Lexical Summary potos: Drinking, banquet, feast Original Word: πότος Strong's Exhaustive Concordance carousal, banqueting. From the alternate of pino; a drinking-bout or carousal -- banqueting. see GREEK pino NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom pinó Definition a drinking bout NASB Translation drinking parties (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 4224: πότοςπότος, πότου, ὁ (ΠΟΩ (cf. πίνω)), a drinking, carousing: 1 Peter 4:3. (Xenophon, Plato, Demosthenes, Josephus, Plutarch, Aelian, others; the Sept. for מִשְׁתֶּה.) Topical Lexicon Singular Appearance in the New Testament The term occurs only once, in 1 Peter 4:3, where Peter lists behaviors characteristic of the Gentile lifestyle from which believers have been redeemed: “For you have spent enough time in the past carrying out the will of the Gentiles, living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and detestable idolatry”. Its placement between “drunkenness” and “orgies” highlights a form of communal excess distinguished from private inebriation, emphasizing a social setting devoted to unrestrained consumption. Cultural and Ancient Context Greco–Roman society prized convivial banquets (symposia) and festival gatherings honoring deities such as Dionysus (Bacchus). These events blended drinking, revelry, and often sexual immorality, functioning as both civic entertainment and religious observance. First-century converts, especially in Asia Minor where 1 Peter is addressed, would have felt social pressure to participate. Refusal could incur ostracism or economic loss (cf. 1 Peter 4:4: “They are surprised that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of reckless indiscretion, and they slander you.”). Theological Emphasis 1. Identity in Christ: Peter frames abstention not as mere asceticism but as evidence of a decisive break with pagan life. The believer’s new allegiance to Christ renders former festivities incompatible with holy conduct. Connections with Wider Biblical Teaching • Proverbs 23:29–35 warns against “lingering over wine,” portraying both the ruin and the seductive pull of excess. Together these texts frame communal drinking excess as a counterfeit celebration that dulls spiritual perception and distorts fellowship. Historical Reception in the Church Early Christian apologists such as Tertullian and Clement of Alexandria cited Peter’s words when challenging pagan banquets. Medieval moralists echoed the warning, and Reformers applied it amid sixteenth-century tavern culture. Across eras, the verse has undergirded calls for temperance movements and contemporary recovery ministries. Implications for Christian Living 1. Discipleship: New believers often need intentional guidance to replace former social habits with Christ-honoring fellowship (Acts 2:42-47). Practical Ministry Applications • Teaching: Incorporate 1 Peter 4:3 in discipleship curricula addressing substance abuse, peer pressure, and holiness. Forms and Transliterations πότοι ποτοις πότοις ποτόν πότον πότος ποτου πότου ποτώ πότω potois pótoisLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |