Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

I was pondering upon what to write today, thinking on the family of God. Doing a word search on family in the KJV, I found it appeared only one in the New Testament. It appeared 21 times in the NIV. Curious as to why I looked up the Greek used for family in the NIV and found oikos. Its first and primary definition is house or home. Drilling down to other translations looking for family I discovered this definition; the inmates of a house.

I am the type of person who is fascinated by words in The Word. The origins and related meanings of context and experience can be a revelation. I see similarities within the old meanings and how life in Christ plays out today. Are they accidental? Maybe, but interesting to ponder in a setting free from doctrinal constraints.

Consider the behavior of inmates. While they all fall under the constraints of the warden, they form attachments within the prison (house). They feel secure in forming attachments of like thinkers. Christians tend to gravitate to believers who have similar if not the same beliefs. Inmates form gangs within the prison, shielding one another. Christians form denominations like Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, and a variety of others even those classified non-denominational.

Ezekiel 47:10 And it shall come to pass, that the fishers shall stand upon it from Engedi even unto Eneglaim; they shall be a place to spread forth nets; their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.

We fishers of men all cast our nets upon the same water. Our nets catch those of our own kind.

Yet all are inmates of the same house.