ON LOVE; PART MCXCVIII
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GoodWill IS Love in Action
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FIRST IS THE GREAT COMMANDMENTS: “The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:29-31).
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WHAT THEN IS LOVE? In a general sense love is benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to men. While this IS from an older definition of Charity, which IS rendered in the King James Bible from the same Greek word agape which IS generally rendered as Love, we should amend our own definition here to include the idea that in the reality of Love a man will accord to ALL men ALL things that he would accord to himself and to say that Love IS our thoughts and attitude of the equality of ALL men regardless of their outward nature or appearance…that ALL ARE equally children of Our One God
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PLUS THE EVER IMPORTANT AND HIGH IDEAL TAUGHT TO US BY THE CHRIST: “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them” (Matthew 7:12).
In the last essay we spent many words on the New Testament Greek words that ARE rendered as patience. We discussed how that the one word, hupomone, IS used in a more personal way and should be understood in terms of steadfastness as a spiritual endeavor while the other, makrothumia, should be seen as the Apostle Paul depicts this….as a quality or an aspect of agape. The Apostle James use of hupomone goes to our idea of focus and we should try to see that in this steadfastness IS the ability to stay the spiritual course, to NOT be “like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed” but to let this steadfastness “have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:6, 4).
James also uses the idea of makrothumia to show us the ‘patience‘ of the husbandman and here we should try to understand that such patience IS NOT as the word IS commonly understood and that the whole idea of makrothumia has little to DO with that understanding. To better understand this we must go to Paul’s use of makrothumia as a defining quality of Love and as the expression of that quality. As a defining aspect of Love we should see this as the active expression of agape to the world based in an understanding, nay, a True conviction, that ALL men ARE One and the same and that whatsoever IS the Life circumstance of another DOES NOT add nor detract from that Oneness.
ALL ARE Souls on the very same journey and as Souls ALL ARE One and ARE born into the diversity of humanity with the most spiritual intention of finding that Unity in Diversity that IS the foundation of True agape expressed to ALL. This IS what Jesus teaches us as He tells us to “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” and He shows us how that this IS the very nature of God who “maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45-45).
If we can see how that makrothumia plays its part in this, we can then understand that the sense of patience that it implies IS a patience based in our understanding of the plight of others and IS perhaps better seen as that understanding. Makrothumia IS a spiritual attribute by which we have NO “respect to persons” (James 2:9) in the expression of agape and here we should understand that to have such respect, as to hold one above another for any reason, IS contrary to the most basic idea of “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” as we read above in the Great Commandments. This James shows us saying “If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors” (James 2:8-9). Paul shows us how that this ALL works out against the Truth of the Master’s words saying:
“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Romans 13:8-11).
The point here IS that makrothumia CAN NOT be simply translated into the common idea of patience and, while better suited, makrothumia also DOES NOT fit properly with the ideas from Webster’s 1828 dictionary where the idea IS strictly personal. Paul and others use this word in a more global fashion, as a defining quality of Love in our selection, as the attitude of the husbandman in James Epistle, as the attitude of forgiveness in Jesus’ Parable of the Unforgiving Servant and as the attitude of God in Peter’s saying that He “is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). And while longsuffering IS a better rendering of the word, it still implies patience rather than understanding and KNOWING which IS the deeper reality that we should try to achieve. While these ideas use the verb form of the word, makrothumeo, the meaning IS the same as for the noun, makrothumia. Using the noun we can perhaps get the greater gist of this word from Paul’s dissertation on the Way of the disciple where he says:
“We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain….Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left” (2 Corinthians 6:1, 3-7).
In these words the apostle uses both words that ARE often rendered as patience, hupomone and makrothumia. The way that these ideas ARE rendered in other translations IS interesting; in some hupomone becomes varying ideas of endurance while makrothumia IS rendered as patience and longsuffering while one renders this as meekness. The first part here IS Paul’s guidance regarding ALL things personal….that “in all things” the actions of the man should be in accord with the grace, the KNOWING, which IS the result of one’s revelations and realization.
