Λυσανίας (Lusanias)
Lusanias
Lysanias
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The name Lysanias appears only once in the New Testament, identifying a political figure mentioned in Luke 3:1. The sources indicate that his name means "he who drives away sorrow," derived from Greek roots suggesting relief from trouble or grief. He is specifically described as the tetrarch of Abilene, a small district located around the city of Abila.
His inclusion in the gospel narrative serves primarily to anchor the ministry of John the Baptist and Jesus within a precise historical timeline. Luke lists Lysanias alongside other contemporary rulers, such as Herod Antipas and Herod Philip, to establish the "fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar" as the setting for these events. This detail highlights how the gospel message emerged during a specific period of local political division under Roman oversight.
Historical records outside the Bible mention other rulers named Lysanias, leading some scholars to debate whether this refers to an earlier official or a later one not widely known in general history. However, the text itself simply presents him as the current ruler of Abilene at that time. His presence underscores the historical reality of the setting, showing that the spiritual events described took place amidst ordinary human governance.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Gospel of Luke begins by grounding the story of Jesus in a specific moment of history. By naming Lysanias as the ruler of Abilene alongside Pontius Pilate and Herod, the text shows that God’s work does not happen in a vacuum. It enters the real world, with all its political divisions and human authorities.
This detail reminds us that the divine narrative is intertwined with ordinary human governance. The spiritual events described were not abstract myths but occurred during a precise period of local rule under Roman oversight. This historical precision invites us to trust that God is present in every era, even those marked by complex political landscapes.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Lysanias1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- Λυσανίου1×
Key Verses
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Luke 3:1
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
This verse anchors John the Baptist's ministry in a specific historical timeline by listing Lysanias as tetrarch of Abilene alongside other contemporary rulers.