What is the difference in meaning between “fellowship” in 1 Corinthians 1:9 & “communion” in 2 Corinthians 13:14?

Question

What is the difference in meaning between “fellowship” in 1 Corinthians 1:9 & “communion” in 2 Corinthians 13:14?

1 Corinthians 1:9

⁹ God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. ^{KJV, ©1769}

^Θʹ πιστὸς ὁ θεὸς δι᾽ οὗ ἐκλήθητε εἰς κοινωνίαν τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν ^{TR, 1550}

2 Corinthians 13:14

¹⁴ The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. ^{KJV, ©1769}

^ΙΔʹ Ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἡ κοινωνία τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύματος μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν ἀμήν. ^{TR, 1550}

The interlinear bible shows that the 1 Corinthians 1:9 & 2 Corinthians 13:14 has the same Greek word koinónia

So why are two different words used in King James Version (ed. 1769)? Is there any real difference?

Also, what is the meaning of these words? What happens in and during fellowship or communion? What are the benefits of fellowship or communion?

Answer 1

Firstly, I notice that Robert Young has translated both occasions of the Greek word as 'fellowship'.

It was the chosen decision of the translators of the KJV to vary the words they used in translation to avoid repetition.

They also attempted to express the same Greek words differently in English where they felt the context (in English) would require a different English word. To some extent this can be justified as words have a spectrum of meaning and the English spectrum of one word may not exactly match the Greek spectrum of a Greek word.

But ideally a single word should be found (if possible) to translate a single word.

'Communion' implies a union. 'Fellowship implies a 'fellow'.

I think I can see why the translators, in 1611, have used two different words.

In speaking of Jesus Christ, they have used the word 'fellowship' of him who is regarded in some scriptures as a 'brother' or a 'fellow-heir' and who came 'in the likeness of sinful flesh' and who is seen as a 'surety' (the original means 'one who draws near').

In speaking of the Holy Spirit, they have used the word 'communion' of him who is united in a spiritual union, in regeneration. The Holy Spirit, that Divine Person, is given by the Father and unites with the spirit of the believing soul in a unity. Hence the translators have chosen to express this as 'communion'.

It seems to me, therefore, that the use of the two words reflects the reverence of the KJV translators towards the Person of Jesus Christ and they are emphasizing his humanity in union with his Deity when they say 'fellowship'.

And I think that they are emphasizing the spirituality of the Person of the Holy Spirit in using the word 'communion'.

Answer 2

According to my research, the Greek word for fellowship should be υποτροφία.

κοινωνίαν is communion (Strong's 2842)

They do not have the same definition, which is vital for the content of Scripture. So this could be a mistake by translators that they decide to translate the same word differently when they don't need to. They may have been the same concept to the Greek audience.

Answer 3

I suppose the difference comes from religious or traditional connotation of those words particularly for the communion of the Holy Spirit (what exactly is the connotation, should be asked in the Christianity.SE). The English translations mainly follow the Latin Vulgate: fellowship comes from societatem in 1Cor1:9, and communion comes from communication (Douay-Rheims, translation from Latin), communicatio: Latin, in 1Cor 13:14. You can search the etymology of these words for more details. There must be a ritualistic reason behind the development of this synonym. The words mean the same thing, concerning sharing commonly. Thayer lexicon states: κοινωνία, κοινωνίας, ἡ (κοινωνός), fellowship, association, community, communion, joint participation, contact; in the N. T. as in classical Greek.

1858 Sawyer, 1Cor 1:9

God is faithful by whom you are called into the society of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.