Brief Overview of στρατιά (Strong’s G4756: stratia)

Strong’s G4756: From στρατός (army); a military force or host, particularly used of angelic armies. In NT usage, most notably describes the heavenly host praising God at Jesus’ birth. Represents organized, powerful forces, especially in celestial contexts.

U- Unveiling the Word

Στρατιά carries deep significance in both earthly and heavenly contexts. While its basic meaning refers to an army or organized military force, its most notable New Testament usage describes the angelic host praising God at the birth of the Messiah. The word emphasizes the organized, powerful nature of God’s heavenly forces. Early church fathers saw in this term a beautiful connection between heavenly worship and earthly service, noting how the army of angels models perfect praise and obedience. Today, στρατιά reminds us that we join with the heavenly host in worship and service to our King.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: στρατιά, stratia, /strat-ee’-ah/
• Detailed Pronunciation: strah-tee-AH (emphasis on final syllable)
• Part of Speech: Noun

Etymology:

• Root word: στρατός (stratos) – “army, encamped army”
• -ιά (-ia) – feminine noun suffix indicating collective group
  The combination denotes an organized military force or host.

D – Defining Meanings

• A military force or army
• A host of angels
• An organized company or band
• A celestial army

For compound words: Not applicable as στρατιά is a simple noun with suffix.

Translation Options:

1. “Host” – Traditional translation for angelic armies
2. “Army” – Emphasizes organized military nature
3. “Celestial force” – Captures supernatural aspect in heavenly contexts

E – Exploring Similar Words

1. παρεμβολή (parembolē) /par-em-bol-ay’/ – camp, army in formation. See G3925
2. στράτευμα (strateuma) /strat’-yoo-mah/ – army, troops in service. See G4753
3. δύναμις (dynamis) /doo’-nam-is/ – power, host, emphasizes strength. See G1411

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

As a noun, στρατιά exhibits these features:

• Case: Nominative/Accusative/Genitive/Dative
• Number: Singular/Plural
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: First

Examples of morphological changes:

• Singular: στρατιά (nominative), στρατιᾶς (genitive), στρατιᾷ (dative), στρατιάν (accusative)
• Plural: στρατιαί (nominative), στρατιῶν (genitive), στρατιαῖς (dative), στρατιάς (accusative)

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

BDAG emphasizes its heavenly usage in NT contexts. Thayer’s notes both earthly and celestial applications. LSJ documents its military origins. Vine’s highlights its connection to organized forces. Strong’s connects it to orderly arrangement. Moulton and Milligan show its use in military contexts.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First Appearance:

“And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly [στρατιά] host praising God.” Luke 2:13

Additional References:
Acts 7:42

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Στρατιά beautifully illustrates the organized power and majesty of God’s heavenly forces. The fact that this mighty host appeared to announce and praise the birth of the Messiah shows the cosmic significance of His incarnation. It reminds us that worship is our highest calling, joining with the angelic armies in proclaiming His glory.

D – Did You Know?

1. The term influenced early Christian liturgical language about joining the “heavenly host” in worship.
2. Ancient Jewish writings often used equivalent Hebrew terms for angelic armies in parallel ways.
3. The word appears in early Christian hymns describing the unity of earthly and heavenly worship.

Strong’s G4756: From στρατός (army); a military force or host, particularly used of angelic armies. In NT usage, most notably describes the heavenly host praising God at Jesus’ birth. Represents organized, powerful forces, especially in celestial contexts.

Part of speech: Noun

Tags: angels, heavenly-host, army, worship, celestial-forces, nativity, divine-power, organized-forces, praise, greek-noun​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​