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Abarim Publications' Biblical Dictionary: The New Testament Greek word: μελος

Source: https://www.abarim-publications.com/DictionaryG/m/m-e-l-o-sfin.html

μελος

Abarim Publications' online Biblical Greek Dictionary

μελος

The noun μελος (melos) means member, but specifically a member of an assemblage that operates in synchronicity or harmony. It's the root of our word "melody", which stems from the noun μελωδια (melodia), chant or choral song, hence also the adjective μελωδης (melodes), consisting of members.

Our word "choir" actually stems from the verb χαιρω (chairo), meaning to rejoice (hence English words like charity and charisma), which in turn stems from the Proto-Indo-European root gher-, which has to do with collectivity and enclosures: hence words like carol, choir, chorus, cohort, court and the familiar Latin word hortus, meaning garden. All this is significant because the noun μηλον (melon) means apple or any kind of fruit from a tree, while the identical noun μηλον (melon) means sheep or goat. These two nouns (neither of which occurs in the New Testament)have their parent verb in common, namely μελω (melo), meaning to be an object of care (see below).

Our noun μελος (melos), meaning member, occurs 34 times in the New Testament, see full concordance, and always denotes bodily members. This indicates that to the ancients, the body was not a robotic assemblage of independent parts but rather a choir that sings a harmonious song (also see our article on the Hebrew noun בשר, basar, meaning flesh or "glad tidings"). Quite literally, the Body of Christ is a collective of human individuals who interact as harmonious as physical organs do in an individual organic body.

Our noun has no further derivatives.

μελω

The verb μελω (melo) means to be an object of care or thought, or to care for or think about. It's not clear whether this verb immediately relates to the previous noun μελος (melos), but for creative poets, the association is obvious.

Our verb may convey anything between dedicated care and simple interest, and in negative constructions it may describe neglect ("they took no thought of me") or disinterest ("I care not about such things"). As noted above, the derived noun μηλον (melon) literally refers to a thing that is cared for, and may describe sheep or fruits. None of these words occurs in the New Testament, but from our verb μελω (melo), to care, or its middle form μελομαι (melomai), to caringly engage oneself, come:

  • Together with the particle of negation α (a), meaning without: the verb αμελεω (ameleo), to not care or pay no mind to, to neglect, or to be careless, to overlook. This verb is used 5 times; see full concordance.
  • Together with the preposition επι (epi) meaning on or upon: the verb επιμελεομαι (epimeleomai), to care for in a managerial way, to assume charge and care of (Luke 10:34, 10:35 and 1 Timothy 3:5 only). In the classics this verb often described the commission of some formal office: to be a curator or inspector. Note that in Luke 10:35, this verb occurs in a passive imperative: the good Samaritan tells the innkeeper to feel taken care of in regards to his care of the wounded traveler. From this verb in turn comes:
    • The noun επιμελεια (epimeleia), meaning managerial care (Acts 27:3 only).
  • The verbal expression μελει (melei), which is the third person single of our parent verb, and serves in a construction that means something like "it mattered not" or "it was of no care to him". This word occurs 9 times, see full concordance.
  • Together with the preposition μετα (meta), meaning with or among and implying motion toward the inside: the verb μεταμελομαι (metamelomai), meaning to change one's care and attentions, one's purpose and subsequently one's line of conduct. In the classics, as well as the New Testament, this verb is most commonly used to mean to regret or feel repentance: the awareness of regret that will lead to a change in behavior. This verb is used 6 times; see full concordance.