The term "alongside" in the context of the Bible often conveys the idea of proximity, companionship, support, or partnership. It is not a specific term frequently found in biblical texts, but the concept is woven throughout Scripture in various narratives and teachings. The idea of being "alongside" is significant in understanding relationships, both human and divine, as well as the nature of discipleship and community within the biblical framework.

Divine Presence and Support

One of the most profound expressions of "alongside" is the presence of God with His people. In the Old Testament, God promises His presence to the patriarchs, leaders, and prophets. For instance, in Isaiah 41:10 , God reassures His people, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." This promise of divine accompaniment is a source of comfort and strength, emphasizing that God is always alongside His people, guiding and supporting them.

Jesus Christ: God With Us

The New Testament further develops this theme through the incarnation of Jesus Christ, who is referred to as "Immanuel," meaning "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). Jesus' earthly ministry exemplifies the concept of being alongside humanity, as He walked, taught, and lived among the people. His presence brought healing, teaching, and salvation, demonstrating God's desire to be intimately involved in the lives of His creation.

The Holy Spirit: The Paraclete

The Holy Spirit is described as the "Paraclete" or "Helper," a term that conveys the idea of one who comes alongside to assist, comfort, and advocate. In John 14:16-17 , Jesus promises His disciples, "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth." The Holy Spirit's role is to be alongside believers, guiding them into all truth and empowering them for service.

Human Relationships and Community

The concept of being alongside is also evident in the relationships among believers. The early church is depicted as a community where members supported and encouraged one another. Acts 2:44-47 describes the believers as being together, sharing everything in common, and meeting daily. This sense of community reflects the biblical ideal of living alongside one another in love and unity.

Discipleship and Mentorship

In discipleship, the idea of being alongside is crucial. Jesus called His disciples to follow Him, to be with Him, and to learn from Him. This model of mentorship is seen in the relationship between Paul and Timothy, where Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:2 , "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others." The transmission of faith and teaching occurs through close, personal relationships where one is alongside another.

Bearing One Another's Burdens

The apostle Paul encourages believers to bear one another's burdens, as seen in Galatians 6:2 : "Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." This exhortation highlights the importance of being alongside others in times of need, providing support and encouragement.

Conclusion

The biblical concept of "alongside" encompasses divine presence, the ministry of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and the relationships within the body of Christ. It underscores the importance of companionship, support, and community in the life of faith.(adv.) Along or by the side; side by side with; -- often with of; as, bring the boat alongside; alongside of him; alongside of the tree.3921. pareisduo -- to settle in alongside
... to settle in alongside. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: pareisduo Phonetic
Spelling: (par-ice-doo'-no) Short Definition: I enter secretly Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3921.htm - 7k

3947. paroxuno -- to sharpen, fig. to stimulate, to provoke
... 3947 (from 3844 , "alongside" and , "a sharp edge") -- properly, cut close alongside,
ie to incite ("jab") someone and stimulate their feelings (emotions ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3947.htm - 7k

3872. parakatatheke -- a trust or deposit.
... 3872 (3844 , " close beside" and 2698 , " place") -- properly, place alongside,
like when the Lord to someone (see 1 Tim 6:20; 2 Tim 1:12). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3872.htm - 6k

3887. parameno -- to remain beside or near
... 3887 (from 3844 , "from close-alongside" and 3306 , "abide, remain") -- properly,
remain close-beside (near), ie ("continue alongside") in a relationship ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3887.htm - 7k

3844. para -- from beside, by the side of, by, beside
... para Phonetic Spelling: (par-ah') Short Definition: from, in the presence of Definition:
gen: from; dat: beside, in the presence of; acc: alongside of. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3844.htm - 8k

3927. parepidemos -- sojourning in a strange place
... pilgrim, stranger. From para and the base of epidemeo; an alien alongside, ie A
resident foreigner -- pilgrim, stranger. see GREEK para. see GREEK epidemeo. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3927.htm - 7k

3893. parapikraino -- to embitter, provoke
... provoke. From para and pikraino; to embitter alongside, ie (figuratively) to
exasperate -- provoke. see GREEK para. see GREEK pikraino. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3893.htm - 6k

3181. methorion -- border.
... border. From meta and horion; bounded alongside, ie Contiguous (neuter plural as
noun, frontier) -- border. see GREEK meta. see GREEK horion. 3180, 3181. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3181.htm - 6k

4875. sunanapauomai -- to lie down to rest with, fig. to be ...
... It only occurs in Ro 15:32 in reference to the Roman Christians coming alongside
Paul to "struggle together" against those opposing his important mission to ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4875.htm - 7k

3850. parabole -- to expose oneself to danger
... 3850 (from 3844 , "close beside, with" and 906 , "to cast") -- a parable;
a teaching aid cast alongside the truth being taught. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3850.htm - 7k

5980. ummah -- close by, side by side with
... 5979, 5980. ummah. 5981 . close by, side by side with. Transliteration: ummah
Phonetic Spelling: (oom-maw') Short Definition: alongside. ...
/hebrew/5980.htm - 6k

