Lexical Summary adelphotés: Brotherhood, fellowship Original Word: ἀδελφότης Strong's Exhaustive Concordance brethren, brotherhood. From adephos; brotherhood (properly, the feeling of brotherliness), i.e. The (Christian) fraternity -- brethren, brotherhood. see GREEK adephos NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom adelphos Definition brotherhood NASB Translation brethren (1), brotherhood (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 81: ἀδελφότηςἀδελφότης, (ητος, ἡ, brotherhood; the abstract for the concrete, a band of brothers, i. e. of Christians, Christian brethren: 1 Peter 2:17; 1 Peter 5:9. (1 Macc. 12:10, 17, the connection of allied nations; 4 Macc. 9:23; 10:3, the connection of brothers; Dio Chrysostom 2:137 (edited by Reiske); often in ecclesiastical writings.) Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope The term ἀδελφότης designates the collective body of believers understood as a spiritual family united in Christ. It expresses both the objective reality of shared new-birth kinship and the ethical obligation that flows from it—loyal love, sacrificial care, and mutual honor among all who belong to Jesus. Occurrences and Immediate Context 1 Peter employs the word twice, framing the epistle’s exhortations. Theological Significance 1. Covenant Identity: By the new birth (1 Peter 1:3,23) believers are “born again” into one family; the brotherhood is therefore not merely sociological but covenantal. Historical Background In the first-century Roman world, voluntary associations and household loyalties were common. Christians, however, claimed a kinship that transcended ethnicity, status, and geography. This alternative social structure drew suspicion (cf. Tacitus, Annals 15.44) yet provided resilience under persecution, as evidenced in 1 Peter. Ministry and Pastoral Application • Mutual Care: Leaders are instructed to shepherd “the flock of God” (1 Peter 5:2), embodying the protective dimension of brotherhood. Related Concepts Adelphoi (brothers), koinōnia (fellowship), sōma Christou (body of Christ), and oikos Theou (household of God) all overlap but each highlights a facet: sibling affection, shared participation, organic unity, and household order respectively. Christological and Ecclesiological Implications Because Christ’s atoning work creates the brotherhood, to love or despise it is to honor or affront Him. Local congregations are tangible expressions of this reality; therefore, church discipline, reconciliation, and communion are not optional practices but safeguards of familial integrity. Practical Exhortations 1. Cultivate intentional relationships across cultural and generational lines within the congregation. Conclusion Ἀδελφότης calls the people of God to live as a Spirit-formed family—loving, honoring, suffering, and persevering together until the revelation of Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations αδελφοτητα αδελφότητα ἀδελφότητα αδελφοτητι αδελφότητι ἀδελφότητι adelphoteta adelphotēta adelphóteta adelphótēta adelphoteti adelphotēti adelphóteti adelphótētiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Peter 2:17 N-AFSGRK: τιμήσατε τὴν ἀδελφότητα ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν NAS: love the brotherhood, fear KJV: [men]. Love the brotherhood. Fear INT: show honor to the brotherhood love 1 Peter 5:9 N-DFS Strong's Greek 81 |
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