Brotherhood
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Definition and Concept:
Brotherhood in the biblical context refers to the relationship and bond among believers, characterized by mutual love, support, and unity. It extends beyond biological ties to encompass the spiritual kinship shared by members of the Christian faith. This concept is rooted in the understanding that all believers are children of God and thus brothers and sisters in Christ.

Old Testament Foundations:
The idea of brotherhood is evident in the Old Testament, where the Israelites are often referred to as a family or community bound by covenant. 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." This commandment underscores the importance of love and unity among the people of God.

New Testament Teachings:
The New Testament expands on the concept of brotherhood, emphasizing the spiritual family formed through faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself redefined familial relationships in Matthew 12:50, stating, "For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother." This highlights the spiritual bond that transcends earthly ties.

The Apostle Paul frequently addressed the theme of brotherhood in his epistles. In Romans 12:10, he exhorts believers to "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another." This call to brotherly love is a recurring theme, as seen in 1 Thessalonians 4:9, where Paul writes, "Now about brotherly love, you do not need anyone to write to you, because you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another."

Unity and Love:
Brotherhood is marked by unity and love, as believers are called to live in harmony and support one another. Ephesians 4:3 urges Christians to "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." This unity is a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers.

The Apostle Peter also emphasizes the importance of brotherly love in 1 Peter 3:8: "Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble." This instruction reflects the expectation that believers exhibit compassion and humility in their interactions with one another.

Practical Expressions:
Brotherhood is not merely a theological concept but is meant to be lived out practically. Acts 2:44-45 provides an example of the early church's expression of brotherhood: "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need." This communal lifestyle demonstrated the depth of their commitment to one another.

James 2:15-16 further challenges believers to express brotherly love through action: "Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you tells him, 'Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,' but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that?" True brotherhood involves meeting both spiritual and physical needs.

Challenges and Encouragement:
While the ideal of brotherhood is clear, the New Testament also acknowledges challenges within the Christian community. Conflicts and disagreements are addressed with calls for reconciliation and forgiveness. Colossians 3:13 advises, "Bear with each other and forgive any complaint you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

The encouragement to maintain brotherly love is a consistent theme, as seen in Hebrews 13:1: "Continue in brotherly love." This ongoing commitment to love and unity is essential for the health and witness of the Christian community.

Conclusion:
The biblical concept of brotherhood is a profound and essential aspect of the Christian faith, calling believers to live in love, unity, and mutual support as members of God's family. Through the teachings of Scripture, Christians are encouraged to embody the principles of brotherhood in their daily lives, reflecting the love of Christ to the world.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (n.) A spiritual or social fellowship; The state of being brothers or a brother.

2. (n.) An association for any purpose, as a society of monks; a fraternity.

3. (n.) The whole body of persons engaged in the same business, -- especially those of the same profession; as, the legal or medical brotherhood.

4. (n.) Persons, and, poetically, things, of a like kind.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
BROTHERHOOD

bruth'-er-hood: The rare occurrence of the term (only Zechariah 11:14 and 1 Peter 2:17) in contrast with the abundant use of "brother," "brethren," seems to indicate that the sense of the vital relation naturally called for the most concrete expression: "the brethren." But in 1 Peter 2:17 the abstract is used for the concrete. In the Old Testament the brotherhood of all Israelites was emphasized; but in the New Testament the brotherhood in Christ is a relation so much deeper and stronger as to eclipse the other.

See also BROTHER; BRETHREN.

Greek
81. adelphotes -- brotherhood
... brotherhood. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: adelphotes Phonetic
Spelling: (ad-el-fot'-ace) Short Definition: brotherhood Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/81.htm - 6k
Strong's Hebrew
264. achavah -- brotherhood
... 263, 264. achavah. 265 . brotherhood. Transliteration: achavah Phonetic
Spelling: (akh-av-aw') Short Definition: brotherhood. Word ...
/hebrew/264.htm - 6k

251. ach -- a brother
... a brother NASB Word Usage alike (1), another (16), brethren (17), brother (218),
brother with his brothers (1), brother's (21), brotherhood (1), brothers (195 ...
/hebrew/251.htm - 6k

Library

Brotherhood and Service
... V. THE CHURCH Brotherhood and Service. [1868]488 Am Ia soldier of the cross
[1869]489 Blest be the tie that binds [1870]490 Go, labour on! ...
/.../brotherhood and service.htm

SM Johns. Human Brotherhood.
... 184. SM Johns. Human Brotherhood. 1 Hush the loud cannon's roar, The frantic
warrior's call! Why should the earth be drenched with gore? ...
/.../various/book of hymns for public and private devotion/184 s m johns human.htm

Our Father! Thy Dear Name Doth Show
... V. THE CHURCH Brotherhood and Service 499. Our Father! thy dear Name doth show. ...
Throughout its widest span: O help us everywhere to see. The brotherhood of man. ...
/.../brotherhood and service 499 our.htm

Blest be the Tie that Binds
... V. THE CHURCH Brotherhood and Service 489. Blest be the tie that binds. SM
[1902]Boylston: Lowell Mason, 1832. John Fawcett, 1782; Alt. ...
/.../brotherhood and service 489 blest.htm

