Word Study on Philostorgos (Part III)--Romans 12:10

Rogers and Rogers: φιλόστοργος authentically loving, tenderly devoted, full of tenderness (TLNT; TDNT). It denotes the delicate affections mutually rendered by those who cherish one another w. natural affection, as the innate love of a mother, or as the love between a man and wife, or as parents and children, brothers and sisters (Godet; TLNT; NDIEC, 2:100-103; 3:40-43; 4:136).

Douglas Moo: After introducing all the exhortations in vv. 9–21 with a call for sincere love, Paul now narrows his focus, admonishing Christians to be “devoted” (philostorgoi) to one another in “brotherly love” (philadelphia). Both key terms in this exhortation, which share the philo- stem, convey the sense of family relationships.¹⁸⁸ Paul reflects the early Christian understanding of the church as an extended family, whose members, bound together in intimate fellowship, should exhibit toward one another a heartfelt and consistent concern.

John D. Harvey: Τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ (dat. sg. fem. of φιλαδελφία, -ας, ἡ, “brotherly love”) is the first of three datives of reference (Moo 777 n. 32); εἰς + accusative denotes relationship (“toward one another”; cf. Harris 93; Moo 782); the adjective φιλόστοργοι (nom. pl. masc. of φιλόστοργος, -ον, “devoted”) is “virtually a participle” (Moule 156). Both the noun and the adjective are “family words” denoting belongingness that transcends natural or ethnic bonds (Dunn 741).

James Dunn: τῇ φιλαδελφίᾳ εἰς ἀλλήλους φιλόστοργοι, “in brotherly love showing family affection to one another.” Both φιλ- words denote the love which is characteristically expected in a family: φιλαδελφία, love for brother or sister; φιλοστοργία, typically, love of parent for child (as almost always in Philo, Abr. 168, 198; Mos. 1.150; Spec. Leg. 2.240; Virt. 91, 128, 192; Praem. 158; cf. Legat. 36), but also of other family ties. In some contrast the Christian usage extends well beyond the immediate bonds of family (φιλαδελφία—1 Thess 4:9; Heb 13:1; 1 Pet 1:22 [cf. 3:8]; 2 Pet 1:7; 1 Clem 47.5; 48.1; φιλόστοργος—only here in the NT). But here too (as with ἀγάπη in 12:9) the transition should not be exaggerated. ἀδελφός was more broadly used for members of a religious association (see on 1:13; and further Lagrange); and φιλάδελφος could also denote a wider fraternal concern, for which love for brother was the pattern (as in 2 Macc 15:14; and note its frequent use as a title for kings, particularly the Ptolemies—see LSJ). Likewise more generalized uses of φιλόστοργος are well enough attested, where the type of family affection can be understood as capable of being extended fittingly to such as country or king or a pet animal (e.g.,  Polybius 16.17.8; Josephus, Ant. 4.135; LSJ; Spicq, 500–505; NDIEC 2:100–  103; 3:41–42). Michel notes the reputation the Essenes had for loving one  another (Josephus, War 2.119; borne out, e.g., by 1QS 1.9-10; 5.25; 10.26; CD  6.20–21). Nevertheless, the Christian use of these typically family words  does rather stand out in its consistency, and the combination of both words  underscores the point. This too is part of the redefinition of boundaries in  which Paul engages—a sense of family belongingness which transcended  immediate family ties and did not depend on natural or ethnic bonds. The organic imagery of the interrelatedness of the body requires to be supplemented by the emotional bond of family affection (“your feelings of deep  affection for one another”—NJB). 

Thomas R. Schreiner: The first command in verse 10 brings to the forefront the family affection that should characterize the people of God. The word φιλόστοργοι (philostorgoi, loving dearly) denotes warm, familial love (so Aasgaard 2004: 173), as does the term φιλαδελφίᾳ (philadelphia, brotherly and sisterly love).9 The word φιλαδελφίᾳ is only used in about ten instances before Paul, and Paul may have been the first to use it metaphorically (Aasgaard 2004: 151). Paul conceives of the church as a family that is akin to one’s biological family, for all are united to Christ as brothers and sisters (cf. 1 Tim. 5:1–2).10 Thus warm affection should course among the members of the body.