You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; they will be glad in Your presence as with the gladness of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil. Isaiah 9:3 NASB Gladness– One English dictionary defines joy as “a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.” As you can readily see, this definition follows the Greek conflation of chará and hēdonḗ (rejoicing and pleasure). It’s typical…
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,”James 1:2 NASB Joy– 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…
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. Romans 12:6a Berean Study Bible Gifts – Paul introduces the subject of gifts with the word chárismata. The Greek text does not designate these as spiritual gifts. Church doctrine often views this word as though it is confined to the spiritual realm, but that is an extension…
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,” James 1:2 NASB Joy – What is joy? According to the ancient Greeks, joy is the unbridled experience of self-being, the manifestation of the fullness of who we are as the culmination of our existence. It is that feeling that arises when we no longer are…
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. Romans 12:6 Berean Study Bible Gifts– The Greeks recognized a connection between chairo (joy) and edone (pleasure). In later Greek thinking the two terms are barely distinguishable. Alignment with the deepest expression of joy is the truest sense of pleasure. Eric Liddell made the connection when he…
For the Jews there was light and gladnessand joyand honor. Esther 8:16 NASB Gladness/joy – The usual Hebrew word for “joy” is śimḥâ. It comes from the root śāmaḥ, “to rejoice.” You would have expected it to be the Hebrew translated as “joy” in this verse. But it isn’t. In this verse, śimḥâ is translated “gladness,” because there is…
Make glad the soul of Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. Psalm 86:4 NASB Make glad – How do you interpret this request? If you’re encumbered by the typical Western paradigm, you might think the psalmist is asking God to gladden his inner, spiritual self. If you view man…
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 NASB Joy – A familiar word. An unfamiliar experience. That’s charas, from the Greek chairo, “to rejoice,” the root…
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 NASB Forgiving – How humorous is it to sit around a room and belittle another person? How much laughter do we derive from pointing out someone else’s flaws or embarrassing moments? Why do we enjoy watching…
