Topical Bible: Fellows

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Topical Encyclopedia

In biblical terms, the concept of "fellows" often refers to companions, associates, or those who share a common purpose or bond. The term is used in various contexts throughout the Scriptures, highlighting the importance of fellowship and unity among believers and within the community of faith.

Old Testament Usage

In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word often translated as "fellow" is "רֵעַ" (rea), which can mean friend, companion, or neighbor. This term underscores the relational aspect of human interactions as ordained by God. For instance, in Zechariah 13:7, the prophet speaks of a close relationship between the shepherd and his fellow: "Awake, O sword, against My shepherd, against the man who is My companion," declares the LORD of Hosts. "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered, and I will turn My hand against the little ones."

The concept of fellowship is also evident in the communal life of Israel, where the people were called to live in harmony and support one another. Leviticus 19:18 commands, "Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD."

New Testament Usage

In the New Testament, the Greek word "μέτοχος" (metochos) is sometimes used to denote a fellow or partner, particularly in the context of sharing in Christ's mission and sufferings. Hebrews 1:9, quoting Psalm 45:7, refers to Christ's companions: "You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You above Your companions with the oil of joy."

The early church exemplified the ideal of fellowship among believers, as seen in Acts 2:42: "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." This passage highlights the communal aspect of the Christian life, where believers are called to support and encourage one another in faith.

Theological Significance

Theologically, the concept of fellows or fellowship is deeply rooted in the nature of God as a relational being. The Trinity itself is a perfect example of fellowship, with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit existing in eternal communion. Believers are invited into this divine fellowship through faith in Jesus Christ, as expressed in 1 John 1:3: "We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ."

Fellowship among believers is not merely social but is a spiritual bond that reflects the unity and love of the Godhead. It is through this fellowship that the church is strengthened and equipped to fulfill its mission in the world.

Practical Implications

In practical terms, being a fellow or part of a fellowship involves mutual support, accountability, and encouragement. Believers are called to bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2) and to spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24). This communal aspect of the Christian life is essential for spiritual growth and perseverance in faith.

The biblical concept of fellows extends beyond mere friendship to encompass a shared commitment to living out the teachings of Christ and advancing His kingdom on earth. As such, fellowship is both a privilege and a responsibility for every believer, reflecting the love and unity that God desires for His people.

Strong's Hebrew

251. ach -- a brother
... 1), companions (1), countryman (10), countryman's (2), countrymen (10), fellow
(2), fellow countryman (3), fellow countrymen (2), fellows (1), kinsman (3 ...
/hebrew/251.htm - 6k

2270. chaber -- united, associate, companion
... Word Origin from chabar Definition united, associate, companion NASB Word Usage
companion (3), companions (7), fellows (1), united (1). ...
/hebrew/2270.htm - 6k

1121. ben -- son
... 5), colt (1), colts (1), common (2), descendants (14), descendants of the son (1),
deserves (2), exiles* (5), father* (1), fellow* (3), fellows (2), fertile* (1 ...
/hebrew/1121.htm - 8k

376. ish -- man
... every (1), every man (38), every man's (7), every one (8), everyone (16), everyone*
(3), expert (1), farming* (1), father* (1), fellow (3), fellows (2), friend ...
/hebrew/376.htm - 7k

Library

The University of Arabia.
... He had three relationships, to God, his fellows, and himself. ... Utter dependence by
every man upon God would make perfect harmony with his fellows. ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks about jesus/the university of arabia.htm

Thomas and Jesus
... a corner by himself, and so to exaggerate all his idiosyncrasies, to distort the
proportion of truth, to hug his despair, by separating himself from his fellows ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture st john chaps xv to xxi/thomas and jesus.htm

The Seven Sleepers
... that they should be fetched, and then Malchus, which was their servant and ministered
to them meat and drink, returned in great dread to his fellows, and told ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the seven sleepers.htm

Are You Willing to be a Servant?
... It is the very heart of that new relationship which the disciple is to take up to
God and to his fellows if he is to know fellowship with Christ and any degree ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hession/the calvary road/chapter 8 are you willing.htm

