Ancient City of Promise: Φιλαδέλφεια (Strong’s G5359: Philadelphia) Reveals Faithful Love

Strong’s G5359: An ancient city in Asia Minor, named for King Attalus II Philadelphus of Pergamum. Its name combines “brotherly love” (φίλος + ἀδελφός). One of the seven churches in Revelation, it received only commendation from the Lord, symbolizing faithful endurance and brotherly love.

U- Unveiling the Word

Φιλαδέλφεια represents both a physical city and a profound spiritual concept. As a compound word, it combines φίλος (love) and ἀδελφός (brother), literally meaning “brotherly love” or “one who loves their brother.” The city, founded in 189 BC by King Attalus II Philadelphus, was named for his loyalty to his brother Eumenes II. In the New Testament, this city-church stands out as the only one among the seven churches of Revelation receiving no criticism from the Lord. The meaning of its name became prophetically significant, as this church demonstrated true brotherly love and faithful endurance. Today, Philadelphia’s legacy continues to inspire believers, reminding us that faithful love and perseverance are marks of authentic Christian community.

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N – Necessary Information

• Greek Word: Φιλαδέλφεια, Philadelphia, fil-ah-del-FEE-ah
• Detailed pronunciation: fil (as in “fill”), ah (as in “father”), del (as in “dell”), FEE (as in “feet”), ah (as in “father”)
• Part of Speech: Proper Noun

Etymology:

• Prefix: φιλ- (phil-) from φίλος meaning “loving”
• Root: ἀδελφός (adelphos) meaning “brother”
• Suffix: -εια (-eia) location/place marker

D – Defining Meanings

• City of Brotherly Love
• Ancient city in Lydia (modern Turkey)
• One of the seven churches of Revelation

For compound words:
φίλος (philos) conveys the sense of loving devotion
ἀδελφός (adelphos) provides the familial connection
-εια (-eia) identifies it as a place name

Translation Options:

• Philadelphia – Traditional transliteration maintained across translations
• City of Brotherly Love – Literal meaning of the compound word
• Philadelphia of Asia – Historical-geographical distinction from modern city

E – Exploring Similar Words

• φιλαδελφία (philadelphia, fil-ad-el-FEE-ah) – The virtue of brotherly love. See G5360
• φιλάδελφος (philadelphos, fil-AD-el-fos) – One who loves their brethren. See G5361
• ἀδελφότης (adelphotēs, ad-el-FO-tace) – Brotherhood, community of believers. See G81

R – Reviewing the Word’s Morphology

Morphological features as a proper noun:

• Case: Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accusative
• Number: Singular only (as a place name)
• Gender: Feminine
• Declension: First declension

Examples of case forms:

• Nominative: Φιλαδέλφεια
• Genitive: Φιλαδελφείας
• Dative: Φιλαδελφείᾳ
• Accusative: Φιλαδέλφειαν

S – Studying Lexicon Insights

The lexical analysis of Φιλαδέλφεια reveals its rich historical and spiritual significance. BDAG emphasizes its importance as one of the seven churches of Revelation, while Thayer’s highlights its geographical location in ancient Lydia. LSJ provides historical context about its founding by Attalus II Philadelphus. Vine’s connects the city’s name to the Christian virtue of brotherly love. Strong’s emphasizes its significance in early Christian history. LEH notes its appearance in various historical documents. Moulton and Milligan provide evidence of its continued importance in early Christian correspondence and its reputation for stability despite being in an earthquake-prone region.

T – Tracing the Scriptures

First appearance:
Revelation 1:11: “saying, ‘Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia [Φιλαδέλφειαν] and to Laodicea.'”

Additional References:
Revelation 3:7

A – Analyzing Classical Usage

N – Noteworthy Summary

Φιλαδέλφεια stands as a powerful testament to faithful love and endurance in the face of trials. As one of the seven churches in Revelation, it received only commendation from the Lord, demonstrating that its name truly reflected its character. The good news of King Jesus shines through this church’s example – showing how genuine brotherly love and unwavering faith can flourish even in challenging circumstances. Like Philadelphia, we are called to maintain our devotion to the Lord and love for one another, knowing that He has set before us an open door that no one can shut.

D – Did You Know?

1. Philadelphia was known as “Little Athens” due to its many temples and festivals promoting Greek culture.
2. The city survived numerous earthquakes, earning it the nickname “the city of many resurrections.”
3. It was the last Byzantine city in Asia Minor to fall to the Ottoman Turks, holding out until 1390 AD.

Strong’s G5359: An ancient city in Asia Minor, named for King Attalus II Philadelphus of Pergamum. Its name combines “brotherly love” (φίλος + ἀδελφός). One of the seven churches in Revelation, it received only commendation from the Lord, symbolizing faithful endurance and brotherly love.

Part of speech: Proper Noun

Tags: seven-churches, revelation, asia-minor, brotherly-love, faithful-church, endurance, persecution, prophecy, ancient-cities, church-history, christian-community, divine-approval​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​