Lexical Summary ethnikos: Gentiles, Gentile Original Word: ἐθνικός Strong's Exhaustive Concordance a GentileFrom ethnos; national ("ethnic"), i.e. (specially) a Gentile -- heathen (man). see GREEK ethnos HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 1482 ethnikós(from 1484/éthnos, "nation") – Gentile; heathen, usually referring to non-Israelites; a pagan, a "non-covenant person," standing outside God's covenant (salvation). See 1484 (ethnos). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ethnos Definition national, foreign, i.e. spec. a Gentile NASB Translation Gentile (1), Gentiles (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 1482: ἐθνικόςἐθνικός, ἐθνικη, ἐθνικον (ethnos); 1. adapted to the genius or customs of a people, peculiar to a people, national: Polybius, Diodorus, others. 2. suited to the manners or language of foreigners, strange, foreign; so in the grammarians (cf. our 'gentile']. 3. in the N. T. savoring of the nature of pagans, alien to the worship of the true God, heathenish; substantively, ὁ ἐθνικός, the pagan, the Gentile: Matthew 18:17; plural, Matthew 5:47 G L T Tr WH; The adjective ἐθνικός denotes those outside the covenant people of God. English translations render it “Gentile,” “pagan,” or “heathen,” emphasizing separation from the distinctive life and revelation granted to Israel and, by extension, to the Church. Each New Testament occurrence reflects that covenantal distance while simultaneously pressing God’s people toward distinct holiness and mission-minded engagement. Biblical Occurrences • Matthew 5:47 – Jesus warns that greeting only one’s own circle mirrors ordinary “Gentile” conduct, challenging His followers to exceed common cultural courtesy. • Matthew 6:7 – He cautions against prayer that mimics “pagans,” whose verbose recitations betray distrust in a personal, listening Father. • Matthew 18:17 – In church discipline, an unrepentant believer is to be regarded “as a pagan or a tax collector,” underscoring the gravity of persisting in sin while hinting at the redemptive pursuit still exemplified in Jesus’ treatment of outsiders. • 3 John 1:7 – It commends missionaries who “went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles,” illustrating the early Church’s desire to avoid confusing gospel generosity with pagan patronage. Historical Setting In first-century Judea, “Gentile” could carry both ethnic and religious overtones. Roman and Hellenistic cultures practiced pluralistic worship, public immorality, and patron-client economics. For Jewish hearers, the term evoked nations ignorant of Torah. For the nascent Church, it described societies yet unreached by the gospel. The four passages trace a path from Jewish-Christian self-identity (Matthew) to cross-cultural evangelism (3 John). Theological Insights 1. Holiness by Contrast: Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount repeatedly contrasts kingdom life with Gentile norms, revealing that righteousness is relational—rooted in the Father’s character—rather than ritual or ethnic. 2. Prayer and Paternity: Matthew 6:7 ties the critique of pagan verbosity to the subsequent instruction, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him” (Matthew 6:8). True prayer rests on covenant sonship. 3. Discipline toward Restoration: Treating an obstinate offender “as a pagan” (Matthew 18:17) removes church affirmation but does not sever gospel invitation; the same Messiah who uttered these words still dined with outcasts. 4. Missional Integrity: 3 John underscores financial independence from unbelievers to preserve gospel credibility. Voluntary support within the Christian family magnifies grace and avoids syncretistic entanglements. Ministry Applications • Pastoral Counseling: Counsel believers that unchecked resentment, exclusivity, or babbling prayers resemble pagan habits, whereas kingdom life prizes reconciliatory love and confident, concise supplication. • Church Discipline: When necessary, congregations should follow the Matthew 18 pattern, maintaining compassionate pursuit of restoration while recognizing the protective function of boundaries. • Missions Strategy: 3 John encourages churches to resource itinerant workers so they need not rely on secular funding, thereby demonstrating that the gospel is a gift, not a commodity. • Intercultural Witness: The very label “Gentile” once delineated outsiders; now the gospel summons them in. Teaching should stress Ephesians 2:11-13, where former “strangers to the covenants” are “brought near by the blood of Christ.” Relationship to Other Greek Terms While ἐθνικός describes the outsider’s identity, ἔθνος (nation) and ἔθνος plural can be morally neutral. The nuance warns against conflating ethnicity with ungodliness; rather, ungodliness stems from estrangement to divine revelation, not mere lineage. Summary Strong’s Greek 1482 spotlights the contrast—and bridge—between God’s covenant community and the surrounding world. In Matthew, it calls disciples to surpass common ethics, to pray as children, and to guard communal purity. In 3 John, it encourages faithful gospel workers who seek nothing from those still outside the faith. Thus, ἐθνικός functions both as a sober reminder of humanity’s need and as an impetus to mission, inviting the “Gentile” into the redeemed people of God through Jesus Christ. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 5:47 Adj-NMPGRK: καὶ οἱ ἐθνικοὶ τὸ αὐτὸ NAS: [than others]? Do not even the Gentiles do INT: also the The Gentiles the same Matthew 6:7 Adj-NMP Matthew 18:17 Adj-NMS 3 John 1:7 Adj-GMP Strong's Greek 1482 |
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