Loving Strangers
“Philoxenos” is the Greek word used in the Bible to describe how we are to treat people when we meet and interact with them. Its literal translation is “loving strangers.” It is referring to being hospitable. Hospitality is more than setting a nice table or opening your home to friends. In Scripture, hospitality is a spiritual gift, a reflection of the character of God, and an essential practice for followers of Jesus Christ. Far from being optional, the Bible presents hospitality as a central expression of the Gospel itself. At its heart, biblical hospitality is about making room for others—physically, emotionally, and spiritually—just as God in Christ has made room for us.
In this blog, we’ll look at the biblical foundation of hospitality, the role of hospitality as a spiritual gift, and ultimately how Jesus is the perfect and final example of what it means to welcome others. I usually write blogs a little more personal than this but I believe it is critical to understand just how important hospitality is in the Kingdom. Hospitality is one of my strengths, but it is something that all of us are called to use.
Hospitality in the Old Testament: Welcoming Strangers as God’s People
The practice of hospitality runs deep in the story of God’s people. In Genesis 18:1–8, Abraham set the standard when he eagerly welcomed three strangers:
He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, ‘O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, while I bring a morsel of bread…’ (Genesis 18:2–5)
Abraham’s open-hearted welcome turned out to be more than mere kindness. The strangers were heavenly messengers, and his hospitality became the setting for God’s covenant promises being reaffirmed. Similarly, Lot welcomed two angelic visitors in Genesis 19:1–3, urging them into his home for their safety and provision.
These early examples reveal something profound: hospitality was not just cultural courtesy; it was a spiritual duty. God’s people were to see strangers as bearers of God’s image, worthy of dignity and welcome. Later, Israel’s law codified this principle:
You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. (Leviticus 19:34)
Hospitality was rooted in Israel’s own story. They had once been outsiders, oppressed and displaced, until God rescued them. Therefore, they were to extend the same grace to others.
Hospitality in the New Testament: A Spiritual Gift for the Church
By the time we reach the New Testament, hospitality is explicitly described as a Christian calling and even a spiritual gift.
The Apostle Paul listed hospitality among the spiritual gifts in his instructions to the church in Rome:
Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. (Romans 12:13)
This was not a suggestion, but a command empowered by the Spirit. Hospitality was to be a tangible expression of love in the community of faith. Likewise, the author of Hebrews reminded believers:
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. (Hebrews 13:2)
Peter also urged Christians to see hospitality as a reflection of God’s grace:
Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. (1 Peter 4:9–10)
Notice the connection: hospitality is not just good manners—it is stewardship of God’s grace. To open our lives, our homes, and our resources to others is to display the generosity of God Himself.
Paul also highlighted individuals who embodied this gift. He commended Gaius, who hosted not only him but the entire church (Romans 16:23), and praised Onesiphorus for refreshing him and seeking him out during imprisonment (2 Timothy 1:16–17). Hospitality became the lifeblood of the early church’s ministry, especially in a world where Christians were often displaced, persecuted, or traveling for the gospel.
Jesus: The Ultimate Example of Hospitality
While Abraham, Lot, and the early church modeled hospitality, the ultimate example is found in Jesus Christ Himself.
1. Jesus Welcomed the Unwelcome – Throughout His ministry, Jesus consistently broke social and cultural barriers to extend welcome. He ate with tax collectors and sinners (Luke 5:29–32), welcomed children when others turned them away (Mark 10:13–16), and invited the weary and burdened to come to Him for rest (Matthew 11:28).
2. Jesus Served as Host – At the feeding of the five thousand (John 6:1–14), Jesus provided bread and fish for the multitudes. He didn’t just preach—He cared for physical needs, embodying the generous host who leaves no one empty. At the Last Supper, Jesus gathered His disciples, washed their feet, and shared the Passover meal (John 13). He was both the host and the servant, setting an eternal standard for what hospitality looks like in the kingdom.
3. Jesus Welcomed Us at the Cross – The deepest expression of hospitality came at the cross. By His death, Jesus made room for us in God’s family. Paul captures this beautifully: Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:7) Our welcome of others is not grounded in social obligation but in the Gospel itself. We were strangers, separated from God, yet through Christ’s sacrifice, we were welcomed into His household (Ephesians 2:19). The cross is the ultimate open door.
4. Jesus Prepares an Eternal Welcome – Finally, Jesus’ hospitality extends beyond this life. In John 14:2–3, He promises: In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. The eternal hospitality of Christ is the hope of every believer. He not only welcomed us into fellowship now but promises an eternal home in His presence.
Practicing Hospitality Today: Living the Gift
If hospitality is a spiritual gift, how do we live it out practically today?
- Open Homes, Open Hearts – Hospitality begins by inviting others into our lives, not just our living rooms.
- Hospitality to Strangers – True biblical hospitality includes those outside our circle.
- Hospitality Without Grumbling – Hospitality must be joyful, not burdensome.
- Pointing Others to Christ – Every act of hospitality should mirror Jesus, foreshadowing His eternal welcome.
Welcomed to Welcome
Hospitality is not an optional add-on to the Christian life. It is central to the Gospel. From Abraham’s tent to the early church’s gatherings, from Jesus’ meals with sinners to His promise of eternal rooms in the Father’s house, hospitality has always revealed God’s heart to welcome the outsider.
The Apostle Paul’s charge remains true today: Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:7)
We practice hospitality not because it is convenient, but because it is Christlike. In opening our lives to others, we declare that the Kingdom of God is a place where all who believe are welcomed. Ultimately, every act of Christian hospitality points to Jesus—the One who welcomed us at infinite cost to Himself, and who now prepares an eternal home where His people will live with Him forever.
