Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee (rewind)

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,” James 1:2  NASB 1995

Joy – Although we investigated this verse more than six years ago, I thought it might be reconsidered in light of Job’s story, especially our discovery about the complexity of Job 10:20.  Do you suppose Paul would have written this verse to Job?  Let’s see.

I don’t think we listen to James.  We simply do not regard trials as joyful.  I don’t regard trials as joyful.  If I really look at my own emotional response to James’ instructions, I discover that his words don’t penetrate my heart.  Trials come.  I resist.  I get depressed.  I wonder why these things should happen to me.  I wish God would fix it all.  Only rarely do I even consider that these thorns in the flesh are the instruments of God.  Most of the time I think they are the sharp end of Satan’s revenge or the consequences of my own inability to control life.  In other words, I am the product of Plato and Aristotle, not Yeshua and Ya’akov.

Greek philosophy connected joy with mental reflection.  In many cases, Plato uses chará and hēdonḗ as virtually interchangeable, associating the reflective life with the highest pleasure.  By the time of Aristotle, chará is replaced byhēdonḗ. [1]

Of course, the TDNT article also pointed out that hēdonḗ doesn’t always mean sensual pleasure. This should not lead us to conclude that the Greeks viewed joy solely in terms of sensual pleasures, as the word hēdonḗ might suggest (e.g., hedonism).  Greek philosophy was overwhelmingly a philosophy of rationality and cognition.  The highest pleasure was the contemplation of the Good and the highest experience (joy) was intellectual apprehension of the Beautiful.

But my observation (and it’s only mine) is that as a culture we have succumbed to the sensual relationship and lost the more esoteric one.  I don’t find many people contemplating the Good, the True, and the Beautiful these days.  Far more are simply pursuing feeling good, believing what they want to be true, and accepting someone else’s notion of beautiful.  Even our educational system seems to concentrate on self-esteem as its highest priority rather than self-critical development.  It’s all about how you feel and if you feel good, well, then everything is okay.

No, not really.  As long as our culture avoids trials as missives from the divine, we will float on the fictitious bubble of ignorant euphoria until it bursts.  And it will burst.  God will not be mocked.  But when that end arrives, oh, the trials that were supposed to prepare us will not have happened and joy will not be the result.  Ah, I am preaching to myself.  I don’t like to think about this.  I’d rather imagine that Aristotle is right: chará and hēdonḗ are the same.  Don’t you want to agree?

Topical Index: chará, hēdonḗ, trials, joy, experience, James 1:2

[1] see Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (1298). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

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Richard Bridgan

As long as our culture avoids trials as missives from the divine, we will float on the fictitious bubble of ignorant euphoria until it bursts. And it will burst. God will not be mocked. But when that end arrives, oh, the trials that were supposed to prepare us will not have happened and joy will not be the result.” Emet!

But is it in fact that the trials that were supposed to have prepared us will not happen? Or rather is it that the trials that we experience will not have been received as our preparation for that which is and will be happening?

“But just as it is written, ‘Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and have not entered into the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him.’” (Cf. 1 Corinthians 2:9) “Now the one who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the down payment, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 5:5)

No, Skip… respectfully, I shouldn’t want to agree on this one. (But perhaps you may be persuaded to view things differently?)

Debra Elsinger

Skip, I share this observation with you. I think this inner joy you write about is really peace. God said he will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear. The trials are supposed to help us build the character of Christ. Thanks for the good word, Skip. Thomas Elsinger