Lexical Summary patria: Family, lineage, tribe, nation Original Word: πατριά Strong's Exhaustive Concordance lineage, family, kindredAs if feminine of a derivative of pater; paternal descent, i.e. (concretely) a group of families or a whole race (nation) -- family, kindred, lineage. see GREEK pater NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom patér Definition lineage, family NASB Translation families (1), family (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3965: πατριάπατριά, πατριᾶς, ἡ (from πατήρ); 1. lineage running back to some progenitor, ancestry: Herodotus 2, 143; 3, 75. 2. a race or tribe, i. e. a group of families, all those who in a given people lay claim to a common origin: εἰσί ἀυτεων (Βαβυλωνίων) πατριαί τρεῖς, Herodotus 1, 200. The Israelites were distributed into (twelve) מַטּות, φυλαί, tribes, descended from the twelve sons of Jacob; these were divided into מִשְׁפָחות, πατριαί, deriving their descent from the several sons of Jacob's sons; and these in turn were divided into הָאָבות בֵּית, οἶκοι, houses (or families); cf. Gesenius, Thesaurus, i., p. 193; iii., p. 1463; Winer's RWB under the word Stämme; (Keil, Archaeol. § 140); hence, ἐξ οἴκου καί πατριᾶς Δαυίδ, i. e. belonging not only to the same 'house' (πατριά) as David, but to the very 'family' of David, descended from David himself, Luke 2:4 (αὗται αἱ πατριαί τῶν υἱῶν Συμεών, Exodus 6:15; ὁ ἀνήρ αὐτῆς Μανασσης τῆς φυλῆς αὐτῆς καί τῆς πατριᾶς αὐτῆς, Judith 8:2; τῶν φυλῶν κατά πατριᾶς αὐτῶν, Numbers 1:16; οἶκοι πατριῶν, Exodus 12:3; Numbers 1:2, and often; add, Josephus, Antiquities 6, 4, 1; 7, 14, 7; 11, 3, 10). 3. family in a wider sense, equivalent to nation, people: Acts 3:25 (1 Chronicles 16:28; Psalm 21:28 The word translated “family” or “clan” expresses the idea of a people group descended from a common ancestor and bound together by shared identity and destiny. It moves beyond the immediate household (οἶκος) to embrace an extended, trans-generational line. In Scripture this concept frames both God’s earthly dealings through covenant lineages and His heavenly purpose in Christ to unite worshipers from every “family” into one redeemed household. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Luke 2:4 – Joseph “went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth into Judea, to the City of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and line of David.” Messianic Lineage and Luke 2:4 Luke anchors Jesus’ birth in the royal clan of David. The promise to David (2 Samuel 7:12-16) required a biological and legal descendant to claim the throne. By identifying Joseph with David’s “family,” Luke demonstrates that Jesus fulfills covenant expectations. The genealogy is not incidental; it guarantees the historicity of the incarnation and the legitimacy of Jesus’ messianic kingship. Covenant Fulfillment in Acts 3:25 Peter cites Genesis 22:18 to show that the Abrahamic promise embraces “all the families of the earth.” The plural form underscores the universal scope of blessing anticipated in the patriarchal covenant and realized in the risen Christ. Israel’s “family” becomes the channel through which God addresses every ethnic clan, inviting all to repentance (Acts 3:26). Universal Fatherhood in Ephesians 3:15 Paul’s doxology links divine naming and purpose: every “family” finds its true identity under the Father’s sovereign plan. The verse stretches the term beyond earthly kinships to include angelic hosts (“in heaven”) and redeemed communities (“on earth”). By rooting diverse families in one Father, Paul underlines both unity and dignity within the Church’s multicultural body. Theological Significance 1. Redemptive Continuity – From Abraham to David to the Church, God works through identifiable lineages, weaving a single account of grace. Ministry Implications • Genealogical Passages – Far from mere record-keeping, they reinforce confidence in fulfilled prophecy and strengthen apologetics regarding Jesus’ identity. Practical Applications • Family Discipleship – Recognizing God’s use of lineages motivates parents to cultivate multi-generational faithfulness. Summary Strong’s Greek 3965 underscores God’s faithfulness to work through real families while ultimately incorporating all families into His redemptive plan. From Bethlehem’s manger to Jerusalem’s porch to Paul’s prison prayer, the term charts the majestic sweep of salvation history, inviting the Church to live as one extended family under the Father’s unifying name. Englishman's Concordance Luke 2:4 N-GFSGRK: οἴκου καὶ πατριᾶς Δαυίδ NAS: he was of the house and family of David, KJV: the house and lineage of David:) INT: [the] house and family of David Acts 3:25 N-NFP Ephesians 3:15 N-NFS Strong's Greek 3965 |
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