So Then the Father is Lord and the Son is Lord...
... is for ever and ever: thou hast loved righteousness and hated unrighteousness:
[180] therefore God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows ...
/.../the demonstration of the apostolic preaching/chapter 47 so then the.htm

Our Drawing Power.
... village. Man is attractive to his fellows. ... Everywhere men acknowledge the
attractiveness that their fellows have for them. Every ...
/.../gordon/quiet talks with world winners/our drawing power.htm

Acts of Sharbil, who was a Priest of Idols, and was Converted to ...
... the Record office, [3154] all the gods having been brought together, and decorated,
and sitting in honour, both Nebu and Bel together with their fellows. ...
/.../unknown/the decretals/ancient syriac documents acts of.htm

Appendix
... 3. And We do hereby ordain, grant and declare that the number of Professors, Fellows
or Student Tutors and Students, shall be indefinite and that the said ...
//christianbookshelf.org/smith/the life of william carey/appendix.htm

Of the Things Pertaining to Christ and the Church, Said Either ...
... Thou hast loved righteousness, and hast hated iniquity: therefore God, Thy God,
hath anointed Thee with the oil of exultation above Thy fellows. ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 16 of the things pertaining.htm

God's Requirements and God's Gift
... In a very deep sense no man renders to his fellows all that his fellows have
a right to expect of him, who does not render to them mercy. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/gods requirements and gods gift.htm

Thesaurus

Fellows (30 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Fellows (30 Occurrences). ... It is like unto children sitting
in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, (KJV ASV WBS). ...
/f/fellows.htm - 16k

Fellow (166 Occurrences)
... above thy fellows"; of habhrah (Ecclesiastes 4:10 Daniel 7:20); of rea`, "companion,"
"friend," "another" (Exodus 2:13 Judges 7:13, 14, 22); re`ah (or ra`yah ...
/f/fellow.htm - 42k

Worthless (103 Occurrences)
... 9:4 And they gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Ba'al-be'rith
with which Abim'elech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. ...
/w/worthless.htm - 35k

Base (127 Occurrences)
... 1:28): "base things of the world." (g) (agoraios): "belonging to the market-place,"
loafers, worthless characters (Acts 17:5): "certain lewd fellows of the ...
/b/base.htm - 45k

Tob (5 Occurrences)
... escaped from his brethren after his father's death (Judges 11:3), and perfected
himself in the art of war, making forays with "the vain fellows" who joined him ...
/t/tob.htm - 10k

Adventurers (2 Occurrences)
... Judges 9:4 They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith,
with which Abimelech hired vain and light fellows, who followed him. ...
/a/adventurers.htm - 7k

Scoundrels (2 Occurrences)
... 1 Kings 21:10 Set two men, base fellows, before him, and let them testify against
him, saying,'You cursed God and the king!' Then carry him out, and stone him ...
/s/scoundrels.htm - 7k

Lewd (37 Occurrences)
... Acts 17:5 But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain
lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city ...
/l/lewd.htm - 20k

Associates (26 Occurrences)
... horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes, and
a mouth that spoke great things, whose look was more stout than its fellows. ...
/a/associates.htm - 14k

Vain (141 Occurrences)
... Judges 9:4 They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith,
with which Abimelech hired vain and light fellows, who followed him. ...
/v/vain.htm - 36k

Resources

Why are there contradictory accounts regarding the death of Saul in 1 and 2 Samuel? | GotQuestions.org

What is a yokefellow in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about self-hatred? | GotQuestions.org

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus

Concordance

Fellows (30 Occurrences)

Matthew 11:16
But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows,
(KJV ASV WBS)

Luke 6:34
And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is it to you? Even bad men lend to their fellows so as to receive back an equal amount.
(WEY)

Acts 17:5
But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people.
(KJV WEY ASV WBS RSV)

Hebrews 1:9
You have loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows."
(WEB KJV ASV WBS)

Deuteronomy 13:13
Certain base fellows are gone out from the midst of you, and have drawn away the inhabitants of their city, saying, "Let us go and serve other gods," which you have not known;
(WEB JPS ASV RSV)

