Lexical Summary cheirotoneó: To appoint, to elect, to choose by raising hands Original Word: χειροτονέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance choose, ordain. From a comparative of cheir and teino (to stretch); to be a hand-reacher or voter (by raising the hand), i.e. (generally) to select or appoint -- choose, ordain. see GREEK cheir HELPS Word-studies 5500 xeirotonéō – properly, stretch out the hands to commission (send forth). [5500 (xeirotonéō) literally means, "'I stretch out the hand,' thus expressing agreement with a motion, then, 'I elect by show of hands' [of popular vote]), 'I elect' " (Souter); properly, 'to vote by stretching out the hand' (practised in the assembly, so Athenian, Lucian, Plutarch)" (Abbott-Smith).] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom cheir and teinó (to stretch) Definition to vote by stretching out the hand, to appoint NASB Translation appointed (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5500: χειροτονέωχειροτονέω, χειροτόνω: 1 aorist participle χειροτονησας; 1 aorist passive preposition χειροτονηθείς; (from χειρότονος extending the hand, and this from χείρ and τείνω); from (Aristophanes), Xenophon, Plato, Isocrates down; a. properly, to vote by stretching out the hand (cf. Xenophon, an. 3, 2, 33 ὅτῳ δοκεῖ ταῦτα, ἀνατεινάτω τήν χεῖρα. ἀνετειναν ἅπαντες). b. to create or appoint by vote: τινα, one to have charge of some office or duty, passive, 2 Corinthians 8:19, and in the spurious subscriptions in c. with the loss of the notion of extending the hand, to elect, appoint, create: τινα, Acts 14:23 (see examples from the Greek writings in Passow, under the word, p. 2440{a}; χειροτονεῖσθαι ὑπό Θεοῦ βασιλέα, Philo de praem. et poen. § 9; (βασιλέως ὕπαρχος ἐχειροτονειτο, de Josephus, § 41); Josephus, Antiquities 6, 4, 2; (7, 11, 1; of the choice of Jonah as high priest, 13, 2, 2; cf. Hatch in Dict. of Chris. Antiq., under the word, Ordination, p. 1501{b}; Harnack on 'Teaching' etc. 15, 1 [ET]).). (Compare: προχειροτονέω.) Topical Lexicon Definition and Background Derived from a civic practice of voting by the uplifted hand, the verb conveys the idea of formally designating someone for a task or office with public acknowledgment. In the New Testament it is never a mere democratic tally; the act occurs within a context of prayer, fasting, and Spirit-guided oversight, integrating apostolic authority with congregational participation. Occurrences in the New Testament • Acts 14:23 – “Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had believed.” Historical and Cultural Context Greek city-states regularly made decisions by visible vote. Judaism supplied the additional pattern of laying on of hands for consecration (Numbers 27:18-23). Early believers blended these streams: public recognition of leaders, coupled with solemn acts of prayer and fasting (Acts 13:3). The verb therefore signals both communal consent and divine commissioning. Theological Significance: Church Leadership and Ordination 1. Apostolic oversight: In Acts 14 elders are appointed by the founding missionaries themselves, underscoring that recognition of local leadership is an apostolic responsibility. Stewardship and Financial Integrity The selection of a financial courier (2 Corinthians 8:19) highlights transparency. Funds raised for relief were entrusted to men endorsed by multiple churches, mitigating suspicion and safeguarding the testimony of the gospel (2 Corinthians 8:20-21). Intertextual Parallels and Biblical Themes • Numbers 27:23; Deuteronomy 34:9 – Moses lays hands on Joshua, affirming continuity of leadership. Cheirotoneo contributes to a broader scriptural pattern: God calls, the church recognizes, and mature leaders publicly affirm. Patristic and Reformation Testimony Clement of Rome (First Epistle, 42-44) describes episcopoi and diakonoi appointed “with the consent of the whole church.” The Didache (15) instructs believers to “appoint for yourselves bishops and deacons.” Reformers such as John Calvin insisted that ministers be elected by the people yet ordained by elders, mirroring the dual emphasis found in Acts 14:23. Implications for Ministry Today • Congregations should prayerfully participate in identifying qualified servants while respecting biblical criteria. Conclusion Strong’s Greek 5500 portrays a Spirit-directed, community-affirmed appointment. Whether establishing elders in nascent assemblies or selecting trustworthy emissaries, the early church modeled leadership selection that was open, accountable, prayer-saturated, and anchored in apostolic teaching—an enduring pattern for orderly and faithful ministry. Forms and Transliterations χειροτονηθεις χειροτονηθείς χειροτονηθεὶς χειροτονησαντες χειροτονήσαντες χειροτονίαν χειρώσηται cheirotonesantes cheirotonēsantes cheirotonḗsantes cheirotonetheis cheirotonetheìs cheirotonētheis cheirotonētheìsLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Acts 14:23 V-APA-NMPGRK: χειροτονήσαντες δὲ αὐτοῖς NAS: When they had appointed elders KJV: And when they had ordained them elders INT: having chosen moreover for them 2 Corinthians 8:19 V-APP-NMS Strong's Greek 5500 |