Here we should see that the caution IS that one maintain his focus upon the things of God regardless of what IS put in front of him and we should try to see that the idea of “in much patience” IS better when attached to the idea of “approving ourselves” so that we ARE steadfast in so DOING. Most see this idea as that the whole of the point IS enduring hardships that ARE through persecution but the reality IS much deeper as it shows us that one must be steadfast in his focus on the Godhead despite whatsoever may be happening to him or around him….that one should be expressive of that steadfastness as “the ministers of God“, which idea IS better as servant. This idea goes to the actions, the expression, of a man whose focus IS on the things of God while the use of makrothumia shows us how this IS accomplished.
In the next part the idea of longsuffering as this IS rendered from makrothumia IS placed among the reality of one’s measure of grace; in grace we have pureness, knowledge, universal understanding in agape or longsuffering, the expression of Love in kindness and the reality of the Holy Spirit. ALL of these things come in grace and ALL come by measure to the man who will strive to keep His words as we read in our trifecta of spiritual reality which we repeat again saying:
- “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free“ (John 8:31-32).
- “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21).
- “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me” (John 14:21-24).
In KNOWING the Truth and that necessary understanding that this provides, and in having His Presence, we have the deeper reality of the Holy Spirit as the conductor of the Life of the man in this word and in the combination of these ideas we have the Truth of agape as our expression to the world. Can we see the idea that the apostle IS giving us here? That whatsoever one may come up against in regard to other men, that he should have that attitude of Love, of agape. This IS NOT resisting nor IS this just accepting one’s fate at the hands of others but this IS understanding, through makrothumia, that the thoughts, attitudes and actions of others ARE the result of the vanity and the “bondage of corruption” (Romans 8:20, 21) that causes men to see Life as they DO….as men in this world.
And it IS in this understanding that we should also remember that it IS with these men, these men in this world, “among whom also we all did walk once in the desires of our flesh, doing the wishes of the flesh and of the thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath“. (Ephesians 2:3). We should try to see here that while men DO have different proclivities, some tied to race, to religion, to culture, and most importantly to nurturing and indoctrination, ALL ARE essentially the same….Souls living in form with the singular goal of overcoming such carnal proclivities that keep them bound. Men however DO NOT see this as the goal as this Truth IS lost in the vanity, in the illusion and the glamour, of Life in this world and it IS this reality that IS obnubilated by the doctrines of men which DO NOT teach this Truth.
We should try to see as well that men’s proclivities ARE either enhanced or diminished by a very individual and personal set of circumstances and experiences and we should understand here that it IS much easier to be led by these down the carnal path than it IS to be led to the spiritual path; the carnal IS ever the way of least resistance. Finally, as we end our current discussion on the deeper meaning of makrothumia, we should try to see the world of men as Jesus DID; without prejudice, without anger….without any “respect to persons“, He “healed them all” (Matthew 12:19). It IS in makrothumia that we can begin to Truly understand the essential reality of One World, One Humanity and One God. Repeating Paul’s words to the Corinthians, again without rendering agape as Love or as charity, we read:
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not agape, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not agape, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not agape, it profiteth me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
“Agape suffereth long, and is kind; agape envieth not; agape vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Agape never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).
The next quality of agape IS that it “is kind” and while this IS an easier idea to show in Truth, it IS at the same time the result of makrothumia; it IS in this understanding of our brothers that True kindness springs. The Greek word rendered as kindness here IS chresteuomai and we should see here that this is the ONLY use of this Greek word in the New Testament. While this word IS rendered as kind by most translations, it IS rendered as benign by some and as corteous (courteous) by Tyndale who wrote in the 1500’s. Strong’s tells us that chresteuomai IS the ‘middle voice’ of chrestos with a meaning of: to show oneself useful 9a which it then shows as to act benevolently and then to be kind 9a. Thayer’s IS similar telling us that chresteuomai IS: to show oneself mild, to be kind, use kindness 9, and since this IS the ONLY use of the word we should look at its root for a better understanding.
