Lexical Summary oikos: House, household, home, family Original Word: οἶκος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance home, household, temple. Of uncertain affinity; a dwelling (more or less extensive, literal or figurative); by implication, a family (more or less related, literally or figuratively) -- home, house(-hold), temple. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition a house, a dwelling NASB Translation descendants (1), families (1), family (1), home (18), homes (2), house (79), household (14), households (1), itself (1), palaces (1), place (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3624: οἶκοςοἶκος, οἴκου, ὁ (cf. Latinvicus, English ending -wich; Curtius, § 95), from Homer down; the Sept. in numberless places for בַּיִת, also for הֵיכַל, a palace, אֹהֶל, a tent, etc.; 1. a house; a. strictly, an inhabited house (differing thus from δόμος the building): Acts 2:2; Acts 19:16; τίνος, Matthew 9:6; Mark 2:11; Mark 5:38; Luke 1:23, 40, 56; Luke 8:39, 41, etc.; ἔρχεσθαι εἰς οἶκον, to come into a house (domurn venire), Mark 3:20 (19); εἰς τόν οἶκον, into the (i. e. his or their) house, home, Luke 7:10; Luke 15:6; ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ, in the (her) house, John 11:20; ἐν οἴκῳ, at home, 1 Corinthians 11:34; 1 Corinthians 14:35; οἱ εἰς τόν οἶκον(see εἰς, C. 2), Luke 9:61; κατ' οἶκον, opposed to ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, in a household assembly, in private (R. V. at home; see κατά, II. 1 d.), Acts 2:46; Acts 5:42; κατ' οἴκους, opposed to δημοσίᾳ, in private houses (A. V. from house to house; see κατά, II. 3 a.), Acts 20:20; κατά τούς οἴκους εἰσπορευόμενος, entering house after house, Acts 8:3; ἡ κατ' οἶκον τίνος ἐκκλησία, see ἐκκλησία, 4 b. aa. b. any building whatever: ἐμπορίου, John 2:16; προσευχῆς, Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46; τοῦ βασιλέως, τοῦ ἀρχιερέως, the palace of etc., Matthew 11:8; Luke 22:54 (here T Tr WH οἰκία); τοῦ Θεοῦ, the house where God was regarded as present — of the tabernacle, Matthew 12:4; Mark 2:26; Luke 6:4; of the temple at Jerusalem, Matthew 21:13; Mark 11:17; Luke 19:46; John 2:16f, (Isaiah 56:5, 7); cf. Luke 11:51; Acts 7:47, 49; of the heavenly sanctuary, Hebrews 10:21 (οἶκος ἅγιος Θεοῦ, of heaven, Deuteronomy 26:15; Baruch 2:16); a body of Christians (a church), as pervaded by the Spirit and power of God, is called οἶκος πνευματικός, 1 Peter 2:5. c. any dwelling-place: of the human body as the abode of demons that possess it, Matthew 12:44; Luke 11:24; (used in Greek authors also of tents and huts, and later, of the nests, stalls, lairs, of animals). universally, the place where one has fixed his residence, one's settled abode, domicile: οἶκος ὑμῶν, of the city of Jerusalem, Matthew 23:38; Luke 13:35. 2. by metonymy, the inmates of a house, all the persons forming one family, a household: Luke 10:5; Luke 11:17 (al: refer this to 1, and take ἐπί either locally (see ἐπί, C. I. 1), or of succession (see ἐπί, C. I. 2 c.)); 3. stock, race, descendants of one (A. V. house): ὁ οἶκος Δαυίδ, Luke 1:27, 69; Luke 2:4 (1 Kings 12:16); οἶκος Ἰσραήλ, Matthew 10:6; Matthew 15:24; Luke 1:33; Acts 2:36; Acts 7:42; ((ὁ οἶκος Ἰακώβ), 46 L T Tr marginal reading); Hebrews 8:8, 10 (Jeremiah 38:31 Οἶκος most frequently designates the physical structure in which people live. The term appears in narrative settings that emphasize everyday life: the paralytic is healed and commanded, “Get up, pick up your mat, and go to your house” (Matthew 9:6); Jairus brings Jesus “to his house” where his daughter lies (Luke 8:41); and the Spirit is poured out “in the house where they were sitting” on Pentecost (Acts 2:2). These texts reveal God’s gracious activity invading ordinary domestic spaces, showing that no place is too common to become the theater of divine action. Household as family Οἶκος often embraces the persons who occupy the dwelling—the family and even the servants. Cornelius is described as “a devout man and one who feared God with all his household” (Acts 10:2). When the Philippian jailer asks how to be saved, Paul answers, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31). Here the focus shifts from architecture to kinship, underscoring covenant solidarity. Salvation is portrayed as able to penetrate and transform an entire domestic circle. Lineage and dynastic house Luke records that the angel promises Mary, “The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever” (Luke 1:32-33). Οἶκος thus denotes a line of descent or national entity. Stephen’s sermon recounts Israel’s history in terms of “the house of Israel” (Acts 7:42). The vocabulary links God’s