Brethren In the OT this term refers to: (1) birth from the same parent or parents (very frequently, e.g., in Gn 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 ἀ δελφοί respectively), and trust to its flexibility to express every needed shade of meaning, ἀ δελφός 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. 5:22, 23, 24, 47; 12:48-50; 18:15; 23:8; 25:40; 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.
ἀ δελφός 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 ExpT [Note: xpT 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, Acts 23:6, where St. Paul is addressing Jews). Usually, however, ‘the brethren’ (cf. ἀ δελφότης, ‘the brotherhood’ [1 P 2:17; 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,’ 6:10; and the alienation from ‘the world’ in Jn. and 1 Jn.).
ἀ δελφός was common at this time in the Creek East as meaning ‘member of a community’ (See Deissmann, Bible Studies, Eng. tr. [Note: r. translated, translation.], 1901, p. 82f., Light from the Ancient East 2, 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 HDB [Note: DB Hastings’ Dict. of the Bible (5 vols.).] (art. [Note: rt. 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 ἀ γα π ητοί (‘beloved’), as in 1 Corinthians 15:58; or κα ὶ ἐ πι π όθητοι (‘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 ἅ γιος (‘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.