The Greek word chrestos IS rendered as easy in Jesus’ saying that “my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30) while it IS rendered in terms of kindness and goodness in other uses. Strong’s tells us that chrestos IS: from G5530; employed, i.e. (by implication) useful (in manner or morals):—better, easy, good(-ness), gracious, kind , and here we should be able to see the doctrinal ideas that lead to the rendered words. Thayer here tells us that chrestos IS: properly, fit for use, useful; virtuous, good but we should note that the way that this word IS defined and rendered seems to be more in line with the way it IS used than with a real definition.
We have previously discussed another form of this word as part of our study of the “fruit of the Spirt” (Galatians 5:22); here the Greek word chrestotes IS rendered as gentleness while it IS rendered elsewhere as goodness, kindness and good 2. Using the combined ideas from these forms of the word chrestos, we should try to see two things; first that as a “fruit of the Spirt” chrestos IS something that one would have and that one would express and second IS that this idea IS a defining qualtiy, an aspect if you will, of Love….of agape. And this IS where we left this word idea in our study of the “fruit of the Spirt“, as an expression of agape to the world of men.
As a “fruit of the Spirt” chrestos IS a spiritual attribute realized by the man whose focus IS upon the things of God; as a fruit as well as a defining quality of agape we should be able to see how that this expression IS what the Soul has employed the man in the world to DO. This idea IS at once kind and good, it IS gracious and it IS easy, it IS virtuous and it IS gentle….it IS the combination of ALL these ideas in the Life of everyman whose expression IS the “fruit of the Spirt” and Love. As a defining quality of agape, we should try to understand how that chrestos IS yet another word that CAN NOT be pigeonholed into a single English word as kindness as this word IS commonly understood.
Again we should look to the defining ideas and how that these have changed over the years; in the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary the ideas ARE more in line with the usage of the day and here the idea of kindness IS closely linked to Love saying: Good will; benevolence; that temper or disposition which delights in contributing to the happiness of others, which is exercised cheerfully in gratifying their wishes, supplying their wants or alleviating their distresses 1. While these ideas ARE closer to the reality of chrestos, they ARE still lacking any spiritual component save for the ideas of GoodWill and benevolence which themselves ARE NOT readily understood today.
These ideas however ARE more than suitable as English translations of chrestos; GoodWill as the Will to Good or, as we say at the head of every post GoodWill IS Love in Action, and benevolence as it IS still defined today saying: inclination or tendency to help or do good to others; charity; an act of kindness 7 or, better as it IS defined in 1828 as: The disposition to do good; good will; kindness; charitableness; the love,of mankind, accompanied with a desire to promote their happiness 1.
The point here IS that these words from the apostle are defining Love as a spiritual effect and one that coincides with the ideas of the Great Commandments and the Golden Rule; and while patience or longsuffering and kindness may work against the common idea of Love, they fail in defining the Truth of agape. Simply chrestos IS the expression of agape in this world by men to ALL other men and this IS the point of including this word in both the list of the “fruit of the Spirt” and the list of the defining qualities of agape. In the first two words of Paul’s list then we have that understanding of everyman as one’s brother and neighbor to whom agape IS to be expressed and then the idea that if it IS agape that one has for others, that it will be expressed.
The next idea is rendered as “agape envieth not” and this IS from the Greek word zeloo which IS the verb form of the noun zelos which we have discussed before. The noun IS rendered as emulations in the opposing list to “fruit of the Spirt“, the “works of the flesh” (Galatians 5:20), and as “covet earnestly” (1 Corinthians 12:31) in Paul’s words leading up to this section on agape. We also find this idea in James words on what IS NOT “the wisdom that is from above” where zelos IS rendered as envying (James 3:17, 16). Vincent tells us of zelos that: Emulation is the better general rendering, which does not necessarily include envy, but may be full of the spirit of self-devotion 4.
