Tag: philadelphia

Romans 12:10 – Being an Example

Posted on by Will

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

Truth to Learn

Christians are to treat other Christians in a special way.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “kindly affectionate” is found nowhere else in the Bible. It is philostorgos, which is made up of philos, meaning “a friend” and a form of storgē, which refers to “natural family love” or “the kind of love that a mother has for her child.” It is that intimate fondness that binds members of a close family together no matter what happens.

The Greek word translated “brotherly love” is philadelphia. This is made up of philos, signifying “a kind of love signified by fondness or friendship” and a form of adelphos, which means “brother.”  Thus, we see that philadelphia refers to “brotherly love” or “the kind of fondness and friendship that exists between good friends.” This is a completely different word than the one translated “love” in the previous verse. That word is agape, which is self-sacrificing love in action, the kind of love that God has for His redeemed children.

“Honor” is translated from timē, which is derived from tinō, referring to “the value or the price paid for something.” With regard to people, timē denotes “esteem, respect, or honor.”

The word translated “giving preference” is the Greek word proēgeomai, which is made up of pro meaning “before or in front of” and hegeomai, which means “to lead the way.” So literally it means “to lead the way before others” and could be interpreted as “setting an example.”

 

Meaning Explained

Paul now focuses on how Christians should treat each other. We are to have a brotherly love for each other. But Paul makes a special distinction about this brotherly love. He describes it as “kindly affectionate.” That is, the kind of fondness that we are to have for fellow Christians should be more than just friendship, it should be a binding love, the kind that exists in close families. I think if I were to paraphrase the first part of this verse it would say, “Make your love for your Christian brothers and sisters be like that which binds a parent and a child.”

In the second part of this verse, Paul tells us that we are to give preference to one another in honor. As we pointed out in “Behind the Words,” he is telling us that we should set an example of each other in honor. Therefore this phrase could be translated as, “setting an example in honoring each other.’

In other words, Paul is telling us in this verse that we should feel so personally attached to each other in the church that we will gladly set the example of seeking for others to receive honor before ourselves. In the opening verses of this chapter, Paul told us to present our living bodies as a sacrifice, to be used as God determines. Then in verse three he said:

For I say … to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,  

In the body of Christ, we should all consider the good of others more important than our own good, and we should be giving honor to others, not seeking it for ourselves.

 

Application

If every member of the church obeyed this verse, there would be no strife or dissention in the church and God would be truly glorified! Who wants to go first in being an example?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Peter 1:7 – Lovely Focus

Posted on by Will

and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

Truth to Learn

The ultimate objective of a Christian is to love.

 

Behind the Words

“Brotherly kindness” is the translation of the Greek word philadelphia. This is a very familiar compound word made up of  philos, which literally means “dear” but by implication means “fondness” or “familial love,” and adelphos, which means “brother.” Hence, the translation “brotherly kindness” or “brotherly love.”

The final word in this verse is agape. So much has been said about this word that it hardly seems necessary to say more. It refers to “benevolence, goodwill, or affection.” It is the kind of self-less love that is focused on doing what is best for the object of the love, in spite of what he or she thinks they want.

 

Meaning Explained

In today’s verse, Peter continues his list of character qualities that we are to work at developing. So far the list includes faith, morality (goodness), knowledge, self-control, perseverance, and godliness. The last two items he includes are brotherly kindness and love.

Brotherly kindness is the kind of affection that we have for close friends. It is a desire to do good things for them, making their comfort and needs equal to or greater than our own. Agape love, however, describes a type of love that displays the utmost in concern and care for the object of the love. It is a self-sacrificing love that endures pain and hardship for the sake of the loved one. The ultimate demonstration of agape love was when God the Father gave His Son to be sacrificed as payment for our sins, even though we didn’t ask for it (or even know that we needed it). There is no greater love than this. Jesus explained it to His disciples this way:

This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. (John 15:12,13)

The Apostle John says that this is how we know what agape love is:

By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (I John 3:16)

It is the love of the Son to the Father that even though He didn’t want to go through with it, Jesus was willing to do so because it was what the Father wanted.

"O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet, not as I will, but as You will." (Matthew 26:39b)

This kind of love does not come naturally to any of us. It is not a feeling but an action. It’s evidenced not by what we say, but what we do. And, it only comes as we build up our Christian character and allow God to love others through us.

 

Application

Neither brotherly kindness nor love is focused on self. They are both focused on others. We cannot be focused on ourselves and focused on God at the same time. Our love of God is demonstrated by our submission to Him and His will. Where is your focus today?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 1:22 – Purified Evidence

Posted on by Will

having purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly with a pure heart,

Truth to Learn

There should be evidence of our salvation if it is real.

 

Behind the Words

“Purified” is the translation of a form of hagnidzō, which means “to make clean” or “to purify.” Figuratively, it means “to set apart” or “to sanctify.” In this context it is a reference to our having cleansed our souls from sin. It is expressed here in the perfect tense indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect; we have been cleansed, therefore we are forever pure.

The word translated “obeying” is hupakoē, which is made up of hupo, meaning “under” and a form of akouō, meaning “to hear.” It refers to someone who not only hears instruction, but also submits to it and obeys it.

“Brotherly love” is from the Greek philadelphia, which is made up of a form of philos, meaning “a friend” and adelphos, meaning “a brother.” Hence, this word literally refers to brotherly friendship or brotherly love.

The word translated “sincere” is the Greek anupokritos, which literally means “without acting” or “without hypocrisy.”

The word “love” in the latter half of this verse is translated from the Greek, agapaō, which refers to Godly, self-sacrificing love. It is expressed here in the imperative mood, indicating that it is a command, not a suggestion.

