A Broader Friendship: John's Transformation of Secular Friendship, with Rev Dr Mark Kulikovsky

Friendship (philia), in the Graeco-Roman world, was based on virtue, utility, or pleasure, as described by Aristotle. Irrespective of inequalities between people, the political, commercial, domestic, and civic friendships formed were characterised by reciprocity, obligation, civic duty, loyalty, gratitude, and frank-speaking. In his Epistles, John transformed this philia (friendship), the foundation of both familial and political relationships in the Graeco-Roman world, into a koinōnia (partnership/fellowship) based on alētheia (truth) and agapē (love), key concepts which were embodied and taught by Jesus. Koinōnia, in his view, was a more appropriate term than philia to describe a Christian community of equals.