Lexical Summary trapezités: Money changer, banker Original Word: τραπεζίτης Strong's Exhaustive Concordance a money changer, bankerFrom trapeza; a money-broker or banker -- exchanger. see GREEK trapeza NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom trapeza Definition a money-changer, banker NASB Translation bank (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5133: τραπεζίτηςτραπεζίτης (τραπεζειτης T WH; see WHs Appendix, p. 154, and cf. εἰ, ἰ), τραπεζιτου, ὁ (τράπεζα, which see), a money-changer, broker, banker, one who exchanges money for a fee, and pays interest on deposits: Matthew 25:27. (Cebet. tab. 31; (Lysias), Demosthenes, Josephus, Plutarch, Artemidorus Daldianus, others.) Topical Lexicon Definition and Semantic Range τραπεζίτης denotes a professional who received deposits, exchanged currency, and loaned money at interest—an occupation conducted “at the table” (trápēza). While the term occurs only once in the New Testament, its semantic field illuminates wider biblical teaching on finance, stewardship, and accountability. Historical and Cultural Background In the Greco-Roman world, private bankers operated in marketplaces, porticoes, and temples. They offered secure storage, facilitated commercial exchange, and extended loans, sometimes backed by state regulation. Interest rates varied but were generally lower than those charged by informal money-lenders. Because Palestine lay along major trade routes, Jewish society was familiar with such professionals; their services undergirded commerce, pilgrimage traffic, and even temple operations where currency exchange was necessary for offerings payable only in Tyrian coinage. Biblical Occurrence and Immediate Context Matthew 25:27 is the sole New Testament instance: “Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest”. Spoken by the returning master in the Parable of the Talents, the verse highlights the minimal, yet productive, alternative open to the third servant, contrasting diligence with negligence. Exegetical Insights from the Parable of the Talents 1. External Stewardship Standard – The banker represents a public mechanism by which entrusted resources could grow. The servant’s refusal to use even this lowest-risk option exposes his culpable inertia. Old Testament and Second Temple Parallels • Proverbs 28:8 warns against unjust gain “by exorbitant interest.” The presence of bankers in Matthew 25:27 presupposes financial systems in which such gain was possible, sharpening the moral contrast. Theological Significance Stewardship – Resources, abilities, and opportunities belong to God and are temporarily entrusted to His servants. Productive use honors the Master; inactivity invites judgment. Providence and Human Agency – God’s sovereignty in giving talents does not negate human responsibility to employ means (including financial institutions) for kingdom purposes. Eschatology – The banker illustrates the final audit accompanying Christ’s return: reward for faithfulness, loss for sloth. Practical Applications for Ministry 1. Encourage believers to invest time, gifts, and finances purposefully, refusing passivity. Patristic and Reformation Commentary • Chrysostom viewed τραπεζίτης as an emblem of pastors and teachers who multiply God’s word by instruction. Comparative Ancient Near Eastern Context Clay tablets from Mesopotamia and papyri from Egypt attest to deposit banking and interest rates ranging from 12–20 percent. Against this backdrop, Matthew’s mention of bankers situates Jesus’ parable within real economic practice, enhancing its practical force for first-century hearers. Relation to Temple Commerce Although τραπεζίτης differs from kollubistēs, both operated around the “table.” Jesus’ cleansing of the temple (Matthew 21:12) condemns the perversion of worship, not the profession per se. The contrast underscores that economic roles gain moral value or condemnation based on their alignment with divine purposes. Concluding Observations Strong’s Greek 5133, though attested only once, serves as a strategic narrative device that buttresses biblical doctrine on stewardship. The solitary but vivid reference to bankers in Matthew 25:27 invites every disciple to weigh present responsibilities in view of future reckoning, encouraging faithful, wise, and fruitful management of all that God entrusts. Forms and Transliterations τραπεζειταις τραπεζείταις τραπεζίταις trapezitais trapezítaisLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |