Lexical Summary metochos: Partaker, sharer, partner Original Word: μέτοχος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fellow, partaker, partner. From metecho; participant, i.e. (as noun) a sharer; by implication, an associate -- fellow, partaker, partner. see GREEK metecho HELPS Word-studies 3353 métoxos (from 3348 /metéxō, "share in," derived from 3326 /metá, "with change afterward" and 2192 /éxō, "have") – properly, change due to sharing, i.e. from being an "active partaker with." NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom metechó Definition sharing in NASB Translation companions (1), partakers (4), partners (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3353: μέτοχοςμέτοχος, μέτοχον (μετέχω); 1. sharing in, partaking of, with the genitive of the thing (Winer's Grammar, § 30, 8 a.): Hebrews 3:1; Hebrews 6:4; Hebrews 12:8; τοῦ Χριστοῦ, of his mind, and of the salvation procured by him, Hebrews 3:14; cf. Bleek at the passage 2. a partner (in a work, office, dignity): Hebrews 1:9 (from Psalm 44:8 Strong’s 3353 centers on the idea of possessing a common share—whether in labor, privilege, joy, or responsibility. Within Scripture the term consistently portrays an intimate linkage, never a casual association. It conveys covenant solidarity: to be “with” someone or something in such a way that what belongs to the principal party now necessarily marks the participant. Occurrences in the Canon Luke 5:7 presents the most literal scene: business associates who haul in the miraculous catch. Yet even here the word points beyond commerce; when Peter’s boat overflows, the partners become beneficiaries of grace they neither produced nor controlled. The Epistle to the Hebrews then adopts the word for its richest theological development (Hebrews 1:9; 3:1; 3:14; 6:4; 12:8). Participation in Christ’s Work Hebrews 3:14: “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the assurance we had at first.” Sharing in Christ involves identification with His obedience, sufferings, and triumph. The author does not describe a partial investment but a whole-life alignment that must persevere. Hebrews 1:9 already introduced the concept: the exalted Son is anointed “above your companions.” Those “companions” benefit from His exaltation because they are counted as His associates; their joy flows from His enthronement. Participation with the Holy Spirit Hebrews 6:4 extends the idea to pneumatology: enlightenment entails having “shared in the Holy Spirit.” The context is sobering. Failure to persevere damages living fellowship, revealing that outward experiences alone do not guarantee enduring partnership. Nevertheless, the verse affirms that genuine believers truly partake of the Spirit’s life—an experience far deeper than external religion. Sonship and Discipline Hebrews 12:8 contrasts true sons with outsiders: authentic children are “partakers” of the Father’s discipline. The participatory word frames discipline not as punitive isolation but as evidence of belonging. To escape chastening would be to forfeit the family likeness (see Proverbs 3:11-12). Partnership in Ministry and Mission Luke 5:7 illustrates cooperative service: when Jesus supplies abundance, the disciples cannot manage it alone. They summon their partners, and both vessels fill. Ministry, therefore, is structurally communal; divine provision demands shared labor. Local congregations mirror this design when spiritual gifts and resources circulate among believers. Warning Passages and Perseverance Hebrews 3:1 addresses “holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling,” urging them to fix their thoughts on Jesus. Participation brings responsibility: the heavenly calling must direct attention to the Apostle and High Priest. Hebrews repeatedly couples the term with conditional language—“if we hold firmly” (Hebrews 3:14). Perseverance proves participation; it never causes it. Historical Background In Greco-Roman contracts, metochos identified shareholders in ventures, indicating legal rights and obligations. The writer to the Hebrews harnesses this everyday vocabulary to depict covenant realities. Against a backdrop of synagogue pressures and imperial suspicion, confessing Christians were reminded that their truest association was with the enthroned Christ, not with institutions liable to shake or collapse (Hebrews 12:26-28). Practical Application for the Church Today • Assurance springs from union with Christ; believers draw confidence not from personal performance but from shared status granted by the Son’s anointing. Summary Strong’s 3353 portrays redeemed people as full stakeholders in God’s redemptive enterprise. They share Christ’s joy, the Spirit’s life, the Father’s loving discipline, the church’s mission, and the heavenly calling itself. Such partnership demands faithfulness, fosters unity, and secures hope anchored in the unchanging character of God. Englishman's Concordance Luke 5:7 Adj-DMPGRK: κατένευσαν τοῖς μετόχοις ἐν τῷ NAS: they signaled to their partners in the other KJV: they beckoned unto [their] partners, which INT: they beckoned to the partners in the Hebrews 1:9 Adj-AMP Hebrews 3:1 Adj-NMP Hebrews 3:14 Adj-NMP Hebrews 6:4 Adj-AMP Hebrews 12:8 Adj-NMP Strong's Greek 3353 |
    |