redemptive purposes with specific families and generations, affirming that divine promises run through history with fidelity. The house of God in the Temple A distinct strand of usage identifies the sanctuary in Jerusalem. Jesus cites Isaiah while cleansing the court: “My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations” (Mark 11:17). The same phrase condemns the commercializing of worship. Hebrews recalls that Moses was “faithful in all God’s house” (Hebrews 3:2-5), applying οἶκος to the tabernacle‐temple complex and, by extension, to the community that worships there. The physical temple embodies God’s holy presence among His people, yet also foreshadows a greater, living house. Jesus within the house Many of Christ’s key revelations occur indoors. In Capernaum “it was reported that He was at home” (Mark 2:1), and crowds gather so densely that the paralytic must be lowered through the roof. Zacchaeus welcomes Jesus joyfully, and the Lord declares, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:9). The intimacy of the household setting highlights personal encounter and immediate transformation. The household as sphere of salvation Acts repeatedly portrays households as units of evangelism: Lydia, the jailer, and Crispus each believe and are baptized along with their homes (Acts 16:15; 16:34; 18:8). The pattern exhibits God’s intention to extend grace through family structures and validates ministry that engages every member, young and old. House churches and early Christian fellowship With synagogue expulsion and temple access curtailed, believers gather “from house to house” (Acts 5:42) and “broke bread from house to house” (Acts 2:46). Specific meeting places are cited: “Greet also the church that meets at their house” (Romans 16:5; cf. Colossians 4:15; Philemon 2). Domestic architecture becomes an incubator for worship, teaching, and mutual care, providing flexibility and warmth that public halls could not match. The model continues to inspire mission strategy where formal buildings are impractical or restricted. Pastoral Epistles: order in the household Leadership qualifications hinge on managing the home: an overseer must “manage his own household well” (1 Timothy 3:4). Deacons likewise must lead “their children and their own households competently” (1 Timothy 3:12). The health of a congregation is inseparable from the integrity displayed in the elder’s living room. Titus must silence false teachers who upset “whole households” (Titus 1:11), showing that doctrinal error often enters through domestic relationships. Scripture therefore binds theology and family life together in pastoral oversight. Spiritual house, priestly community The New Covenant brings a climactic redefinition: “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5). Believers themselves form God’s dwelling; the Spirit indwells them corporately (Hebrews 3:6; 10:21). The imagery fuses temple and family: God’s presence and Fatherhood animate the same structure. Disciples are both children in the household and stones in the sanctuary, highlighting privilege and responsibility. Eschatological promise of the Father’s house Though not limited to the Johannine term μονή, the concept converges in Christ’s assurance, “In My Father’s house are many rooms” (John 14:2). The earthly ιδία οἰκία becomes an anticipation of the eternal dwelling where God gathers His family forever. Hebrews 11:10 views Abraham as seeking “the city with foundations,” a permanent οἶκος built by God. Present hospitality and holiness therefore anticipate a consummated household in the new creation. Practical ministry applications today 1. Evangelism should purposefully address entire families, recognizing the biblical pattern of household conversion. Selected key references Matthew 12:44; Mark 5:19; Luke 19:5-9; John 2:16-17; Acts 7:46-49; Acts 10:2; Acts 16:31-34; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 11:34; 1 Timothy 3:4-15; Hebrews 3:2-6; 1 Peter 2:5. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 9:6 N-AMSGRK: εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου NAS: up your bed and go home. KJV: unto thine house. INT: to the house of you Matthew 9:7 N-AMS Matthew 10:6 N-GMS Matthew 11:8 N-DMP Matthew 12:4 N-AMS Matthew 12:44 N-AMS Matthew 15:24 N-GMS Matthew 21:13 N-NMS Matthew 21:13 N-NMS Matthew 23:38 N-NMS Mark 2:1 N-DMS Mark 2:11 N-AMS Mark 2:26 N-AMS Mark 3:20 N-AMS Mark 5:19 N-AMS Mark 5:38 N-AMS Mark 7:17 N-AMS Mark 7:30 N-AMS Mark 8:3 N-AMS Mark 8:26 N-AMS Mark 9:28 N-AMS Mark 11:17 N-NMS Mark 11:17 N-NMS Luke 1:23 N-AMS Luke 1:27 N-GMS Strong's Greek 3624 |
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