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Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

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ALEXANDER

1. The Macedonian conqueror, Alexander the Great (356–323 BC), whose life has influenced history and culture for more than two millennia, down to the present time. He was a brilliant organizer and military strategist, but his greatest achievement was the Hellenization of the empire he won. This Greek cultural influence was a unifying element among many diverse peoples.

The introduction of the Greek language throughout this empire also had far-reaching effect. The OT was translated into Greek in Alexandria, Egypt, and the NT books were written in that language. The earliest Christian missionaries were bilingual, so that it was possible to bring the gospel “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16).

Alexander was the son of an illustrious father, Philip II of Macedon. A seasoned military leader in his teens, Alexander succeeded to the throne at the age of 20 after the assassination of his father. After putting down the rebellions that broke out at his father’s death, Alexander crossed the Dardanelles and conquered Asia Minor. In 333 BC, he met and defeated the vaunted Persian army of Darius III at Issus, in a battle that had a lasting historical significance. Moving down the Mediterranean coast, he captured Sidon, Tyre, and Gaza. Reaching Egypt in 332 BC, he was hailed by the oracle of Amon at Siwa as the divine pharaoh. He founded Alexandria, one of the more than 60 cities he established with this name, and then pushed on to the East. At Arbela (331 BC), he again defeated the Persians. When he reached Persia, he seized the cities of Susa, Persepolis, and Ecbatana. He forged eastward until he reached the Indus River; here, with his troops worn out and threatening mutiny, he turned back toward the West. He died in Babylon in 323 BC, a victim of fever, exhaustion, and dissipation, and master of an empire that stretched from the Danube to the Indus and south to the Egyptian Nile.

See also Greece, Greek; Hellenism; Hellenists; Judaism; Alexandria.

2. Brother of Rufus and son of Simon of Cyrene, the man who was passing by at the time Jesus was being led to Golgotha and whom the Roman soldiers compelled to carry the cross (Mk 15:21).

3. A member of the high-priestly family along with Caiaphas, Annas the high priest, and John (Acts 4:6). It was this group who summoned Peter and John to appear before them to account for the healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate of the temple (Acts 3).

4. Ephesian who was put forward by the Jews to serve as their spokesman when the silversmith Demetrius roused the Ephesians to riot (Acts 19:33). The preaching of the gospel by Paul and his companions had resulted in the conversion of many people, who left the worship of the goddess Artemis (Diana) and thus reduced the income of the silversmiths, whose revenue derived from the manufacture of images of this deity (Acts 19:23-41).

5. One who, with Hymenaeus, was mentioned as having shipwrecked his faith because of his rejection of conscience (1 Tm 1:20). Paul states that he had “turned them over to Satan so they would learn not to blaspheme God.”

6. Coppersmith (2 Tm 4:14). Paul warns Timothy to beware of this man, who had done much harm to Paul and had strongly opposed the message of the gospel. Some scholars think this Alexander is the same as the Alexander of 1 Timothy 1:20 (#5 above).