AUTHOR, the tr. of several Gr. terms appearing only in the NT. The more frequent term is Gr. ̓αρχηγός, “leader,” “prince,” “overseer,” only “author” in the sense of originator or initiator (Acts 3:15 KJV “Prince,” RSV “Author”; 5:31 KJV “Prince,” RSV “Leader”; Heb 2:10 KJV “Captain,” RSV “Pioneer”; 12:2 KJV “Author”, RSV “Pioneer”). The word appears in Gr. from Aeschylus through the Hel. period, and is esp. common in the LXX. Less difficult is the Gr. αἴτιος, G165, which occurs in Luke 23:4, 14, 22; Acts 19:40; Heb 5:9. Only the last quotation is at all debated as to meaning. KJV reads “author” while RSV reads “source”; however, the standard meaning of the word in lit. is “cause of,” “source,” therefore the RSV is to be preferred. Interestingly enough the term is always in reference to Christ and may represent some Heb. or Aram. term significantly used by Christ in His self-revelation. Especially important is the usage in Acts 3:15, which calls Jesus “The Author of life” in a context dealing with His death upon the cross. This is a fine and precise statement of the fulfillment of the messianic ideal of Isaiah 53.