Assistant—ὑπηρέτης (hypēretēs)—literally means one who rows from the lower tier of a ship. It describes a position of someone who is responsible for ensuring that the details of a journey are handled.
This type of position involved officers who were responsible for transporting men before a judge and to and from prison (Matthew 5:25). The Pharisees had their own officers, who were responsible for bringing before them those they deemed to be acting improperly (John 7:32, 45–46). When Judas came to betray Christ, the officers of the high priest and the Pharisees were among those who came to arrest Jesus and bring Him before the high priest and the council (John 18:3). When the assistants were sent to bring Peter and John out from the prison in which they were held under heavy guard, they did not find them. They returned, reporting that although the prison was secure, the men were not there (Acts 5:22).
When Peter followed the men who arrested Jesus, staying at a distance, he entered the courtyard with the assistants of the high priest to avoid detection (Matthew 26:58). While he was with them, he warmed himself by the fire, waiting to see what would happen to Jesus (Mark 14:54).
The officers of the high priest who were responsible for transporting Jesus spat on Him and beat Him while mockingly saying, “Prophesy!”—ridiculing who He was (Mark 14:65).
Luke wrote his first epistle to set in order the narrative of the things that had been fulfilled, just as those who were eyewitnesses and under-rowers of the Word delivered their testimonies to him (Luke 1:1–2).
In Nazareth, Jesus entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and read from the prophet Isaiah. When He had finished reading, He handed the scroll back to the assistant—the one responsible for transporting the scrolls and ensuring they were returned to their proper place (Luke 4:16–20).
On the first missionary journey of Barnabas and Paul, John—also known as Mark—was responsible for their travel and logistical plans. When he left them in Pamphylia, he left them without an assistant (Acts 13:5, 13).
While recounting his story to King Agrippa, Paul explained that on the Damascus Road, after he was knocked from his donkey, Jesus instructed him to stand on his feet, for He had appeared to him for the purpose of appointing him as an under-rower and a witness of the things he had seen (Acts 26:16). Paul later references this position when addressing the Corinthian saints, instructing them to consider him an under-rower of Christ and a steward of the mysteries of God (1 Corinthians 4:1).
Often translated as “officer,” this term literally refers to a person responsible for transportation—whether of prisoners or those on a journey. This position was vital in securing the pathway to the destination, along with the means of processing, including lodging and meals.