Strong’s defines zeloo as: to have warmth of feeling for or against 9a while Thayer’s tells us that zeloo IS: to envy, be jealous on the negative side and in a good sense, to imitate emulously, strive after 9. Emulation, since it includes both positive and negative ideas, IS the better choice as Vincent suggests and if we can see that here as it IS defined by our 1828 Webster’s Dictionary, as: The act of attempting to equal or excel in qualities or actions; rivalry; desire of superiority, attended with effort to attain to it; generally in a good sense, or an attempt to equal or excel others in that which is praise-worthy, without the desire of depressing others. Rom.11. In a bad sense, a striving to equal or do more than others to obtain carnal favors or honors. Val.5 1, we can likely understand its use in both lists.
As emulation the idea of zeloo and zelos ARE contrary to the “fruit of the Spirt“; these ARE “works of the flesh“; and from the definition we can see how that envy falls into this as well as that spirit of self-devotion. We should see here also how that this idea of emulation, based on this definition. IS contrary to the Truth of agape which IS first understanding of the Oneness of ALL men as well as their spiritual equality and second IS expressive of that understanding.
We should see as well that emulation in regard to agape IS wrong in both the good and the bad sense as there IS NO spiritual competition nor IS there a desire of superiority as we learn from the Master who says “whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant” (Matthew 20:27). This IS the essence of this idea that emulation IS contrary to the Truth of agape, an idea that can be missed when looking at this in its ‘good’ sense; spiritually there IS NO ‘good’ sense. And while the newer defining ideas for emulation ARE less potent, they DO bring forth the gist of the idea saying that emulation IS contrary to the expression of agape.
We close today with two narratives from the Gospel of Mark that show us the reality of these ideas of emulation, of attempting to equal or excel in qualities or actions; rivalry; desire of superiority, attended with effort to attain to it.
“And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? But they held their peace: for by the way they had disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all” (Mark 9:33-35).
“James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared. And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased with James and John. But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all” (Mark 10:35-44).
We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.
| Aspect |
Potency |
Aspect of Man |
In Relation to the Great Invocation |
In relation to the Christ |
|
GOD, The Father |
Will or Power |
Spirit or Life |
Center where the Will of God IS KNOWN |
Life |
|
Son, The Christ |
Love and Wisdom |
Soul or Christ Within |
Heart of God |
Truth |
| Holy Spirit |
Light or Activity |
Life Within |
Mind of God |
Way |
Note on the Quote of the Day
This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.
We change our Quote of the Day today to the words from Solomon on Wisdom along with our thoughts on them from the original postings of them in In the Words of Jesus parts 46 and 556. These words ARE a testament to those things that we should be asking of the Lord and which are representative of the Holy Ghost. Wisdom, understanding and knowledge which will lead us to understanding the fear (reverence and respect and awe) of the Lord and the knowledge of God so that in this world we can understand righteousness and judgement and equity and be preserved by discretion and understanding. Thus are we in a position to treat everyone as we would want to be treated ourselves.
Since we are centered on the ideas of Wisdom today we offer the following from Proverbs as our Quote of the Day. Solomon, who is KNOWN for his Wisdom, which we read in the story of his Life was His gift from God, a gift that he receives because he does not want for the things of the world. But Solomon gains as well the things of the world in plenty and as his Life story proceeds we can see clearly that it is his Life in the world that is to his detriment. The wisdom however produces for us the writings of the Book of Proverbs and it is this that he is remembered for. His Life is interesting reading and is well documented in the Books of Kings and Chronicles.
….incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly. He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints. Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path. When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee (Proverbs 2:2-11).
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts
- 1 Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1828 and 1913 from https://1828.mshaffer.com/
- 4 Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition
- 7 Dictionary.com Unabridged based on Random House Dictionary – 2011
- 9 Thayer’s Greek Lexicon on blueletterbible.org
- 9a The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible on blueletterbible.org
Those who walk on the well-trodden path always throw stones at those who are showing a new road.
Voltaire,
Writer and Philosopher
