Master of the palace in relation to Matthew 16:19

[utunumsint]

What I want to explore with this thread is the office of master of the palace in relation to Matthew 16:19 as compared to Isaiah 22:19-22. What kind of authority did the master of the palace really have?

Here is the Egyptian model of authority for the Vizier: Genesis 41:39-44

So Pharaoh said to Joseph: “Since God has made all this known to you, no one can be as wise and discerning as you are. You shall be in charge of my palace, and all my people shall dart at your command. Only in respect to the throne shall I outrank you. Herewith,” Pharaoh told Joseph, “I place you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” With that, Pharaoh took off his signet ring and put it on Joseph’s finger. He had him dressed in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain about his neck. He then had him ride in the chariot of his vizier, and they shouted “Abrek!” before him. Thus was Joseph installed over the whole land of Egypt. “I, Pharaoh, proclaim,” he told Joseph, “that without your approval no one shall move hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.”

And also Genesis 45:8

So it was not really you but God who had me come here; and he has made of me a father to Pharaoh, lord of all his household, and ruler over the whole land of Egypt.

So the question I wish to explore is this: was the master of the palace of the king’s of Judah and Israel given the same authority as the Egyptian Vizier?

To start with, there is the master of the palace mentioned in the list of Solomon’s officials:

1 Kings 4:1-7

Solomon was king over all Israel, and these were the officials he had in his service: Azariah, son of Zadok, priest; Elihoreph and Ahijah, sons of Shisha, scribes; Jehoshaphat, son of Ahilud, chancellor; (Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, commander of the army; Zadok and Abiathar, priests) Azariah, son of Nathan, chief of the commissaries; Zabud, son of Nathan, companion to the king; Ahishar, major-domo of the palace; and Adoniram, son of Abda, superintendent of the forced labor. Solomon had twelve commissaries for all Israel who supplied food for the king and his household, each having to provide for one month in the year.

There are some interesting parallels here between the twelve Apostles and the twelves commissaries, but there is no evidence of the kind of authority given to the Ahishar. So we’ll have to look elsewhere to find out more concerning his office.

1 Kings 16:8-10

In the twenty-sixth year of Asa, king of Judah, Elah, son of Baasha, began his two-year reign over Israel in Tirzah. His servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, plotted against him. As he was in Tirzah, drinking to excess in the house of Arza, superintendent of his palace in Tirzah, Zimri entered; he struck and killed him in the twenty-seventh year of Asa, king of Judah, and reigned in his place.

Zimri also killed off the whole of Elah’s household as a fulfillment of the prophecy of Jehu. This probably included Arza. But again, this doesn’t help in determining the authority of master of the palace.

1 Kings 18:1-6

So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. Now the famine in Samaria was bitter, and Ahab had summoned Obadiah, his vizier, who was a zealous follower of the LORD. When Jezebel was murdering the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets, hid them away fifty each in two caves, and supplied them with food and drink. Ahab said to Obadiah, “Come, let us go through the land to all sources of water and to all the streams. We may find grass and save the horses and mules, so that we shall not have to slaughter any of the beasts.” Dividing the land to explore between them, Ahab went one way by himself, Obadiah another way by himself.

Here we see Obadiah as Ahab’s vizier and he seems to be acting as his second in command in this situation. Obadiah has control of the search for water over half the kingdom, while Ahab has the other half. Obadiah also has enough authority to smuggle away over a hundred prophets. No small feat!

Continued

 

[utunumsint]

2 Kings 15:1-7

Azariah, son of Amaziah, king of Judah, became king in the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam, king of Israel. He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother, whose name was Jecholiah, was from Jerusalem. He pleased the LORD just as his father Amaziah had done. Yet the high places did not disappear; the people continued to sacrifice and to burn incense on them. The LORD afflicted the king, and he was a leper to the day of his death. He lived in a house apart, while Jotham, the king’s son, was vizier and regent for the people of the land. The rest of the acts of Azariah, and all his accomplishments, are recorded in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah. Azariah rested with his ancestors, and was buried with them in the City of David. His son Jotham succeeded him as king.

Here we have Jotham, his father’s Vizier, and also acting as regent after his father gets leprousy.

2 Kings 18:18

They called for the king, who sent out to them Eliakim, son of Hilkiah, the master of the palace; Shebnah the scribe; and the herald Joah, son of Asaph.

Here we see the master of the palace representing the king in order to communicate with the commanders of the Assyrian army.

Isaiah 22:15

Thus says the Lord, the GOD of hosts: Up, go to that official, Shebna, master of the palace,

Here we have Shebna as master of the palace who has angered God and he is replaced by Eliakim.

Isaiah 22:19-22

I will thrust you from your office and pull you down from your station. On that day I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah; I will clothe him with your robe, and gird him with your sash, and give over to him your authority. He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. I will place the key of the House of David on his shoulder; when he opens, no one shall shut, when he shuts, no one shall open.

Given all we have seen above, the master of the palace was clearly an important official for the kings of both Judah and Israel with authority like the office of the vizier presented in Genesis 45.

Based on this, the question must be asked, why would Jesus have used almost the same words of Isaiah 22:19-22 when speaking to Peter in Matthew 16:19? I would say the answer is clear.

God Bless,
Ut

P.S. I took all of these quotes from the NAB which often translates “master of the palace” as vizier, which confuses the issue. But they are referring to the same office. Just check the quotes with any other Bible translation.

 

[NotWorthy]

The “Prime Minister” and “Vizier” and “Master of the Palace” were common positions throughout the ancient near east. The inhabitants of Judea would have been familiar with this position.

It’s rather clear that the position they held was the ruler of the kingdom until the king returns. Good point, Ut!!!

 

[pneuma07]

Given all we have seen above, the master of the palace was clearly an important official for the kings of both Judah and Israel with authority like the office of the vizier presented in Genesis 45.

Based on this, the question must be asked, why would Jesus have used almost the same words of Isaiah 22:19-22 when speaking to Peter in Matthew 16:19? I would say the answer is clear.

God Bless,
Ut

So, we know that that of Prime Minister was a well known concept in jewish tradition, even forgetting Isaiah 22, and an appointment to such an office could be readily understandable.