Ruler of the Synagogue* — Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary

Senior official in a synagogue of NT times. It is generally understood that there was only one such official in any one synagogue.

His functions were to take care of the physical arrangements for the services of worship, to manage the maintenance of the building, and to determine who would be called to read from the Law and the Prophets or to conduct the prayers. The office was sometimes held for a specified period, sometimes for life.

The NT refers to this official on four different occasions. Jairus apparently was the ruler of a synagogue at Capernaum. When his daughter was ill, he went to Jesus for help, and Jesus raised her from the dead (Mt 9:18-26; Mk 5:21-43; Lk 8:41-56). Luke 13:14 records the hostility of another ruler of a synagogue who objected to Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath after teaching in that synagogue.

Show passage in OET: MAT 9:18–26

OET-RV MAT 9:18

18 While Yeshua (Jesus; Grk. Yesus) was speaking to them, an official came and bowed to him, saying, “My daughter’s just passed away, but come and put your hand on her, and she’ll revive.

OET-RV MAT 9:19

19 So Yeshua and his disciples got up and followed him.

OET-RV MAT 9:20

20 Just then, a woman who’d been bleeding internally for twelve years came up behind Yeshua and touched the edge of his robe,

OET-RV MAT 9:21

21 because she’d told herself that if she could just touch his robe, she’d be healed.

OET-RV MAT 9:22

22 Yeshua turned and saw her and said, “Be encouraged, daughter, your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed that very moment.

OET-RV MAT 9:23

23 Now when Yeshua went into the official’s house, he saw the funeral musicians and the distressed people,

OET-RV MAT 9:24

24 and he said, “Go away. The girl hasn’t died—she’s sleeping.” But they ridiculed him.

OET-RV MAT 9:25

25 However, when the crowd was moved out, he went in and took her hand, and the girl got up.

OET-RV MAT 9:26

26 Then the news of this spread all around that region.

OET-LV MAT 9:18

18 Of _him speaking these things to _them, see, one ruler having _approached, he _was _prostrating to _him saying, that The daughter of _me now died, but having _come, lay _on the hand of _you on her and she _will _be _living.

OET-LV MAT 9:19

19 And the Yaʸsous/(Yəhōshūˊa) having _been _raised, followed after _him and the apprentices/followers of _him.

OET-LV MAT 9:20

20 And see, a_woman haemorrhaging twelve years having _approached behind, she _touched against _the fringe of _the garment of _him.

OET-LV MAT 9:21

21 For/Because she _was _saying in herself:
If only I _may _touch against _the garment of _him, I _will _be _being _healed.

OET-LV MAT 9:22

22 But the Yaʸsous having _been _turned and having _seen her said:
Be _having _courage, daughter, the faith of _you has _healed you.
And the woman was _healed from the that hour.

OET-LV MAT 9:23

23 And the Yaʸsous having _come into the house of _the ruler, and having _seen the flute _players and the crowd being _distressed

OET-LV MAT 9:24

24 he _was _saying:
Be _withdrawing, because/for the little _girl not died _off, but she _is _sleeping.
And they _were _ridiculing of _him.

OET-LV MAT 9:25

25 But when the crowd was _thrown _out, having _come _in he _took _hold of _the hand of _her, and the little _girl was _raised.

OET-LV MAT 9:26

26 And the this news came _out into all the that land.

Show passage in OET: LUK 13:14

OET-RV LUK 13:14

14 But the hall leader was angry because it was the Rest Day when Yeshua had healed her and started telling the crowd, “There’s six days when it’s fine to work, so come then to be healed—not on the Rest Day!”

OET-LV LUK 13:14

14 But the synagogue _leader answering, resenting because the Yaʸsous healed on _the day _of _rest, he _was _saying to _the crowd, because Six days are in which it _is _fitting to _be _working, therefore coming in them be _being _healed, and not on _the day of _the day _of _rest.

Jump to OET MAT 9:18–26 section.

Jump to OET LUK 13:14 section.

On his missionary journeys Paul generally began his ministry in each place he visited by going to the synagogue. At Pisidian Antioch (Acts 13:15), the rulers of the synagogue welcomed and encouraged him to preach the gospel and to return again the following week. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue at Corinth, was converted (18:8), and later Sosthenes (Crispus’s successor) was beaten by the mob after the Jews had made a charge against Paul before Gallio, the governor of Achaia.