Bible Lexicons

Like μέγας (see s.v. μέγας) μείζων is used in the sense of ";senior"; in ostracon receipts, e.g. Ostr 144.3 (A.D. 128) διέγραψεν Πετορζμῆθ (ις) μείζω (ν), 213.3 (A.D. 147), and 1199.2 (Rom.). The word is applied to one in authority, an official, in P Lond 214.22 (A.D. 270–275) (= II. p. 162, Chrest. I. p. 209) μέλλω [γ ]ὰρ περὶ τούτο (υ) ἐντυχεῖν [τ ]ῶι μείζονι : cf. P Oxy VI. 900.19 (A.D. 322) μὴ εἰς ἀνάγκην με γενέ [σθαι ἐντυ ]χεῖν τοῖς μείζοσιν περὶ τούτου, ";not be reduced to appeal to the officials upon this matter"; (Edd.), with the editors’ note. Ib. XIV. 1626.5 (A.D. 325) Πτολεμαίου μείζονος τῆς αὐτῆς κώμης is regarded by GH as the earliest ex. of μείζων ";to denote, a particular village official as distinct from a ‘higher’ official in general"; : this usage is common from the end of v/A.D. onwards, e.g. P Iand 38.1 (v/vi A.D.). For the more general uses of the adj. cf. P Tebt I. 33.4 (B.C. 112) (= Selections, p. 30) ἐν μίζονι ἀξιώματι κα [ὶ ] τιμῆι κείμενος, ";occupying a position of highest (cf. Proleg. p. 78) rank and honour";—of a Roman senator, BGU V.1.101 (c. A.D. 150) τῶν ἐπὶ φόνοις ἢ μίζοσιν ἁμαρτήμασιν κολαζομένων, P Oxy II. 237viii. 17 (A.D. 186) τότ᾽ ἐὰν θα ̣ρρῇ τοῖς τῆς κατηγορίας ἐλέγχοις, τὸν μείζονα ἀγῶνα ε ̣[ἰ ]σελεύσεται, ";if he has confidence in the proofs of his accusation, he shall enter upon the more serious lawsuit"; (Edd.), and P Fay 20.2 (iii/iv A.D.) εἰστε [λ ]εῖν. . μείζω ἢ δύνανται, ";to pay a greater (sum) than they are able."; For τὸ μεῖζον as a subst. see P Giss I. 47.7 (Hadrian) (= Chrest. I. p. 382) where a corslet is described as τὸ μεῖζον ἐλα [φ ]ρότατο ̓, ";very light in view of its size."; The double comp. μειζότερος, as in 3 John 1:4, is found in P Lips Inv. No. 598.8 (A.D. 381) (= Archiv iii. p. 173) ὁ μειζότερος [υ ]ι ̣̈̀[ὸς ] ἐμοῦ, ";my elder son,"; P Oxy I. 131.85 (vi/vii A.D.) ταῦτα δέδωκεν Ἐλισάβετ τῇ μειζοτέρᾳ ἀδελφῇ, and BGU II. 368.9 (A.D. 615) Φλ (αουίῳ) . . τῷ μεγαλοπρεπεστάτῳ κόμετι καὶ μειζοτέρῳ Στρατηγίου τοῦ πανευφήμου : cf. Jannaris Gr. § 506.