Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee James 1:2 “count it all joy when”

chará word group: chaírō [to rejoice], chará [joy], synchaírō [to rejoice with], cháris [grace], charízomai [to give freely], charitóō [to bestow favor, bless], acháristos [ungrateful], chárisma [gift], eucharistéō [to show favor, give thanks], eucharistía [gratitude, thanksgiving], eucháristos [grateful, thankful]1

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 constrained by any outside or inside inhibiting force, when we are truly and completely ourselves. Greek philosophy taught that this experience was the opposite of desire because desire imposes itself upon us as a demand for something we presently lack. Joy fills. Desire yearns. It’s not difficult to see how this basic idea is extended to words like “rejoice” and “make merry.” The idea of joy is manifested in many emotional expressions including the experience of renouncing or giving up something. Even tears can be associated with joy. 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 by hēdonḗ. 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. While later schools of thought regarded all emotional experiences as suspect, the connection between ultimate unity of Being and human joy remained, even though stripped of its emotional expression. This bifurcation is important. Usually, the religious expression and experience of joy is anchored in emotion. For example, even in the Greek religions, joy is directly connected with religious festivals, especially those religious experiences that anticipate a world-savior, eschatological end to human suffering. This Greek idea was in circulation when Yeshua was born. But the Greek philosophical idea of joy is not primarily emotional. It is pure contemplation, freed from any emotional impingement. Joy is the completion of reason. What this means is that the typical religious expressions of joy, found in festival and ecstatic experience, are rationally philosophically defective. A chasm is created. On one side is pure reason, complete in itself, without emotional expression. On the other side is the human involvement in religion, its rites and rituals and its appeal to emotional

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

connection. This dichotomy affects all Western development so that, centuries after Plato, Kant can pen a thesis entitled, “Religion within the Limits of Reason Alone.” The Hebrew idea of joy has a different foundation.2 First, the Hebrew words associated with joy are primarily associated with personal expression in festival community. That is to say, joy involves the whole person, not simply the cognitive function. “Joy is not just inward. It has a cause and finds expression. It thus aims at sharing, especially as festal joy. It is a disposition of the whole man.”3 The whole person is intimately connected to the community so that the experience of joy overflows from community to person and from person to community. One does not fully exist without the other. In addition, joy is associated with life within the community. For example:

The law is an object in Ps. 119:14, the word of God in Jer. 15:16. Joy is a reward for faithfulness to the law in Is. 65:13–14. There is joy at weddings (Jer. 25:10) and at harvest (Is. 9:2). God himself rejoices (Is. 65:19), and thanksgiving demands joy (Dt. 16:13ff.). Feasts offer occasions for joy before God (Dt. 2:7). Hymnal jubilation expresses devotion to God (Joel 2:21). In accordance with its inner intention, OT joy culminates in eschatology.4

What this means is that the socio/political connection to joy is never lost in Hebrew thought. While the Greek idea of chará leads to reflective self-actualization, the Hebrew view leads to kingdom. Ultimate joy, experienced personally and communally, can only occur when the right socio/political environment is established, namely, the supremacy of Israel and its God. Every other experience of joy, no matter how inspiring, is deficient because it has not yet concluded in the Kingdom. The fullest expression of joy will only be a reality in the ‘olam ha’ba. Until then, all joy is laced with longing. Consider the sayings of the rabbis: “Joy in this world is not perfect; but in the future our joy will be perfect,” Pesikta de Rab Kahana, 29 (189a b)5 In Rabbinic thought:

Here, too, joy is also festal joy. Its giver is God: “So the God of Israel prepared joy for Israel when He redeemed them (from Egypt). God said Whosoever loves my children, let him come and rejoice with my children,” Exodus Rabba, 18, 10 on 12:29 (Wünsche, 143). “Blessed be He who has given His people Israel feast-days for rejoicing and remembrance,” Berakhot, 49a. It is thus a duty to rejoice:

2 The usual Hebrew equivalent is שִׂמְחָה ,שׂמח, cf. חדה and terms for the expression of joy שׂושׂ ,גיל ,רנן, is translated by εὐφραίνοµαι (Vol. 9: Theological dictionary of the New שׂמח .etc. In the Ps ,עלץ Testament. 1964- (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (362–363). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans). 3 . Vol. 9: Theological dictionary of the New Testament. 1964- (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (363). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. 4 Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (1299). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans. 5 . Vol. 9: Theological dictionary of the New Testament. 1964- (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (365). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans.

