Lexical Summary suggenes: Relative, kinsman, kindred Original Word: συγγενής Strong's Exhaustive Concordance relative, kinsman, cousinFrom sun and genos; a relative (by blood); by extension, a fellow countryman -- cousin, kin(-sfolk, -sman). see GREEK sun see GREEK genos HELPS Word-studies 4773 syggenḗs (from 4862 /sýn, "identified with" and 1085 /génos, "offspring") – properly, offspring, a relation; a relative, kinsman (of the same stock). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4773: συγγενήςσυγγενής, συγγενες (accusative singular συγγενῆ, and in Romans 16:11 Treg. συγγενην; see ἄρσην), dative plural συγγενέσιν and (in Mark 6:4 T Tr (WH, also in Luke 2:44 WH) according to a barbarous declension, cf. (1 Macc. 10:89) Buttmann, 25 (22)) συγγενεῦσιν (σύν and γένος) (from Pindar, Aeschylus down; the Sept.), of the same kin, akin to, related by blood, (Pliny,congener): Mark 6:4; Luke 2:44; Luke 21:16; τίνος, Luke ( STRONGS NT 4773: συγγενίςσυγγενίς, συγγενιδος, ἡ (see the preceding word), a later Greek word ((Plutarch, quaest. Romans 6); like ἐυγενις, cf. Lob. ad Phryn., p. 451f; cf. Winers Grammar, 69 (67); Kühner, i., p. 419 Anm. 8), a kinswoman: τίνος, Luke 1:36 L T WH. The word συγγενής describes those bound by natural kinship—close or extended family, clan or tribe, and by extension fellow Israelites sharing common ancestry. In every New Testament scene where it appears, the context determines whether the reference is to immediate relatives, broader household, or national kindred. Old Testament and Second-Temple Background Septuagint translators used συγγενής to render Hebrew terms for “brother,” “kinsman,” or “redeemer” (e.g., Ruth 2:20 LXX), creating a bridge between covenant family loyalty in the Old Testament and its continued importance in the New. By the first century, the word could denote anything from cousins to tribal compatriots, reinforcing the corporate identity of Israel while also illustrating how lineage shaped social life. Occurrences in the Public Ministry of Jesus 1. Luke 1:36-58. Gabriel tells Mary that Elizabeth is her συγγενίς. When Elizabeth’s neighbors and συγγενεῖς hear of John’s birth (verse 58) they rejoice. Kin rejoice together at God’s covenant mercy, prefiguring corporate joy in the gospel era. 2. Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24. Jesus notes that “a prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his συγγενεῦσιν”. Natural ties, once considered the safest sphere of loyalty, can become a context of unbelief, underscoring that faith response to Christ transcends bloodlines. 3. Luke 14:12. Jesus advises inviting “the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,” rather than only friends or συγγενεῖς. Charity aimed solely at one’s own kin falls short of kingdom generosity. Kinship Re-Defined by Christ Jesus neither abolishes family obligations nor idolizes them. He accepts Galilean family categories yet subordinates them to the larger family created by obedience to God’s word (Luke 8:19-21). Συγγενής appears in passages that force disciples to weigh natural affection against allegiance to Messiah. Early Church Witness Acts 10:24 portrays Cornelius summoning his συγγενεῖς to hear Peter. Household evangelism begins with those who share blood but culminates in shared faith. The movement from ethnic Israel to multi-ethnic church does not erase kin loyalty; it redeploys it for gospel proclamation. Pauline Reflections 1. Romans 9:3. Paul expresses willingness “to be cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh”. Here συγγενῶν denotes national Israel. Deep ethnic solidarity informs Paul’s missionary anguish and bolsters his argument that God’s promises to Israel stand irrevocable. 2. Romans 16. Three times (verses 7, 11, 21) Paul labels fellow Jewish believers his συγγενεῖς. He affirms shared ancestry while celebrating their faith in Christ, illustrating that conversion does not erase ethnic identity but fulfills its redemptive purpose. Theological Themes 1. Covenant Faithfulness. Kinship was the primary arena of covenant transmission (Deuteronomy 6:7). New Testament usage continues that thread: the gospel spreads naturally along familial lines, yet demands personal repentance. 2. Inclusive Expansion. Jesus extends concern beyond συγγενής to the marginalized, signaling the incoming Gentile harvest where “many will come from east and west” (Matthew 8:11). 3. Sacrificial Love. Paul’s anguish for his συγγενῶν models Christ-like self-denial, urging believers to intercede fervently for their own people groups. Pastoral and Missional Implications • Household Evangelism: Begin gospel witness with one’s own συγγενεῖς, expecting God to save whole families as in Cornelius’ house. Summary Συγγενής threads through the New Testament as a reminder that salvation history moves within, yet ultimately beyond, natural bonds. It honors God’s gift of family while proclaiming the superior kinship created by grace in Jesus Christ. Englishman's Concordance Mark 6:4 Adj-DMPGRK: ἐν τοῖς συγγενεῦσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ NAS: and among his [own] relatives and in his [own] household. KJV: and among his own kin, and in INT: among relatives of him and Luke 1:36 N-NFS Luke 1:58 Adj-NMP Luke 2:44 Adj-DMP Luke 14:12 Adj-AMP Luke 21:16 Adj-GMP John 18:26 Adj-NMS Acts 10:24 Adj-AMP Romans 9:3 Adj-GMP Romans 16:7 Adj-AMP Romans 16:11 Adj-AMS Romans 16:21 Adj-NMP Strong's Greek 4773 |
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