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Colossians 1:2 – Brethren
Brethren. Do we comprehend and appreciate the historical depth and spiritual ramifications of this word? Paul used this term over one hundred times in his writings (i.e., Col.1:2). A word that often chosen must be significant. And remember, ultimately, God through His Holy Spirit, is behind every word written by inspiration.
The Jews used the term brethren in reference to their fellow Jews (Acts 2:29; 7:1, 23-25; 22:1). They were family. They were one. In fact, they were the only one.
Think of the shared history behind that word. Think of the shared triumphs and tragedies. Think of the shared isolation from being special, different, and yes even surrounded by … those people.
Such thinking can either make one humble or arrogant. Such thinking can breed pity or contempt. Such thinking is inevitable. Part of self-awareness is being aware of others, which includes our differences. How do you think the first century Jews viewed those different from themselves? How do we?
To be a brother was an honor. Not to be a brother was, well, worse than simply being part of another family. Different families were not equal. Only one family mattered. Theirs. They were God’s family.
Maybe more striking was not to whom Jews called brother, but to whom they did not – Gentiles. A Gentile was – and is – anyone not a Jew. You’ve heard the saying, “me and you against the world?” Well, that sums up their history fairly well. The world was the Gentiles. They were the enemy. They were those others.
Jews and Gentiles despised each other. Racism is as old as the races.
Jewish men would commonly pray to God in thanks that He did not create them a dog, a woman, or a Gentile. I am fairly sure that covers most of us!
The Messiah, a male Messiah, comes along, and makes women equal to men as joint heirs of the grace of life (1 Pet.3:7). Yes we still have different roles, but different does not equate better or worse. We are equal. Men and women are brethren.
The Savior, the Jewish Savior, comes along revealing a mystery: Gentiles will be saved in the same manner as Jews (Col.1:25-27; Acts 15:11). He is the World’s Savior too. A mutually shared loathing must die and be reborn into a mutually shared loving. Enemies become brethren. The chosen race (1 Pet.2:9) has a new face. It doesn’t always look like the one we see in the mirror, and yet all brethren look the same – like Christ. And if He is not ashamed to call them brethren (Heb.2:11), whom am I to disagree?
The Son of the Father comes along. Paul, a Jew, has a brand new family. Some are Jews. Some are Gentiles. All of them, all of us, are one (Eph.2:14). And amazingly, the new family supercedes the old. Paul calls them, and us, brethren.
Some had trouble with this new relationship right from the beginning (Acts 6). Both groups were Jews, one was Hellenistic and the other Hebraist. In other words, the Hellenistic Jewish Christians were too close for comfort to being Gentiles!
Even Peter felt the pressure to conform to the ideals of the old family (Gal.2). But these same prejudiced Christians had to change their definition of brethren.
In a real family we do not get to choose our relatives, we do not in this family either. But, oh, what a family it is. And while we are all equal, the greatest spiritual ramification is – we all share the same Father.
The next time you use the word brethren, remember
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