1 adjectif + 1 nom (1e partie)

1 adjective, and 1 noun.

Both have to do with the concept we call "hospitality". But not quite in the way you'd expect.

Both are Greek words, so closely related that it made sense on f'book to write about them in one sitting.

φιλόξενος [philoxenos], ον - an adjective φιλοξενία [philoxenia], ας, ἡ - a noun

(lit., Loving of strangers, or, Friend of foreigners) What follows is what I wrote on these words, in a Note on my f'book wall. ________________ These 2 words only appear a total of five times in the NT but they are EPIC.
And not in a modern sense - I’m talking the pre-Generation-X definition of epic, a Homer’s Iliad style understanding of epic... Each is a compound word; made of 2 separate words, “philos” and “xenos”. PHILOS The “philos” word is the kind of love one has for friends. In the Gospels it is used of Jesus (He’s a friend of publicans & sinners, MATT. 11 & LUKE 7) and by Him when talking about the kind of friends we’d lend anything to (if they nagged us hard enough, LUKE 11); the kind of friend we’d invite to celebrate with us (LUKE 15), the kind that’s a bridegroom’s BFF (JOHN 3). In John’s gospel Jesus uses it a lot when talking to/of His own friends (e.g. Lazarus - JN 11:11, and in JN. 15:13-15). XENOS For the “xenos” word, in all but one New Testament occurrence it is understood to mean someone (or something) strange or foreign. Someone non-local. Not of your people. Not anything like you. For example, the non-Jewish Christians of Ephesus - in comparison to the Jewish believers they did church with (EP. 2:12-19). So.. .. .. .. .. ..These 2 little compound sibling words, philoxenos and philoxenia, seem to be giving the impression that what we lamely call “hospitality” is, in fact, the following: the treatment of strangers or foreigners - that presumably we’ve never met before/don’t know well/may even feel really awkward towards - as if they were our close and valued friends that we’d do anything for or with. ~ LEADERS. My friends. My fellow leaders. My overseers... You know those 2 passages that somewhere in your ministry training somebody showed you? The 1 Timothy 3 and the Titus 1 text? (If we want to sound impressive we call them The Pastoral Epistles.) Guess which word appears in both, telling YOU what YOU need to be like in order to be a godly leader, above reproach..? Oh yes it is. That little word, philoxenos. In the Timothy and Titus lists of leadership qualities, it’s just one word and you could almost miss it - but the apostle Paul does include it. “An overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach” (1 TIM. 3:2 - δεῖ οὖν τν ἐπίσκοπον.. .. φιλόξενον).. ..or.. ..“an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined” (TITUS 1:7-8 - δεῖ γαρ τον ἐπίσκοπον.. .. φιλόξενον). The point? Leaders = PHILOXENOS. I love how that “must” (δεῖ) is used. It is necessary that we do this, be this, show this. It is NOT an option. It is compulsory to be like this! In the way I described above - seems like we must be philoxenos (in the accusative case): An attitude towards strangers or outsiders so familiar that it reflects the same treatment we’d give to, or at least the same heart we’d have for, the close friends we’d pick for our bridal party if one were single and God ordained for one to then get married. {Oh, and don’t think I forgot about philoxenia - when used in the letters to the Romans and the Hebrews, it is in commands addressed to any Christian, not directly leaders at all: “..practise hospitality”, ROM. 12:13 - την φιλοξενίαν διώκοντες^ - and actually, that diokontes^ word seems more a “Pursue” than “”Practise” word.. “..do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers”, HEB. 13:2 - τῆς φιλοξενίας μη ἐπιλανθάνεσθε. No excuses for any Christian here.} [WARNING. Rant coming.. .. ..] Do we actually live these words? Does philoxenos describe us, if we’ve been called/encouraged into leadership? Do we pursue philoxenia, even if we see ourselves as ordinary, average, lay/pew-sitting Christians? Does this kind of hospitable love even for those outside our comfort zones exist in us? Because it feels like the Bible is saying it should. Do we actually treat people this way - every one, equally? Every person, regardless of differences or personality clashes? Will I invite and include everyone, or just the Christians I feel it’s easiest to get along with, the ones I click with best, just my special friends or my BFFs? Are we willing to care for and share with any Christian that we encounter, when we encounter them? Or limit ourselves to just the people we’ve always hung out with and feel most comfortable around? Ask around to your believing friends or mentors. Do a philoxenos/philoxenia check. Do one on me - I’m not immune, I’m not above this. But for God’s sake, consider these 2 sibling words. Because I will say, right here and now, that we all need to work on this as Christians. In the last 4 years, when I’ve felt hurt by Christian sisters or brothers - especially those training for leadership, those our communities view as exhibiting godly character - I’d hazard that the problem was an absence of philoxenia; that they in some way weren’t making any effort to be philoxenos. It’s not automatic and I could probably think up a ton of personal excuses for why you, or I, should be able to ignore/rationalise away this little word and its implications for us. But I cannot, and I will not, because this is God’s Word. A word that, if we be His servants, we are called to live by. ‘Nuff said. ________________ L/T.