“It is a duty to gladden thy children and members of thy family at the feast (Dt. 16:14). How does one gladden them? With wine,” Babylonian Talmud Pesachim, 109a. One should serve God with joy; Midrash on Psalms, 100, 3 on 100:2 compares: “Serve God with joy” (Ps. 100:2) and: “Serve the Lord with fear” (Ps. 2:10). God will rejoice at the works of the righteous and Israel at the acts of God, Pesikta, 27 (171a). Joy is Joy before God6

What changes with the concept of joy in the apostolic writings? First, “in the NT chaírō is the secular term and agalliáomai the religious term, but the two may be synonymous.”7 Second, Yeshua sets the stage, and the apostles follow, for an intimate connection between joy and suffering. It is not simply that endurance and suffering lead to joy. It is rather the perspective that suffering is a form of joy. Acts 5:41 illuminates this connection: “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.”

The hope of future glory adds an eschatological dimension in 1 Pet. 4:12ff. Heb. 10:32ff. presents another version of the same tradition that one should suffer with joy for faith’s sake and with the hope of imminent deliverance.8

When the disciples were beaten and instructed no longer to proclaim Yeshua as Messiah, they reacted in a way that is not easily understood. They rejoiced. This seems particularly strange given that they were undoubtedly bruised, bloody, and shaken. I can hardly imagine rejoicing for being tortured. But they did—and we will have to look hard at this example if we are going to understand the biblical idea of joy. Rejoicing over persecution is not a comforting idea, especially to a Western Greek-based culture. Our misconception begins with a mistaken view of Heaven. We are more than inclined to think of Heaven in terms of Greek rather than Hebrew ideas. We imagine Heaven to be a place where physical needs and desires no longer affect us, where the experience of God’s presence satisfies every element of human living and where contemplation of the Divine is the preoccupation of every being. For us, “Holy, holy, holy” becomes an endless chant obliterating personal identity through unfettered worship. We probably believe that the disciples could rejoice after they got to Heaven, but we can’t really believe they could be thrilled here on earth. Our view of Heaven is blissful escape. But the Hebrew view contains considerable suggestions that no such Heaven exists. Biblical texts stress the fact that identity is not dissolved when we enjoy heavenly 6 Vol. 9: Theological dictionary of the New Testament. 1964- (G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley & G. Friedrich, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (364). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans. 7 Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (1299). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans. 8 Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (1300). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

citizenship, that work is to be expected, that memories of past struggles are not forgotten even if they no longer produce tears, that both physical and mental desires are present and that community and Kingdom are overarching factors. The Hebraic idea of joy is not a departure from emotions and desires but rather purification of emotion and desire in the ‘olam ha’ba. Unfortunately, Western believers are often victims of Greek philosophical visions of the afterlife rather than Semitic ones. While we retain the concept of personal identity in Heaven, we are likely, when pressed, to imagine Heaven much more along the lines of Greek detachment from everything human instead of Hebrew saturation of everything human. For this reason, most Western believers think of “going to Heaven” as escape from the human world while the Bible actually presents us with the idea that Heaven is coming to this human world. Perhaps we need to alter one of Yeshua’s sayings. Instead of “The Sabbath was made for Man, not Man for the Sabbath” we might read, “Heaven was made for Man, not Man for Heaven.” This leaves us with a particularly difficult conundrum. How come the disciples, thoroughly grounded in this world, experienced joy when tortured? The answer isn’t found in self-flagellating sacrifice. It is found in a profound identification with their Messiah. They reasoned something like this: “Isn’t it wonderful that we were counted worthy enough to experience some of the same persecution he endured? I never thought I would be asked to make such a stand. What a privilege!” I wonder if that kind of thought ever crosses our minds when we hear James say, “Count it all joy (in other words, rejoice) when you have to endure trials and temptations. God thinks you can handle it. Amazing!” Perhaps our penchant to seek bliss rather than spiritual confrontation only reveals that we are really not ready for God’s trust. Now we must return to the initial collection of this word group:

chaírō [to rejoice], chará [joy], synchaírō [to rejoice with], cháris [grace], charízomai [to give freely], charitóō [to bestow favor, bless], acháristos [ungrateful], chárisma [gift], eucharistéō [to show favor, give thanks], eucharistía [gratitude, thanksgiving], eucháristos [grateful, thankful].

