Oikia was distinguished from oikos in Attic law in that while the

former referred to all the property left by a person, the latter referred

only to the dwelling place itself.  This distinction was not strictly

observed.  It is partly observed in the New Testament, and oikia which occurs

ninety -five times is translated 'house' ninety -three times, 'home' once and

'household' once.

Oikoumene, 'the world', 'the earth' in the A.V., but better 'the

habitable or inhabited part of the earth' and particularly in New Testament

times, the Roman Empire (Luke 2:1).

Oiketerion (2 Cor. 5:2; Jude 6) refers to the resurrection body of the

believer and the original habitation of the angels that fell.

Oikonomos means a steward, and oikonomia, a dispensation or

stewardship, both these words primarily refer to the management of a house

(Luke 16:1,2; Col. 1:25; 1 Cor. 4:1), and so through thirty -three variants

and compounds.  Everywhere the house or the home is prominent rather than a

mere building.

Epoikodomeo.  This word is used once by Jude (verse 20) but seven times

by Paul, making eight occurrences in all.  Jude warns his readers of ungodly

men who will creep in unawares, and turn the grace of God into

lasciviousness, denying the Lord that bought them.  Note the connection in 2

Peter 2:1.  In Acts 20 Paul warns his hearers against 'grievous wolves' which

should enter in among them, 'not sparing the flock'.  What is the inspired

apostle's remedy for that insidious attack?  God and the word of His grace,

'which is able to build you up' (Acts 20:32).  The four occurrences in 1

Corinthians 3:10,12 and 14, while dealing particularly with the testing of a

believer's works, reveal that this 'building' presupposes 'a foundation'.

This, also, is the insistence of Ephesians 2:20, which speaks of the Church

'built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets', while Colossians

2:7 instead of speaking of the foundation, employs the figure of growth

'Rooted and built up in Him'.  The preposition epi which is used in

combination with oikodomeo, seems to possess two shades of meaning (1) to

finish the structure of which the foundation has already been laid, i.e. 'to

build up'; (2) 'to build on', with close regard to the foundation upon which

the superstructure rests.

We can now appreciate a little more fully the intention behind the

exhortation Jude gave to the readers of his Epistle.  The most holy faith was

the foundation upon which they rested, even as was 'the common salvation' of

his earlier references (verse 3).  In order that they might keep themselves

from the surrounding contaminations, they were exhorted to build themselves

up on this blessed foundation; to build a spiritual home in which they could

dwell; a place where the sanctity and the sanity, the holiness and the

homeliness of the faith could thrive and grow without distortion and without

constraint, without legal bondage and without licence.  Three related

spiritual exercises are given by Jude in connection with this building;

praying, keeping, looking.  The close association of prayer and the Word of

God is common knowledge.  In the faith once delivered to the saints, God has

spoken to us; in his prayer the believer speaks to God.  If the Holy Ghost be

the Inspirer of Scripture, then only as it is in the Holy Ghost will prayer

be in entire conformity to the will of God.  In the faith, the will of God is

revealed; in prayer the will of God is acknowledged.  In both cases the will

of God is uppermost.  There is emphasis, moreover, on the pronoun