Blastus Βλάστος
Herod's chamberlain who helped the people of Tyre and Sidon
Who is Blastus in the Bible?
Blastus was the chamberlain, or personal attendant, of King Herod Agrippa I during his reign over Judea from 41 to 44 AD, as mentioned in Acts 12:20. When the people of Tyre and Sidon had offended the king and faced a trade embargo that threatened their food supply, they sought out Blastus to help them regain Herod's favor, likely by offering him a bribe. His position as chamberlain gave him direct access to the king and considerable influence in the royal court, making him a valuable intermediary for those seeking the monarch's goodwill. Though Blastus appears only briefly in Scripture, his role illustrates the political dynamics of first-century Judea and the practical importance of royal officials in mediating between rulers and their subjects.
Biography
Blastus was the chamberlain of King Herod Agrippa I, who ruled over Judea from 41 to 44 AD (Act.12.20). The people of Tyre and Sidon, two coastal cities in modern-day Lebanon, had offended Herod, and their region depended on the king's country for food. To regain Herod's favor, they persuaded Blastus to help them secure a reconciliation with the king. Blastus' position as chamberlain, or personal attendant, to the king gave him significant influence and access to the monarch. The fact that the people of Tyre and Sidon sought Blastus' assistance indicates his importance in the royal court and his potential role as an intermediary between the king and his subjects. This brief mention of Blastus in the book of Acts provides insight into the political dynamics and the role of royal officials in the early days of the Christian church.
In Scripture
1 biblical book ; 1 with study contentActs 1 verse
- Acts 12:20
"Now Herod was in a furious dispute with the people of Tyre and Sidon, and they convened before him. Having secured the support of Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for peace, because their region depended on the king’s country for food."
Study Acts →
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Named | Greek | Βλάστος |
Blastus
orn and other provisions, and when Herod, on the occasion of some commercial dispute, forbade the export of foodstuffs to Tyre and Sidon, they were at his mercy and were compelled to ask for peace. "Having made Blastus the king's chamberlain their friend," probably by means of a bribe, the Phoenician embassy was given an opportunity of setting their case before Herod (Ac 12:20 ff).
S. F. Hunter
blaz ("to publish"): Found only in the King James Version of Mr 1:45, for Greek diaphemizein, translated by the Revised Version (British and American) "spread abroad," as in <ref osi