It’s worth noting the extension of chaírō in chárisma [gift], eucharistéō [to show favor, give thanks], and eucharistía [gratitude, thanksgiving]. The implication is that exercising a gift from God (chárisma) is an expression of joy and should be viewed as a joyful experience. Furthermore, the eucharist, directly derived from the Greek, is also an time of rejoicing, an experience of the grace of God expressed in communal celebration. Perhaps the solemnity of most “communion” services is too Victorian for Scripture. Since this memorial meal is set in the context of God’s goodness and grace, it might be more appropriate to join David: “And David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, . . .” (2 Samuel 6:14a NASB). When we think of rejoicing, we should also think of blessing, gratitude, and a memorial meal. With this background in mind, it is useful to look carefully at the statements about joy in the biblical text (all citations from NASB):

1. James 1:2-3 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. James’ famous verse exemplifies the connection between suffering a joy. Counter intuitively, we are to consider difficulties as joyful endorsements of God’s trust in us. James uses the Greek verb hēgéomai, exhorting believers to think of trials as something to be celebrated, not for their own sake but because of the results following obedience during difficulties. The verb suggests these trials should be considered quite important, things to be valued, not rejected. Of course, our typical reaction to struggles is just the opposite. We want relief. We consider the difficulties we face as obstacles, not opportunities. We focus our attention on either avoiding or removing the struggle. James’ exhortation to count these things as particularly valuable overturns all of our usual understanding. But he’s right. Since God is sovereign, no circumstance affects us that is not within His parameter. The lesson from Job is not about controlling life so that we avoid suffering but rather about recognizing the divine hand behind suffering. The experience, as James notes, leads to faithfulness (hypoménō), a Greek equivalent of emunah. James’ point of view does not mean that we seek suffering as a means of spiritual expiation. It means that we embrace the path God provides and oversees as a way to spiritual conditioning. Of course, this is much easier to write about than it is to practice. But James would point to the role model of the Messiah whose obedience to the point of death produced cosmic change. Peter argues virtually the same thing, and the passage in Acts 9 implies that all of the disciples considered it an honor to be entrusted with suffering on the part of Yeshua. It is difficult to absorb this kind of calling. Everything about our usual living pushes us toward self-protection and away from threats to expectations. When the yetzer ha’ra is the center of our consciousness, any trial is perceived as a challenge to self-determination. Our energy is spent resisting rather than resting in the assured conviction that YHVH’s purposes will be accomplished through these difficulties. We are likely to agree that God is sovereign, but we are hesitant to admit that His sovereignty can include our traumas. But the connection between struggle and steadfastness is undeniable. 2. Psalm 47:1 O clap your hands, all peoples; shout to God with the voice of joy. In this Hebrew verse, the “voice of joy” is the term rinnāh. “The initial use of rānan is in Lev 9:24 where the shout of jubilation is connected with a divinely appointed sacrifice. This usage of the term to describe the joy of Israel at God’s saving acts is carried on throughout the OT.”9 White also notes, “In Ps the root is developed to its fullest. rānan appears in parallel poetry with nearly every term for ‘joy,’ ‘rejoicing’ and ‘praise’”10 9 White, W. (1999). 2179 רָנַן. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (851). Chicago: Moody Press. 10 Ibid.

