### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Greek word **diasporá**, represented by `{{G1290}}`, is a term for **dispersion**. It appears 3 times in 3 unique verses in the Bible. While its base meaning is "dispersion," it is used specially and concretely to refer to the Israelite resident in Gentile countries, often translated as those who are "scattered" or "dispersed."
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{G1290}}` is used to identify specific groups of people living away from their ancestral homeland. James addresses his letter "to the twelve tribes which are **scattered abroad**" [[James 1:1]], indicating believers of Israelite heritage. Similarly, Peter writes to the "strangers **scattered** throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia" [[1 Peter 1:1]]. In the Gospel of John, the Jews wonder if Jesus intends to go to "the **dispersed** among the Gentiles" [[John 7:35]], treating the diaspora as a distinct community.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words expand upon the concept of dispersion and the identity of those within it:
* `{{G5443}}` **phylḗ** (an offshoot, i.e. race or clan:--kindred, tribe): This specifies the identity of the scattered people. James connects the `{{G1290}}` directly to "the twelve **tribes**" of Israel [[James 1:1]], while the term is also used more broadly for all "**kindreds** of the earth" [[Revelation 1:7]].
* `{{G3927}}` **parepídēmos** (an alien alongside, i.e. a resident foreigner:--pilgrim, stranger): This word describes the condition of those in the dispersion. Peter addresses the recipients of his letter as "**strangers** scattered" [[1 Peter 1:1]], a theme reinforced when he calls believers "**pilgrims**" [[1 Peter 2:11]].
* `{{G1672}}` **Héllēn** (a Hellen (Grecian) or inhabitant of Hellas; by extension a Greek-speaking person, especially a non-Jew:-- Gentile, Greek.): This term identifies the nations among whom the diaspora lived. The Jews in John's gospel explicitly connect the "dispersed" with the **Gentiles** [[John 7:35]], highlighting the context of the dispersion.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{G1290}}` is significant for understanding the early church's identity and mission.
* **A Pilgrim People:** The term is applied to believers, framing them as a people living as foreigners in the world. Peter's address to the "**strangers** scattered" [[1 Peter 1:1]] establishes a spiritual identity for the church as a diaspora.
* **Israelite Heritage:** The use of `{{G1290}}` in reference to the "twelve **tribes**" [[James 1:1]] shows a continuity of identity for Jewish believers in Christ, even while geographically dispersed.
* **Mission to the Nations:** The concept of the diaspora creates the context for mission. The question of whether Jesus would go to "the **dispersed** among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles" [[John 7:35]] anticipates the gospel's reach to both Jew and **Greek** [[Romans 1:16]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{G1290}}` is more than a geographical descriptor. It is a key biblical term that defines a people's identity in relation to their homeland and the wider world. It is used to describe both the physically scattered tribes of Israel and, by extension, the spiritual condition of the church as pilgrims awaiting their true home. It illustrates the intersection of ethnicity, geography, and faith in the biblical narrative.
TRV