3027. yad -- hand
... NASB Word Usage abandon* (1), able (1), able* (1), addition* (1), afford* (4), against*
(3), allegiance (1), allegiance* (1), along (1), alongside* (1), armpits ...
/hebrew/3027.htm - 8k

6679. tsud -- to hunt
... A primitive root; to lie alongside (ie In wait); by implication, to catch an animal
(figuratively, men); (denominative from tsayid) to victual (for a journey ...
/hebrew/6679.htm - 6k

5921. al -- upon, above, over
... 2), across* (1), addition (4), addition* (1), afflicted (1), after (14), after*
(1), against (536), against* (1), along (11), alongside* (1), although (1 ...
/hebrew/5921.htm - 8k

Conversion of all that Come.
... Alongside of saving faith goes temporal faith; alongside of the effectual call,
the ordinary call;and alongside of saving conversion, ordinary conversion. ...
/.../kuyper/the work of the holy spirit/xxix conversion of all that.htm

Yoked Service.
... Our Yokefellow is always there alongside. ... Every problem, every difficulty, every
opportunity He knows, and is right there, swinging in rhythmic step alongside. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on service/yoked service.htm

Our Brother.
... The kingdom He was to establish among men was to be set up and ruled over by man's
Brother. The salvation was to be by One, close up, alongside. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks about jesus/our brother.htm

The Presentation of the Church by Christ to Himself.
... not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without
blemish." The word "present" here means "to set alongside of." Christ is ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/pink/the redeemers return/6 the presentation of the.htm

On Bk. Iii. Chap. 39, 1 (Note 1, Continued).
... Handmann regards the Gospel according to the Hebrews as the second original source
of the synoptic tradition, alongside of the Ur-Marcus, and even suggests its ...
//christianbookshelf.org/pamphilius/church history/on bk iii chap 39.htm

Essay iv. The Generous Spirit, Who, when Brought among the Tasks ...
... it was committed. It was already dark when he brought his ship into action,
and laid her alongside L'Orient. One particular only ...
/.../confessions of an inquiring spirit etc/essay iv the generous spirit.htm

The Apocalypse of Peter.
... And alongside of that cliff there was a place full of much fire, and there stood
men who with their own hands had made for themselves carven images instead of ...
/.../unknown/the apocalypse of peter/the apocalypse of peter.htm

The Pastoral Epistles
... Alongside of the presbuteroithe episkoposis named as a primus inter pares (notice
the singular in I:Tim.3:1; Titus 1:7); and the office-bearers in general are ...
/.../drummond/introduction to the new testament/the pastoral epistles.htm

The Bequest of Peace.
... Introduce anything discordant, ambition alongside of indolence, a sensitive
conscience alongside of strong passions, and peace takes flight. ...
/.../the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol ii/xi the bequest of peace.htm

The Coming of the Pharaoh
... The barge of Nechutes swung into position on the left of Senci"the oars on Mentu's
boat rose and halted and the vessel drifted till it was alongside her right ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xiii the coming of.htm

Alongside (10 Occurrences)
... (adv.) Along or by the side; side by side with; -- often with of; as, bring
the boat alongside; alongside of him; alongside of the tree. ...
/a/alongside.htm - 10k

Inn (7 Occurrences)
... of the house of David; that in this they were disappointed, and had to content
themselves with the next best, the elevated platform alongside the interior of ...
/i/inn.htm - 17k

Aloof (15 Occurrences)

/a/aloof.htm - 10k

Heave-offering (55 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 45:6 And ye shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand in breadth,
and five and twenty thousand in length, alongside of the holy heave ...
/h/heave-offering.htm - 26k

General (9 Occurrences)
... faded into the past, "the apostles" (in the sense of the college of the Twelve,
including Paul) were raised to a preeminent position alongside of Christ with ...
/g/general.htm - 49k

Village (21 Occurrences)
... They were originally enclosures specially for cattle, alongside of which dwellings
for the herdsmen and peasantry naturally grew up (see HAZAR-ADDAR; HAZOR). ...
/v/village.htm - 16k

Riches (118 Occurrences)
...Alongside this would go the Greek ploutos (Matthew 13:22 Ephesians 2:7). (2) Chocen
(Proverbs 27:24 Jeremiah 20:5), nekhacim and rekhush (Genesis 36:7 Daniel 11 ...
/r/riches.htm - 41k

Medan (2 Occurrences)
... name may be connected with the Midianites is unlikely from the fact that in the
list of the sons of Abraham and Keturah Midian is mentioned alongside of Medan. ...
/m/medan.htm - 7k

Maw (2 Occurrences)
... It is derived from a root designating "hollowed out." It is mentioned alongside
of the shoulder and the two cheeks of ox and sheep, which are the priest's ...
/m/maw.htm - 8k

Cush (31 Occurrences)
... is the canal Gu-hande or Arahtu, which, coming from the South, entered Babylon a
little to the East of the Euphrates, and, flowing alongside the Festival-Street ...
/c/cush.htm - 25k

What is a parable? | GotQuestions.org

What is the gift of encouragement? | GotQuestions.org

Is there biblical support for parachurch ministries? | GotQuestions.org

Alongside: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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