Deuteronomy 20:8
The officers shall speak further to the people, and they shall say, "What man is there who is fearful and fainthearted? Let him go and return to his house, lest his brother's heart melt as his heart."
(See RSV)

Judges 9:4
They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the house of Baal Berith, with which Abimelech hired vain and light fellows, who followed him.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV)

Judges 11:3
Then Jephthah fled from his brothers, and lived in the land of Tob: and there were gathered vain fellows to Jephthah, and they went out with him.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV)

Judges 11:37
And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.
(KJV WBS)

Judges 18:25
The children of Dan said to him, "Don't let your voice be heard among us, lest angry fellows fall on you, and you lose your life, with the lives of your household."
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Judges 19:22
As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, certain base fellows, surrounded the house, beating at the door; and they spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, "Bring out the man who came into your house, that we may have sex with him!"
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV)

Judges 19:23
The man, the master of the house, went out to them, and said to them, "No, my brothers, please don't act so wickedly; seeing that this man is come into my house, don't do this folly.
(See NAS)

Judges 20:13
Now therefore deliver up the men, the base fellows, who are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel." But Benjamin would not listen to the voice of their brothers the children of Israel.
(WEB JPS ASV DBY NAS RSV)

1 Samuel 10:27
But certain worthless fellows said, "How shall this man save us?" They despised him, and brought him no present. But he held his peace.
(WEB JPS ASV RSV)

1 Samuel 14:6
Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, "Come, and let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no restraint on Yahweh to save by many or by few."
(See NIV)

1 Samuel 30:22
Then all the wicked men and base fellows, of those who went with David, answered and said, "Because they didn't go with us, we will not give them anything of the spoil that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away, and depart."
(WEB JPS ASV RSV)

1 Samuel 31:4
Then said Saul to his armour-bearer: 'Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and thrust me through, and make a mock of me.' But his armour-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.
(See NIV)

2 Samuel 6:20
Then David returned to bless his household. Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, "How glorious the king of Israel was today, who uncovered himself today in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!"
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

1 Kings 21:10
Set two men, base fellows, before him, and let them testify against him, saying,'You cursed God and the king!' Then carry him out, and stone him to death."
(WEB JPS ASV RSV)

1 Kings 21:13
The two men, the base fellows, came in and sat before him. The base fellows testified against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, "Naboth cursed God and the king!" Then they carried him out of the city, and stoned him to death with stones.
(WEB JPS ASV RSV)

2 Kings 9:2
When you come there, find Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brothers, and carry him to an inner room.
(See RSV)

1 Chronicles 10:4
Then said Saul unto his armour-bearer: 'Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and make a mock of me.' But his armour-bearer would not; for he was sore afraid. Therefore Saul took his sword, and fell upon it.
(See NIV)

2 Chronicles 13:7
There were gathered to him worthless men, base fellows, who strengthened themselves against Rehoboam the son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.
(WEB JPS ASV)

Psalms 45:7
You have loved righteousness, and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS NAS RSV)

Isaiah 44:11
Behold, all his fellows will be disappointed; and the workmen are mere men. Let them all be gathered together. Let them stand up. They will fear. They will be put to shame together.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Ezekiel 37:19
Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand.
(KJV WBS)

Daniel 2:13
And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.
(KJV WBS)

Daniel 2:18
That they would desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that Daniel and his fellows should not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
(KJV)

Daniel 7:20
and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and the other horn which came up, and before which three fell, even that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke great things, whose look was more stout than its fellows.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV)

Zechariah 3:8
Hear now, Joshua the high priest, you and your fellows who sit before you; for they are men who are a sign: for, behold, I will bring forth my servant, the Branch.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Subtopics

Fellows

Related Terms

Helkath-hazzurim (1 Occurrence)

Helkathhazzurim (1 Occurrence)

Fellows (30 Occurrences)

Opponent's (1 Occurrence)

Opponent (13 Occurrences)

Fellowservant (6 Occurrences)

Dagger (6 Occurrences)

Hel'kath-hazzu'rim (1 Occurrence)

Hazzurim (1 Occurrence)