Immediately we notice that the Hebraic context is communal. Joy is an expression of the entire people together. Its socio-political context is evident. While the Greek idea of “joy” moves in the direction of personal bliss, the Hebrew idea is firmly rooted in interpersonal experience, particularly the experience of worship. In fact, almost without exception, rānan is directed toward Israel’s God. It is worthwhile to consider the difference between joy and bliss. While the two may be synonyms in English, their nuances highlight the differences between Western Greek thinking and Eastern Semitic thinking. Bliss is the goal of ancient Western philosophical thought. In Plato’s view, it is reached by transition from the material world of defective, illusory existence to the realm of pure understanding and divine unity of Being. It is, accordingly, a state typically reached after death. We could describe it as perfect happiness where no outside influence affects the uniform tranquility of existence. Parmenides associated this state with perfection. In Western thought, we long for bliss and treat joy as if it were its twin sister. But joy is considerably different in Hebrew thinking, as we have noted. The closest equivalent to bliss in Hebrew is ʾāšār. However, ʾāšār means, “blessedness, happiness.” When we realize that ʾāšār is a derivative of the verb meaning, “to go or walk straight” this implies a connection between obedience and a state of being. In Hebrew, if there is any concept of bliss at all, it is tied directly to Torah, and Torah is a communal code of behavior. Rather than pointing us toward a condition in the afterlife, the Hebrew notion anchors its expression of happiness in the living reality of present obedience. Happiness is the experience of acting in accordance with God’s instructions in this life. Strictly speaking, then, Hebrew does not have a concept of bliss as the West understands it. Hebrew is predominately a language of earthly existence. The idea of an afterlife does not find any significant expression in the Tanakh. It comes into vogue during the Rabbinic period, perhaps under the influence of Hellenism. Once again we discover that the Hebraic concept of joy is public, communal, and temporal. 3. Isaiah 9:3 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. This passage from Isaiah uses the Hebrew term śimḥâ (in the NASB translated “gladness”). The same root is also translated “rejoice” in this passage. We immediately discover that the Hebrew term involves the whole person, not simply cognitive or spiritual elements. Waltke comments: “The root ś-m-ḥ denotes being glad or joyful with the whole disposition as indicated by its association with the heart (cf. Ex 4:14; Ps 19:8 [H 9]; 104:15; 105:3), the soul (Ps 86:4); and with the lighting up of the eyes (Prov 15:30).”11

11 Waltke, B. K. (1999). 2268 שָׂמַח. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (879). Chicago: Moody Press.

Since its context is located in everyday life, śimḥâ (joy) can be experienced with a cheerful word, with wine, with a wise son, in feasts, at weddings, in prosperity, in the company of friends, and in God’s Torah.

But the Lord and his salvation are cited most frequently as the reason for joy (II Chr 20:27; Ps 5:11 [H 12]; 9:2 [H 3]; 16:9; 32:11; 40:16 [H 17]; 63:11 [H 12]; 64:10 [H 11]; 86:4; 90:15; 92:4 [H 5]). Indeed the joy of the Lord is a man’s strength (ḥedwâ, Neh 8:10). Moreover, many of these passages call upon man to share this joy. Thus Israel is called upon to rejoice at its festivals and central sanctuary (Deut 12:7; 14:26; 16:11; 26:11; 27:7). Israel’s joy will be complete with their restoration (Ps 14:7; 126:2 [H 3]; Isa 9:2; 25:9; 35:10; 51:3, 11; 65:14–19; Zech 2:10 [H 14]).12

“Because Israel is a sacred community, however, one cannot sharply divide secular from sacred festivities.”13 Hebrew often depicts inanimate objects with human emotion, for example, the heavens rejoice and the hills clap their hands. These are also expressions of joy. In Hebrew thought, joy is the manifestation of divine purpose fulfilled, and since everything in creation has purpose, whenever any part of the creation acts according to its design, that part expresses and experiences śimḥâ. This has important consequences for us. There are times when our emotions seem far from joyful. The human world is filled with sorrow, struggle, and guilt. At times it seems that evil abounds. Without minimizing this serious condition, śimḥâ reminds us that any part of creation presently fulfilling its designed purpose is an expression of joy. When our lives are disconnected from divine order, the bloom of a flower, the drops of rain, a bird song or the movement of clouds should remind us that joy is built into creation. 4. Ecclesiastes 9:7 Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. In this passage in Ecclesiastes, the same word, śimḥâ, is used to describe the emotional state of eating and drinking. Basic sustenance is a source of joy for a sacred community. The bare fact that God supplies our needs is an opportunity to rejoice. Once more, Hebraic ideas are grounded in very ordinary experiences. But in this passage, there is another important connection. The translation “cheerful heart” is actually lēb ṭôb,literally“goodheart.”Ofcourse,ṭôb can be understood as, “good, beneficial, pleasant, favorable, happy,” or “right.” As Andrew Bowling states: “Five general areas of meaning can be noted: 1) practical, economic, or material good, 2) abstract goodness such as desirability, pleasantness, and beauty, 3) quality or expense, 4) moral goodness,

