Brotherly Kindness
9-23-07
by Michael Gilbert
“…and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity…”
(2 Pet. 1:7)
Today’s lesson will focus on the words “brotherly kindness”. Hope you enjoy the study…
Eddie Parish has beautifully described the term ‘brotherly love’. He wrote, “To godliness we are to supply brotherly kindness”.
This phrase translates the Greek word philadelphia. It is not the strongest word for love in the Scripture, but not far behind it in beauty. This word speaks of the affection that exists between two brothers. It is the kind of genuine concern that Christians should have for each other. It is the concept expressed in Romans 12:10, “In love of the brethren be tenderly affectioned one to another; in honor preferring one another” (see also I The. 4:9 and Heb. 13:1). As Christians mature in the faith they will grow in their brotherly affection for each other, for we are all members one of another (Rom. 12:5; Eph. 4:25). So important is this trait that without it we cannot truly love God (I Jn. 4:20).” (Parrish, p. 19 
Christians who truly have brotherly love are aptly described by the Psalmist as he wrote, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Ps. 133:1).
