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The term "commonwealth" is not explicitly found in the Bible; however, the concept can be understood through the biblical themes of community, shared responsibility, and the collective well-being of God's people. The idea of a commonwealth in biblical terms often relates to the covenant community of Israel and the Church, where individuals are united under God's rule and share in His blessings and responsibilities.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel can be seen as a form of commonwealth. God established Israel as His chosen people, bound by a covenant relationship. This covenant was not only spiritual but also social and communal, encompassing laws and practices that governed every aspect of life. The Israelites were called to live as a holy nation, distinct from other peoples, with God as their King. This theocratic commonwealth is evident in passages such asExodus 19:5-6 : "Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine. And unto Me you shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation."

The laws given to Israel, including the Ten Commandments and various civil and ceremonial laws, were designed to maintain justice, equity, and communal welfare. The Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25) is a prime example of this, where land was to be returned to original owners, debts forgiven, and slaves freed, ensuring that economic disparities did not become entrenched.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the concept of commonwealth is expanded to include all believers in Christ, both Jew and Gentile. The Apostle Paul speaks of this inEphesians 2:12-13 : "remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ."

Here, Paul uses the term "commonwealth" to describe the spiritual and communal unity that believers have in Christ. This new commonwealth transcends ethnic and cultural boundaries, creating a new people of God who are united by faith in Jesus. The Church, as the body of Christ, functions as a spiritual commonwealth where members are called to love, serve, and support one another, reflecting the unity and diversity of the Trinity.

Theological Implications

Theologically, the concept of commonwealth in the Bible underscores the importance of community and mutual responsibility among God's people. Believers are called to live in a way that reflects God's kingdom values, promoting justice, mercy, and humility (Micah 6:8). The early Church exemplified this inActs 2:44-45 : "All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need."

This communal life is not merely a social arrangement but a reflection of the spiritual reality of being one in Christ. It challenges believers to consider how they can contribute to the well-being of the community, using their gifts and resources for the common good.

Practical Application

In practical terms, the biblical concept of commonwealth encourages Christians to engage in acts of charity, justice, and stewardship. It calls for a commitment to the local church and the broader body of Christ, fostering relationships that are marked by love, accountability, and service. Believers are urged to bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2) and to work for the peace and prosperity of the community in which they live (Jeremiah 29:7).

In summary, while the term "commonwealth" may not appear in Scripture, its principles are woven throughout the biblical narrative, calling God's people to live in unity, justice, and love as a reflection of His kingdom on earth.1. (n.) A state; a body politic consisting of a certain number of men, united, by compact or tacit agreement, under one form of government and system of laws.

2. (n.) The whole body of people in a state; the public.

3. (n.) Specifically, the form of government established on the death of Charles I., in 1649, which existed under Oliver Cromwell and his son Richard, ending with the abdication of the latter in 1659.

COMMONWEALTH

kom'-un-welth (politeia): Spoken of theocracy (Ephesians 2:12). The same word is rendered "freedom," the King James Version; "citizenship" the Revised Version (British and American). Also in the sense of commonwealth in the Apocrypha (2 Maccabees 4:11; 8:17; 13:14); in the sense of citizenship (3 Maccabees 3:21, 23).

SeeCITIZENSHIP.

4174. politeia -- citizenship
... Feminine Transliteration: politeia Phonetic Spelling: (pol-ee-ti'-ah) Short Definition:
citizen body, citizenship Definition: (a)commonwealth, polity; citizen...

4175. politeuma -- a form of government, citizenship
... citizenship. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: politeuma Phonetic Spelling:
(pol-it'-yoo-mah) Short Definition: a state,commonwealth Definition: a...

1429. dodekaphulon -- the twelve tribes
... twelve tribes. From dodeka and phule; thecommonwealth of Israel -- twelve tribes.
see GREEK dodeka. see GREEK phule. (dodekaphulon) -- 1 Occurrence....

Ephesians ii. 11, 12
... by that which is called Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; that ye were at
that time separate from Christ, alienated from thecommonwealth of Israel, and...

Whether an Accuser who Fails to Prove his Indictment is Bound to...
... to the person of the accused, for in that case the sovereign could not remit this
punishment, nor on account of an injury to thecommonwealth, because then the...

Of the Divine Providence in General.
... This great king then, knowing by divine inspiration that thecommonwealth is to
religion as the body to the soul, and religion to thecommonwealth as the soul...

Letter Xci. (AD 408. )
... one of your wisdom, we have no doubt that you would be easily convinced, or rather,
would yourself readily perceive, in what way acommonwealth should flourish...

Spiritual Religion in High Places --Rous, Vane, and Sterry
... The spiritual struggles which culminated in the great upheaval of the English
Commonwealth were the normal fruit of the Reformation spirit, when once it had...

The First Blast of the Trumpet
... (a) The natural body of man 27-32. (b) The civil body of thatCommonwealth [of the
Jews] in which GOD by his own word hath appointed an order.32-34....

Thy Will be done on Earth Also as in Heaven
... to solve the question from this consideration"It is not by virtue of place but of
principle that one who is still on earth but has acommonwealth in heaven...

The Epistle to the Laodiceans the Proper Designation is to the...
... that which has the name of circumcision in the flesh made by the hand"that at that
time ye were without Christ, being aliens from thecommonwealth of Israel...

A Sermon Made by M. Hugh Latimer, at the Time of the Insurrection...
... I hear say they wear the cross and the wounds before and behind, and they pretend
much truth to the king's grace and to thecommonwealth, when they intend...

Slum Novelists and the Slums
... In this strange and splendid degree it cannot be expected, perhaps, to pervade a
wholecommonwealth or a whole civilization; but onecommonwealth may have it...

Commonwealth (2 Occurrences)
...COMMONWEALTH.... Also in the sense ofcommonwealth in the Apocrypha (2 Maccabees 4:11;
8:17; 13:14); in the sense of citizenship (3 Maccabees 3:21, 23)....

Citizenship (4 Occurrences)
... with the meanings which they have in the Bible, are the nouns, polites, "citizen";
politeia, "citizenship"; politeuma, "commonwealth"; sumpolites, "fellow...

Circumcision (98 Occurrences)
... the Hebrews. (1.) It sealed the promises made to Abraham, which related
to thecommonwealth of Israel, national promises. (2.) But...

State (51 Occurrences)
... 13. (n.) In the United States, one of thecommonwealth, or bodies politic, the people
of which make up the body of the nation, and which, under the national...

Commonly (5 Occurrences)

Commotion (15 Occurrences)

Philippians (2 Occurrences)
... Compare also Philippians 3:20 with Ephesians 2:12, 19, where the church is presented
under the idea of a city orcommonwealth for the first time in Paul's...

Empire (8 Occurrences)
... Thecommonwealth sank in exhaustion after the protracted civil and internecine
strife. It was a case of the survival of the fittest....

Kings (350 Occurrences)
... They contain the annals of the Jewishcommonwealth from the accession of Solomon
till the subjugation of the kingdom by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians...

Loan (9 Occurrences)
... At a later period of the Hebrewcommonwealth, when commerce increased, the practice
of exacting usury or interest on loans, and of suretiship in the commercial...

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