Keeper

Keeper - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

KEE'PER, n. One who keeps; one that holds or has possession of any thing.

1. One who retains in custody; one who has the care of a prison and the custody of prisoners.

2. One who has the care of a park or other inclosure,or the custody of beasts; as the keeper of a park, a pound, or of sheep.

3. One who has the care, custody or superintendence of any thing.

In Great Britain, the keeper of the great seal, is a lord by his office,and one of the privy council. All royal grants, commissions and charters pass through his hands. He is constituted lord-keeper by the delivery of the great seal. The keeper of the privy seal is also a lord by his office,and a member of the privy council.

Oversee - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

OVERSEE', v.t.

1. To superintend; to overlook, implying care.

2. To pass unheeded; to omit; to neglect. [Not used.]

Overseer - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

OVERSEE'R, n.

1. One who overlooks; a superintendent; a supervisor.

2. An officer who has the care of the poor or of an idiot, _c.

kep'-er, (mostly from shamar; phulax): The word is used of keepers of sheep, vineyards, doors, prisons (in Ge 39:21 ff, car; compare Ac 5:23), etc. In Ec 12:3, "The keepers of the house shall tremble," the allusion is to the decay of bodily powers, the "keepers" being specially the arms, which had become feeble through age.

o-ver-se'-er, or -ser': One who overlooks, inspects; in the Old Testament from natsach (2Ch 2:18; in 2Ch 34:13 the Revised Version (British and American) changes to "set forward"), and paqadh (Ge 39:4,5; 2Ch 34:12,17; the Revised Version (British and American) has this word for the King James Version "officers" in Ge 41:34, and for "rulers" in 1Ch 26:32); in the New Testament once for episkopos, in Ac 20:28, where the Revised Version (British and American) has "bishops" (margin "overseers"; compare 1Pe 5:2).

See BISHOP.

Definition

The term “overseer” refers to a person who is in charge of the work and welfare of other people. In the Bible, often the term “keeper” means “overseer.”

• In the Old Testament, an overseer had the job of making sure the workers under him did their work well.
• In the New Testament, this term is used to describe leaders of the early Christian church. Their work was to take care of the spiritual needs of the church, making sure the believers received accurate biblical teaching.
• Paul refers to an overseer as being like a shepherd who takes care of the believers in a local church, who are his “flock.”
• The overseer, like a shepherd, keeps watch over the flock. He guards and protects the believers from false spiritual teaching and other evil influences.
• In the New Testament, the terms “overseers,” “elders,” and “shepherds/pastors” are different ways of referring to the same spiritual leaders.

Translation Suggestions

• Other ways to translate this term could be “supervisor” or “caretaker” or “manager.”
• When referring to a leader of a local group of God’s people, this term could be translated with a word or phrase that means “spiritual supervisor” or “someone who takes care of the spiritual needs of a group of believers” or “person who oversees the spiritual needs of the Church.”

(See also: church, elder, pastor, shepherd)

Bible References

• 1 Chronicles 26:31-32
• 1 Timothy 3:2
• Acts 20:28
• Genesis 41:33-34
• Philippians 1:1

Word Data

• Strong’s: H5329, H6485, H6496, H7860, H8104, G19830, G19840, G19850