February 12 Correction

Thanks to Mark Klaasen in a comment to Bill Johnson, I need to make some corrections to the February 12, 2012 Today’s Word.  Mark pointed out that the actual word in this verse is the verb makrothumeo, not the noun makrothumia.  I should have made it clear that the verb is derived from the noun and therefore I want to understand what the noun means.  My discussion of the noun makrothumia captures what I believe Paul had in mind when he used this verb.

In that same Today’s Word, I made a true mistake by claiming that the verb is passive (the fourth paragraph).  It is active, not passive.  What I meant to say is this:   “The theological sense of makrothumia is both active and passive.  It is active in the sense that I deliberately choose to wait no matter how long it takes.  This is active spiritual obedience.  I decide to behave like God.  But “Love is patient” does not mean active endurance, as though I am called to exercise my mental and emotional muscles to attain that higher plane of ethical action.  Biblical makrothumia is not the Greek idea of gritting my teeth and white-knuckling through life.  Makrothumia is active in relation to God’s call, but it is passive in relation to the demands on others.”

I have corrected the February 12 edition.  I hope that you will do the same with your copies.  I am sorry about this.  Of course, I don’t believe that this changes anything about the sense of makrothumia or the meaning behind Paul’s famous “love” passage, but it wasn’t linguistically accurate.  Thanks, Mark, for keeping me on my toes.

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