Eternal Ruler of the Ceaseless Round
... V. THE CHURCH Brotherhood and Service 491. Eternal Ruler of the ceaseless round.
Six 10's [1906]Sacramentum Unitatis: Charles H. Lloyd, 1885. ...
/.../brotherhood and service 491 eternal.htm

Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life
... V. THE CHURCH Brotherhood and Service 494. Where cross the crowded ways of life.
LM [1912]Gardiner: Arr., William Gardiner, Sacred Melodies, 1815. ...
/.../brotherhood and service 494 where.htm

Come, Labour On
... V. THE CHURCH Brotherhood and Service 497. Come, labour on. 4.10.10.10.4 [1918]Ora
Labora: T. Tertius Noble, 1918. Jane Borthwick, 1859. Come, labour on. ...
/.../brotherhood and service 497 come.htm

Rise Up, O Men of God
... V. THE CHURCH Brotherhood and Service 492. Rise up, O men of God. SM ... His kingdom
tarries long. Bring in the day of brotherhood. And end the night of wrong. ...
/.../brotherhood and service 492 rise.htm

When Wilt Thou Save the People?
... V. THE CHURCH Brotherhood and Service 501. When wilt thou save the people?
7.6.7.6.8.8.8.5 [1926]Kendal: Arthur Somervell, 1906. Ebenezer Elliot, 1850. ...
/.../brotherhood and service 501 when.htm

Am Ia Soldier of the Cross
... V. THE CHURCH Brotherhood and Service 488. Am Ia soldier of the cross. CM
[1900]Marlow: John Chatham, 1718. Isaac Watts, 1724. Am Ia soldier of the cross,. ...
/.../brotherhood and service 488 am.htm

Thesaurus
Brotherhood (7 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) The whole body of persons engaged in the same business, -- especially those
of the same profession; as, the legal or medical brotherhood. ...BROTHERHOOD. ...
/b/brotherhood.htm - 9k

Kindness (295 Occurrences)
... As sonship is the most essential factor in man's right relation to God, so
is brotherhood in his relation to his fellow-man. Brotherhood...
/k/kindness.htm - 45k

Brotherly (8 Occurrences)
... As sonship is the most essential factor in man's right relation to God, so
is brotherhood in his relation to his fellow-man. Brotherhood...
/b/brotherly.htm - 15k

Goods (231 Occurrences)
... The thought conveyed is that all believers in that church held their property as
a trust from the Lord, for the benefit of the entire brotherhood, and, as ...
/g/goods.htm - 43k

Malefactor (2 Occurrences)
... The universal brotherhood which the New Testament teaches is that brotherhood which
is based on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as the divine and only Saviour ...
/m/malefactor.htm - 49k

Bands (130 Occurrences)
... the emblem of the captivity of Israel (Ezek. 34:27; Isaiah 28:22; 52:2);
(5) of brotherhood (Ezek. 37:15-28); (6) no bands to the ...
/b/bands.htm - 37k

Community (77 Occurrences)
... The thought conveyed is that all believers in that church held their property as
a trust from the Lord, for the benefit of the entire brotherhood, and, as ...
/c/community.htm - 32k

Agape
... Jews-the Passover being the great type-would make it natural In Jerusalem to give
expression by means of table fellowship to the sense of brotherhood, and the ...
/a/agape.htm - 15k

Love (703 Occurrences)
... As sonship is the most essential factor in man's right relation to God, so
is brotherhood in his relation to his fellow-man. Brotherhood...
/l/love.htm - 65k

Brother (402 Occurrences)
... 4. (vt) To make a brother of; to call or treat as a brother; to admit to
a brotherhood. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. BROTHER. ...
/b/brother.htm - 47k

Resources
What is the Brotherhood of Light? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about respect? | GotQuestions.org

What is the Order of DeMolay? | GotQuestions.org

Brotherhood: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Brotherhood (7 Occurrences)

1 Corinthians 6:5
I say this to put you to shame. Is there not among you one wise man who may be able to give a decision between his brothers?
(See RSV)

1 Thessalonians 4:9
But on the subject of love for the brotherhood it is unnecessary for me to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another;
(WEY)

Hebrews 12:15
Be carefully on your guard lest there be any one who falls back from the grace of God; lest any root bearing bitter fruit spring up and cause trouble among you, and through it the whole brotherhood be defiled;
(WEY)

1 Peter 2:17
Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
(WEB KJV WEY ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

1 Peter 5:9
Whom resist, stedfast in faith, knowing that the selfsame sufferings are accomplished in your brotherhood which is in the world.
(DBY YLT RSV)

Amos 1:9
Thus said Jehovah: For three transgressions of Tyre, And for four, I do not reverse it, Because of their delivering up a complete captivity to Edom, And they remembered not the brotherly covenant,
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Zechariah 11:14
Then I cut apart my other staff, even Union, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Subtopics

Brotherhood

Related Terms

Brother-in-law (5 Occurrences)

Brotherhood (7 Occurrences)

Brother: Unfaithful
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