 

 

Meaning Explained

A more literal translation of this verse might be, “Having purified your souls in obedience to the truth through the Spirit, resulting in sincere brotherly love, fervently love one another out of a pure heart.”

What Peter is saying is that one of the evidences of obedience to God’s truth is a purification of our souls. That is, when we submit to the knowledge that we are sinners, that God demands purity, and we accept the blood of Christ as payment for our sins, we are saved and we are spiritually purified. The evidence of that salvation is displayed by our brotherly love for others. Now that we have attained that level of purity, Peter commands us to take the next step by fervently loving other Christians self-sacrificingly, and to do so sincerely, out of a pure heart.

When asked which is the greatest commandment, Jesus responded to the questioning lawyer,

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39)

This is the same message Peter is trying to get across to us in today’s verse.

 

Application

Is your salvation evident by the way you treat others? Do your unsaved friends now see you as different? Kinder? Do you place the welfare of your brothers and sisters in Christ above your own?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 4:9 – The Christian Birthmark

Posted on by Will

But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;

Truth to Learn

Brotherly love is the birthmark of a true Christian.

Behind the Words

The words “brotherly love” are from the Greek word philadelphia, which is made up of philos, meaning “a friend” and adelphos, meaning “a brother.” This word refers to the kind of personal fondness that good friends have for one another.

The words “you have” is from the verb echo, meaning “to have” or “to hold.” In some translations this is written as “we have”; however, the best Greek manuscripts have it written in the second person plural form, meaning “you (plural) have.”

“Need” is translated from cheira, which properly means “employment.” By implication, however, it refers to “an occasion, a requirement, or a necessity.”

“Theodidactos” is the Greek adjective translated “taught by God.” This word is made up of theos, meaning “God, or some deity” and a form of the verb didaskō, meaning “to teach.” Thus theodidactos literally means “taught by God.”

The words “to love” are from the infinitive form of agapē, which refers to “a self-sacrificing God-love.”

“One another” is from the Greek plural reciprocal pronoun allēlous, meaning “each other” or “one another.”

Meaning Explained

The Apostle Paul spent the first three chapters of this letter to the Thessalonians assuring them of his love and concern for them. In this fourth chapter he began his doctrinal teaching for the church. Through the first eight verses of this chapter, he taught about avoiding sexual immorality, specifically fornication and, instead, living a life of holiness.

Now he switches his teaching to how we should live our lives both within and outside the church. Within the church we should all exhibit a genuine fondness for our brothers and sisters in the faith. He starts off with “you have no need that I should write to you concerning brotherly love.” In other words, the Christians in Thessalonica had already learned and were demonstrating that they had a genuine love for the brethren.

It is also interesting that Paul tells them that they learned this love for each other, not from some preacher of other people in the church, but they learned it from God. So how does God teach us to love one another? God the Father taught us how to love each other when He gave His only begotten Son to die for us. God the Son taught us to love one another when he said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another” (John 13:34). And the Holy Spirit taught us to love one another when He poured out the love of God in our hearts (Romans 5:5) when we trusted in Christ as our personal Savior. This love for one another is the defining characteristic of true Christians (1 John 4:7).

Application

The best way we can demonstrate the genuiness of our new birth is to exhibit the love we have for others in the Church. Can people see how real your faith is in the way you treat other Christians?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 12:10 – Being an Example

Posted on by Will

Romans 12:10 – Being an Example

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

Truth to Learn

Christians are to treat other Christians in a special way.

Behind the Words

The word translated “kindly affectionate” is found nowhere else in the Bible. It is philostorgos, which is made up of philos, meaning “a friend” and a form of storgē, which refers to “natural family love” or “the kind of love that a mother has for her child.” It is that intimate fondness that binds members of a close family together no matter what happens.

The Greek word translated “brotherly love” is philadelphia. This is made up of philos, signifying “a kind of love signified by fondness or friendship” and a form of adelphos, which means “brother.”  Thus, we see that philadelphia refers to “brotherly love” or “the kind of fondness and friendship that exists between good friends.” This is a completely different word than the one translated “love” in the previous verse. That word is agape, which is self-sacrificing love in action, the kind of love that God has for His redeemed children.

“Honor” is translated from timē, which is derived from tinō, referring to “the value or the price paid for something.” With regard to people, timē denotes “esteem, respect, or honor.”

The word translated “giving preference” is the Greek word proēgeomai, which is made up of pro meaning “before or in front of” and hegeomai, which means “to lead the way.” So literally it means “to lead the way before others” and could be interpreted as “setting an example.”

Meaning Explained

Paul now focuses on how Christians should treat each other. We are to have a brotherly love for each other. But Paul makes a special distinction about this brotherly love. He describes it as “kindly affectionate.” That is, the kind of fondness that we are to have for fellow Christians should be more than just friendship, it should be a binding love, the kind that exists in close families. I think if I were to paraphrase the first part of this verse it would say, “Make your love for your Christian brothers be like that which binds a parent and a child.”

In the second part of this verse, Paul tells us that we are to give preference to one another in honor. As we pointed out in “Behind the Words,” he is telling us that we should set an example of each other in honor. Therefore this phrase could be translated as, “setting an example in honoring each other.’

In other words, Paul is telling us in this verse that we should feel so personally attached to each other in the church that we will gladly set the example of seeking for others to receive honor before ourselves. In the opening verses of this chapter, Paul told us to present our living bodies as a sacrifice, to be used as God determines. Then in verse three he said:

For I say … to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,

In the body of Christ, we should all consider the good of others more important than our own good, and we should be giving honor to others, not seeking it for ourselves.

Application

If every member of the church obeyed this verse, there would be no strife or dissention in the church and God would be truly glorified! Who wants to go first in being an example?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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