek rank or status
Matthew 18:1–4 parallels Mark 9:33–37, Luke 9:46–48
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.