Lexical Summary oikonomia: Stewardship, administration, management, dispensation Original Word: οἰκονομία Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dispensation, stewardship. From oikonomos; administration (of a household or estate); specially, a (religious) "economy" -- dispensation, stewardship. see GREEK oikonomos HELPS Word-studies 3622 oikonomía (from 3621 /oikonoméō, "a steward, managing a household") – properly, a stewardship, management (administration), i.e. where a person looks after another's affairs (resources). [A "dispensation" can also refer to a special period of time (management). But this is a secondary (not primary) meaning of 3622 (oikonomía).] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom oikonomeó Definition stewardship, administration NASB Translation administration (3), management (3), stewardship (3). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3622: οἰκονομίαοἰκονομία, οἰκονομίας, ἡ (οἰκονομέω), from Xenophon, and Plato down, "the management of a household or of household affairs; specifically, the management, oversight, administration, of others' property; the office of a manager or overseer, stewardship": Luke 16:2-4; hence, the word is transferred by Paul in a theocratic sense to the office (duty) intrusted to him by God (the lord and master) of proclaiming to men the blessings of the gospel, 1 Corinthians 9:17; ἡ, οἰκονομία τοῦ Θεοῦ, the office of administrator (stewardship) intrusted by God, Colossians 1:25. universally, administration, dispensation, which in a theocratic sense is ascribed to God himself as providing for man's salvation: αἵτινες ... ἡ οἰκονομίαν Θεοῦ τήν ἐν πίστει, which furnish matter for disputes rather than the (knowledge of the) dispensation of the things by which God has provided for and prepared salvation, which salvation must be embraced by faith, 1 Timothy 1:4 L T Tr WH; ἥν προέθετο ... καιρῶν, which good will he purposed to show with a view to (that) dispensation (of his) by which the times (namely, of infancy and immaturity cf. Galatians 4:1-4) were to be fulfilled, Ephesians 1:9f; ἡ οἰκονομία τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ τῆς δοθείσης μοι, that dispensation (or arrangement) by which the grace of God was granted me, Ephesians 3:2; ἡ οἰκονομία τοῦ μυστηρίου, the dispensation by which he carried out his secret purpose, Ephesians 3:9 G L T Tr WH. Topical Lexicon The Household MetaphorThe term denotes the orderly administration of a household—an image that threads through Scripture to describe how God arranges, dispenses, and supervises His redemptive purposes. Within that metaphor lie two inseparable ideas: (1) accountability to the owner and (2) provision for the household members. Every New Testament occurrence carries one or both of those ideas into its context. Foreshadowing in the Old Testament Although the noun itself is Greek, the concept appears in passages such as Genesis 39, where Joseph is given charge over Potiphar’s house, and in Numbers 4, where the Levites receive specific duties under Moses. These portraits anticipate a divine pattern in which God entrusts people with resources, revelation, and responsibility while retaining ultimate ownership. Luke 16 and Personal Accountability Luke 16:1-8 uses the parable of the unjust steward to show that every manager must render an account. “Give an account of your stewardship” (Luke 16:2) echoes the coming day when God will audit each life. The servant’s craftiness is not commended as dishonesty but as timely preparedness. The lesson is that temporal resources should be leveraged for eternal good before the opportunity is removed. Pauline Theology: The Divine Economy 1. A cosmic plan. Ephesians 1:10 speaks of “a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.” Here the word stretches beyond a household to the entire created order, underscoring God’s comprehensive, purposeful arrangement of history. 2. A grace-administration. Twice in Ephesians 3 (verses 2 and 9) Paul testifies that he was entrusted with “the stewardship of God’s grace.” What God arranged in eternity He now dispenses through apostolic witness so that Gentiles and Jews become “fellow heirs.” 3. A gospel commission. “If it is not voluntary, I am still entrusted with a stewardship” (1 Corinthians 9:17). Paul’s ministry is not self-chosen but assigned. Colossians 1:25 echoes the same calling: “I became its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness.” 4. A pastoral mandate. 1 Timothy 1:4 contrasts speculative teaching with “the stewardship of God’s work, which is by faith.” Sound doctrine channels the divine economy; vain discussion squanders it. Dispensations and Continuity Because the word may be rendered “dispensation,” some have used these texts to segment history into rigid time periods. While Scripture does reveal successive eras (law, grace, consummation), Paul’s emphasis is continuity: all stewardships converge in Christ, not compete with one another. Each phase unfolds more of the same sovereign purpose. Christocentric Fulfillment The ultimate “householder” is the Father; the perfect “steward” is the Son. Hebrews 3:6 observes, “Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house.” By His obedience, atonement, and resurrection, Jesus secures the resources of salvation and distributes them through the Spirit to every believer, guaranteeing that the household lacks nothing. Implications for the Church • Stewardship of the gospel: Every congregation, like Paul, is “entrusted with a stewardship” to proclaim the word faithfully. Historical Trajectory Early church fathers used oikonomia to describe both salvation history and the incarnation (“the economy of Christ”). The Reformers reclaimed the idea of every vocation as stewardship, while modern missions movements highlight the unfinished task entrusted to the church. Pastoral Applications 1. Teach accountability—every believer will give an account. Eschatological Perspective The present stewardship will close when “the fullness of time” arrives. Until then, believers work “as those who must give account” (Hebrews 13:17), confident that the Master’s final audit will vindicate every act done in faith. Summary Strong’s 3622 portrays God’s orderly, purposeful administration of salvation history and the privileges He entrusts to His servants. From Luke’s parable to Paul’s apostleship, Scripture presents stewardship as the intersection of divine sovereignty and human responsibility, calling every disciple to faithful management until Christ unites all things under His lordship. Forms and Transliterations οικονομια οἰκονομία οικονομιαν οικονομίαν οἰκονομίαν οικονομιας οικονομίας οἰκονομίας oikonomia oikonomía oikonomian oikonomían oikonomias oikonomíasLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Luke 16:2 N-GFSGRK: λόγον τῆς οἰκονομίας σου οὐ NAS: an accounting of your management, for you can KJV: of thy stewardship; for INT: account of the stewardship of you not Luke 16:3 N-AFS Luke 16:4 N-GFS 1 Corinthians 9:17 N-AFS Ephesians 1:10 N-AFS Ephesians 3:2 N-AFS Ephesians 3:9 N-NFS Colossians 1:25 N-AFS 1 Timothy 1:4 N-AFS Strong's Greek 3622 |
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