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Bible Dictionaries
Brethren
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament
or In the OT this term refers to: (1) birth from the same parent or parents (very frequently, e.g., in Genesis 37-50); (2) membership of the same nation (e.g. Exodus 2:11), with special emphasis on the bond thus established between the various single tribes (e.g. Numbers 18:2, Deuteronomy 3:20), even when one of them is separated off (Deuteronomy 10:9; Deuteronomy 18:2; Deuteronomy 18:7); (3) membership of other groups lying between the family and the nation, i.e. clans and single tribes (see Deuteronomy 18:7, where the Levite’s ‘brethren’ are his fellow-Levites); (4) metaphorical applications which are too general and too various for exact delimitation.
The OT and NT alike use only one word for ‘brethren’ (אַחִים and ἀδελφοί respectively), and trust to its flexibility to express every needed shade of meaning, ἀδελφός is of great frequency (about 40 times in Mt. and still oftener in Acts). In the Gospels the literal use predominates; in the Acts and Epistles various metaphorical uses. The literal use is especially clear in Matthew 10:21; Matthew 12:46; Matthew 13:55; Matthew 22:25, but Mt. tends more than any other Gospel to a metaphorical sense; cf. Matthew 5:22-24; Matthew 5:47; Matthew 12:48-50; Matthew 18:15; Matthew 23:8; Matthew 25:40; Matthew 28:10, to which only Luke 8:21; Luke 17:3 provide even a partial parallel. The ‘brother’ intended is especially one’s fellow-Christian, and Mt. in this way leads over from the Gospels to the rest of the NT, much of which is, however, chronologically earlier.
ἀδελφός in the purely family sense (see (1) above) occurs in Acts 12:2, Galatians 1:19, 1 Corinthians 9:5, and perhaps 2 Corinthians 8:18; 2 Corinthians 12:18 (A. Souter in Expository Times xviii. [1906-07] 285). In its second sense it occurs in Romans 9:3 (cf. Acts 22:1; Acts 22:5; Acts 23:1; Acts 23:5-6, where St. Paul is addressing Jews). Usually, however, ‘the brethren’ (cf. ἀδελφότης, ‘the brotherhood’ [1 Peter 2:17; 1 Peter 5:9]) means the Christian community (e.g. Acts 1:15), and this is much more definitely marked off from non-Christians than in Mt. (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:11; 1 Corinthians 6:5; 1 Corinthians 7:12; the whole spirit of Gal., especially the privileged ‘household of the faith,’ gal 6:10; and the alienation from ‘the world’ in Jn. and 1 Jn.).
ἀδελφός was common at this time in the Creek East as meaning ‘member of a community’ (see Deissmann, Bible Studies, Eng. translation , 1901, p. 82f., Light from the Ancient East2, do., 1911, p. 107), but it would be a mistake to minimize on that account its fervent tone in the NT, or its importance as suggesting a fulfilment of such words of Jesus as John 13:35 concerning mutual love. This love is a command (John 13:34), a fundamental thing taught directly by God (1 Thessalonians 4:9), a test of living or not living in God (1 John 3:14; 1 John 4:12). Denney in Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) (article ‘Brotherly Love’) points out that it found expression in two special ways-hospitality and care for persecuted Christians. The word ‘brethren’ is continually used in exhortation and appeal, sometimes strengthened by ἀγαπητοί (‘beloved’), as in 1 Corinthians 15:58; or καὶ ἐπιπόθητοι (‘and longed for’) may further be added (Philippians 4:1). Again, brethren are called πιστός (‘faithful’ or ‘believing’), as Colossians 1:2; Colossians 4:9, or ἅγιος (‘holy’), as Colossians 1:2, Hebrews 3:1. Frequently ‘brother’ has a pathetic tone (1 Corinthians 8:11, Philemon 1:7; Philemon 1:18; Philemon 1:20, 2 Thessalonians 3:15, James 2:15). It is often a humble or a bumbling word (Galatians 3:15; Galatians 6:1, Philippians 3:13, 1 Thessalonians 5:25, 2 Thessalonians 3:1). In Acts 9:17; Acts 22:13, 1 Corinthians 16:12 (see Commentaries) it breathes a fine magnanimity. Galatians 6:18 is noteworthy in that this most fiery of St. Paul’s letters is the only one which has ‘brothers’ as its closing note.
C. H. Watkins.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Brethren'. Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdn/b/brethren.html. 1906-1918.
