Koinonia: Communion, Community and Fellowship

"The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also" (2 Timothy 2:2). This verse aptly describes passing along the Gospel from one generation of faithful and capable believers to the next generation. What is it that we pass along?

"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?" (1 Cor. 10:16). This is the most important meaning of koinonia in the New Testament because it is when we commune in the Body and Blood of Christ that we become the Church, the Body of Christ on earth:

"For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread. When he had given thanks, He broke it, and said, 'Take, eat. This is My body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of Me.' In the same way, he also took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of Me'" (1 Cor 11:23-25).

It should be very clear that "This is My body... This cup is the new covenant in My blood." When we partake of communion, we take His very Body and Blood, and thereby we are united with Christ. Thus communion is the very real, physical foundation for Christian community and fellowship. Second, by repeating this, it keeps in our memory the saving act of Christ on the Cross.

There's another important element in this context that we have in common: in verse 23 we read - "that which also I delivered to you..." and in verse 2 - "hold firm the traditions, even as I delivered them to you." The Greek verb for "deliver" is "paradidomi" - literally to "transmit" or "pass along"; and the noun "tradition" is "paradosis" in Greek, or "that which is transmitted or passed along." St. Paul teaches us here that we must hold firm to what binds us together in the fellowship or communion of the Body and Blood of Christ. It was "passed along" at first orally, then in writing: "So then, brothers, stand firm, and hold the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by word, or by letter" (2 Thes. 2:15). Tradition is both oral and written. In a semi-literate culture such as in the first-century church, much of what holds it together is oral songs and stories that are memorized and repeated over and over, shared and passed along from one generation to the next.

So the next aspect of koinonia is "community" or "common, shared life." In Romans 15:26-27 we read, "For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution (koinonia) for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings."

Also, "By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution (koinonia) for them and for all others" (2 Cor. 9:13). The context here is that St. Paul is encouraging the Corinthian believers to voluntary give aid for the church in Macedonia - "So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Cor. 9:5-7). Again, this assumes private ownership of property, not communal ownership or forced communism.

Writing to the Hebrew Christians, St. Paul says, "Do not neglect to do good and to share (koinonia) what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God" (Heb. 13:6).

But living in community requires responsibility for oneself - "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. But let each man test his own work, and then he will take pride in himself and not in his neighbor. For each man must bear his own burden" (Gal. 6:2,4-5). While we ought to care for someone who is unable to care for himself, it is each person's own primary responsibility for himself and his family. Also: "But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he has denied the faith and is worse than an infidel" (1 Tim, 5:8). Just as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5, there may be some who "fake it," pretending to share while they only want to "take it," not give. St. Paul warned against this: "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'If a man will not work, neither shall he eat.' We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies" (2 Thes. 3:10-11).

Thirdly, koinonia is "fellowship" - 1 Cor. 1:9 tells us, "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship (koinonia) of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." Jesus Christ is the foundation of our fellowship. The Early Church experienced real fellowship: "They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship (koinonia), in the breaking of bread, and prayer" (Acts 2:42). How did they do this? "All who believed were together, and had all things in common. They were selling their possessions and goods, and distributed them to all, according as anyone had need" (Acts 2:44-45). The word for "common" is "koinos" in Greek, from the same root as koinonia. It is important to note here that the verb tense "were selling" indicates a continuing, incomplete or unperfected action: the first disciples didn't immediately give up all of their possessions: the story of Ananias and Sapphira tells us their right to continue owning private property was kept intact, their fatal problem was lying about giving to the Church the full price of the property they sold.

Act 4:32 repeats this practice: "And the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul. And not one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own. But they had all things common." Again, this was a gradual, unperfected action: "Nor was there anyone needy among them; for all who were owners of lands or houses were selling them, and were bringing the proceeds of the things which had been sold, and were placing them beside the feet of the apostles; and they were distributing to each, to the degree that anyone had need" (Act 4:34-35, EMTV).

Writing to the church in Ephesus, St. Paul tells of the ministry God gave him "...to bring to light what is the fellowship (koinonia) of the mystery which from eternity has been hidden in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ" (Eph. 3:9). The Apostle Paul thanked God for the Philippian believers - "for your fellowship (koinonia) in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now" (Phil. 1:5). And finally, looking forward to his martyrdom, St. Paul writes, "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship (koinonia) of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death; if by any means I might attain to the resurrection of the dead" (Phil. 3:10-11).

Thus we see the scarlet thread of koinonia woven throughout the New Testament, in the lives of the Apostles and the Early Church. May we become sharers of this Good News!

(Linked to www.Hosken-News.info of 04 Mar. 2017.)