SPECIAL TOPIC: KOINŌNIA

SPECIAL TOPIC: KOINŌNIA (fellowship)

The term "fellowship" (koinōnia) has a wide semantic range

close association with a person
1. with the Son (cf. 1 Cor. 1:9; 1 John 1:6)
2. with the Spirit (cf. 2 Cor. 13:14; Phil. 2:1)
3. with the Father and the Son (cf. 1 John 1:3)
4. with other covenant brothers/sisters (cf. Acts 2:42; 2 Cor. 8:23; Gal. 2:9; Philemon v. 17; 1 John 1:3,7)
5. not with evil (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14)
close association with things or groups
1. with the gospel (cf. Phil. 1:5; Philemon v. 6)
2. with the blood of Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 10:16)
3. not with darkness (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14)
4. with suffering (cf. 2 Cor. 1:7; Phil. 3:10; 4:14; 1 Pet. 4:13)
gift or contribution done in generous fashion (cf. Rom. 12:13; 15:26; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:13; Phil. 4:15; Heb. 13:16)
God's gift of grace through Christ, which restores mankind's fellowship with Him and his brothers and sisters

This asserts the horizontal relationship (human to human) that is brought about by the vertical relationship (human to Creator). It also emphasizes the need for and joy of Christian community (i.e., Heb. 10:25).

I like Dale Moody's characterization of koinōnia in his The Word of Truth, p. 433, as

the disciples as branches connected to Jesus, the True Vine ‒ John 15:1-11
the disciples as friends of Jesus for whom He will lay down His life ‒ John 15:12-17
the disciples as witnesses of Him to a fallen, lost world ‒ John 15:18-27