Lexical Summary oikeios: Belonging to a household, domestic, related by family Original Word: οἰκεῖος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance those of the his own household. From oikos; domestic, i.e. (as noun), a relative, adherent -- (those) of the (his own) house(-hold). see GREEK oikos Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3609: οἰκεῖοςοἰκεῖος, οἰκεῖα, οἰκεῖον (οἶκος), from Hesiod down, belonging to a house or family, domestic, intimate: belonging to one's household, related by blood, kindred, 1 Timothy 5:8; οἰκεῖοι τοῦ Θεοῦ, belonging to God's household, i. e. to the theocracy, Ephesians 2:19; in a wider sense, with a genitive of the thing, belonging to, devoted to, adherents of a thing, οἱ οἰκεῖοι τῆς πίστεως, professors of the (Christian) faith, Galatians 6:10 (but others associate this passage with that from Ephesians as above; see Lightfoot at the passage); so οἰκεῖος φιλοσοφίας, Strabo 1, p. 13 b. (1, 17 edition Sieben.); γεωγραφιας, p. 25 a. (1, 34 edition Sieben.); ὀλιγαρχιας, Diodorus 13, 91; τυραννίδος, 19, 70. (The Sept. for שְׁאֵר, related by blood; דּוד, 1 Samuel 10:14ff; שַׁאֲרָה, consanguinity, Leviticus 18:17; οἰκεῖος τοῦ σπέρματος for בָּשָׂר, Isaiah 58:7.) STRONGS NT 3609a: οἰκετείαοἰκετεία (others, οἰκετεία, cf. Chandler § 99ff), οἰκετείας, ἡ (οἰκέτης, which see), household i. e. body of servants (Macrobius, Appuleius ( Derived from the idea of “house” or “household,” the term designates those who belong to the same domestic circle—whether by blood, marriage, or shared residence—and, by extension, those who share a common spiritual home. In Pauline usage the word moves naturally from literal kinship to covenant kinship, framing believers as members of a single family under God the Father through Christ. Occurrences in the New Testament Ephesians 2:19 presents Gentile believers as “members of God’s household,” signaling their full inclusion in the people of God. Galatians 6:10 extends the virtue of doing good “especially to the household of faith,” prioritizing spiritual relatives while still embracing universal benevolence. 1 Timothy 5:8 confronts personal responsibility, warning that failure to provide for “relatives, and especially his immediate family” undermines professed faith. Together, these verses trace a seamless line from physical family duties to the wider obligations of the church family. Theological Significance 1. Covenant Membership: In Ephesians, the word underscores the church’s unity across ethnic lines. Through Christ, former outsiders are naturalized into God’s family, enjoying shared citizenship and inheritance. Ethical Implications for Believers Historical and Cultural Background In the Greco-Roman world, the οἶκος was the basic social unit, encompassing nuclear family, extended relatives, slaves, and clients. Honor depended on maintaining the household’s integrity and welfare. Paul appropriates this familiar structure, elevating it through Christ: all who trust in the Messiah become adoptees in God’s familial household, transcending previous social divisions while retaining the responsibility and intimacy expected within a first-century οἶκος. Ministry Applications Related Concepts and Further Study Household Codes (Ephesians 5–6; Colossians 3–4) Adoption (Romans 8:15; Galatians 4:5) Brotherly Love (Hebrews 13:1) Fellow Citizens (Philippians 3:20) By tracing οἰκεῖος across Scripture, one sees the divine design for both natural and spiritual families: ordered by love, sustained by provision, and united under the headship of Jesus Christ. Englishman's Concordance Galatians 6:10 Adj-AMPGRK: πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους τῆς πίστεως NAS: to those who are of the household of the faith. KJV: unto them who are of the household of faith. INT: toward those of the household of the of faith Ephesians 2:19 Adj-NMP 1 Timothy 5:8 Adj-GMP Strong's Greek 3609 |
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