Who is…
Alexander

Greek: Ἀλέξανδρος —transliteration: Alexandros —meaning: man-defender

This is the name of 3 or 4 biblical men, as well as Alexander the Great.

  1. Alexander, a relative of Annas the high priest

    Alexander was present when Peter and John were examined before the Sanhedrim (Acts 4:6).

  2. Alexander, a Cyrenian

    This man’s father, Simon the Cyrenian, bore the cross of Christ.

    And they compelled a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and Rufus), to carry His cross. —Mark 15:21 NASB

    Archaeologist Eleazar L. Sukenik (professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem) discovered a burial cave in the Kidron Valley in 1941 belonging to Cyrenian Jews and dating before AD 70. It was found to have an ossuary inscribed twice in Greek “Alexander son of Simon”. It cannot, however, be certain that this refers to the same person. 1

    1. N. Avigad, “A Depository of Inscribed Ossuaries in the Kidron Valley,” Israel Exploration Journal, 12(1):1–12. ISSN 0021-2059, JSTOR 27924877, LCCN 53036113, OL 32001168M (1962).

      Craig A. Evans, “Excavating Caiaphas, Pilate, and Simon of Cyrene,” in James H. Charlesworth, editor, Jesus and Archaeology, (William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company: 2006), page 338. ISBN 0-8028-4880-X, OCLC 1302072225, OL 7904215M.

  3. Alexander, a Jew of Ephesus

    He took a prominent part in the uproar raised in Ephesus by the preaching of Paul.

    The Jews tried to use him to plead their cause before the mob. It was probably intended that he should show that he and the other Jews had no sympathy with Paul any more than the Ephesians had.

    And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people. But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. —Acts 19:33-34 KJV

    It is possible that this man was the same as the following.

  4. Alexander, a coppersmith

    It is he who, with Hymenaeus and others, promulgated certain heresies regarding the resurrection (1 Timothy 1:19; 2 Tim. 4:14) destroyed people’s faith and good conscience.

    Paul gave him up to Satan (1 Timothy 1:20, compare 1 Corinthians 5:5).

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Article Version: April 13, 2024