Lexicon
politeia: Citizenship, commonwealth, state, way of life
Original Word: πολιτεία
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: politeia
Pronunciation: po-lee-TEH-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (pol-ee-ti'-ah)
Definition: Citizenship, commonwealth, state, way of life
Meaning: (a) commonwealth, polity; citizen body, (b) (the Roman) citizenship, citizen-rights, franchise.
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
citizenship
From polites ("polity"); citizenship; concretely, a community -- commonwealth, freedom.
see GREEK polites
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
politeuomaiDefinitioncitizenship
NASB Translationcitizenship (1), commonwealth (1).
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 4174: πολιτείαπολιτεία,
πολιτείας,
ἡ (
πολιτεύω);
1. the administration of civil affairs (Xenophon, mem. 3, 9, 15; Aristophanes, Aeschines, Demosthenes (others)).
2. a state, commonwealth (2 Macc. 4:11 2Macc. 8:17 2Macc. 13:14; Xenophon, Plato, Thucydides (others)): with a genitive of the possessor, τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, spoken of the theocratic or divine commonwealth, Ephesians 2:12.
3. citizenship, the rights of a citizen (some make this sense the primary one): Acts 22:28 (3Macc. 3:21, 23; Herodotus 9, 34; Xenophon, Hell. 1, 1, 26; 1, 2, 10; (4, 4, 6, etc.); Demosthenes, Polybius, Diodorus, Josephus, others).
Topical Lexicon
Word Origin: Derived from πολίτης (polites), meaning "citizen," which in turn comes from πόλις (polis), meaning "city."Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: While there is no direct Hebrew equivalent for πολιτεία, related concepts can be found in terms such as:
• Strong's Hebrew 4941 (מִשְׁפָּט, mishpat): Often translated as "judgment" or "justice," this term can relate to the legal and communal aspects of citizenship.
• Strong's Hebrew 8432 (תּוֹךְ, tokh): Meaning "midst" or "among," it can imply inclusion within a community or group, similar to the idea of citizenship.
These Hebrew terms reflect the communal and legal dimensions of πολιτεία, emphasizing the rights, responsibilities, and identity associated with being part of a covenant community.
Usage: In the New Testament, πολιτεία is used to describe both the concept of citizenship and the broader idea of a community or commonwealth. It appears in contexts discussing the privileges and responsibilities associated with being part of a particular group or society.
Context: The term πολιτεία is found in the New Testament in two key passages, each highlighting different aspects of its meaning:
• Acts 22:28 (BSB): "The commander answered, 'I paid a high price for my citizenship.' 'But I was born a citizen,' Paul replied." Here, πολιτεία refers to Roman citizenship, emphasizing the legal and social privileges that come with being a citizen of Rome. This passage illustrates the value and significance of citizenship in the ancient world, where it conferred specific rights and protections.
• Ephesians 2:12 (BSB): "remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world." In this context, πολιτεία is used metaphorically to describe the spiritual status of Gentiles before their inclusion in the community of God's people. It underscores the transition from being outsiders to becoming part of the divine commonwealth through Christ.
Theologically, πολιτεία in Ephesians 2:12 highlights the transformative power of the Gospel, which extends the privileges of God's covenant community to all believers, regardless of their ethnic or cultural background. This reflects the New Testament's broader theme of unity and inclusion within the body of Christ.
Forms and Transliterations
πολιτειαν πολιτείαν πολιτειας πολιτείας politeian politeían politeias politeíasLinks
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