12 Ibid. 13 Ibid.

and 5) technical philosophical good.”14 Ecclesiastes is a treatise on the observable conditions of this world. In this regard, the “cheerful heart” is something to be experienced here in the most ordinary of activities, namely, eating and drinking. While it is common for believers to express their thanksgiving for daily sustenance, perhaps there is another emotion connected to daily provision, often overlooked. Instead of the typical piety of thanksgiving prayers at meals, perhaps we should revel in God’s goodness and clap hands, shout for joy, and dance that He has provided even the most basic elements of life. A few turns around the table might bring us joy at a completely different level. 5. Proverbs 10:28 The hope of the righteous is gladness, but the expectation of the wicked perishes. Of course, joy must confront the inequity of human living. Far too often it seems the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer. Far too often justice appears to have taken a holiday. Biblical authors often address the apparent contradiction of a good and all-powerful Creator and a world filled with injustice, sorrow, and pain. Sometimes they suggest that God’s justice is simply delayed. Sometimes they focus on His willingness to extend mercy in anticipation of repentance rather than bring immediate punishment. And sometimes, as in this verse, they redirect the thinking of the righteous, concentrating on the end result rather than the present circumstances. The hope (tôḥelet) of the ṣaddîqim is śimḥâ. This stands in contrast to the aspirations of the wicked. Their expectations will perish (ʾābad), a word that means “be destroyed.” While present circumstances might not appear to fulfill these conditions, the task of the sacred community is to trust in the justice of YHVH. They can do this only because He is their God and He has shown Himself faithful through the centuries. In other words, hope is a function of history. It cannot depend on the present. The present situation often favors the wicked. In fact, they operate as they do precisely because the present has no immediate consequences for their wickedness. God defers, and in doing so the righteous suffer. But not forever. This is not naive hope. It would be naive if there were no historical evidence for God’s intervention in the affairs of men. For this reason alone, the record of God’s interaction with the Jews is critical for belief in justice. Even if the Tanakh makes scant mention of reward and punishment in an afterlife, it still provides a narrative of God’s actions on behalf of the righteous and the chosen. While it is true that God’s intervention does not always seem timely, the biblical record proclaims that there is no case where evil ultimately triumphs. In fact, since the biblical text uniformly affirms that YHVH is the only Creator and all-powerful god, believers can be assured that God’s control of His creation will eventually guarantee judgment of the wicked.

14 Bowling, A. (1999). 793 טוֹב. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer, Jr. & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (345). Chicago: Moody Press.

This verse does not support the idea of eternal punishment of the wicked. That notion emerged later, after the influence of Hellenism. What it does support is that the wicked will not ultimately prosper. Their hope is futile. There expectations that life will continue without consequences for their self-serving morality will perish. The Hebrew is to’ebed from the verb ʾābad. “The verb ʾābad is a common word for to die, or, in the case of things, reputation, etc., to pass away.”15 Harris’ comment on the word use in the Tanakh is important:

Probably the main theological question about this root is whether it refers merely to physical death or also to eternal punishment. It is not an easy question. Obviously the word usually refers to some great loss, in most cases death. Esther’s famous self-dedication, “If I perish, I perish” (4:16), had her self sacrificing death in view—only that. The verses that may look beyond the grave to further affliction for the wicked may be listed: Ps 49:10 [H 11]; cf. vv. 12, 20 [H 13, 21]); 73:27 (cf. vv. 18, 19); 83:17 [H 18]; Prov 10:28; 11:7 (cf. 24:20); and Ezk 28:16. These verses, like many others, can be interpreted to refer only to death of the body. But they are in a context of consideration of the hereafter. One’s conclusion will doubtless be influenced by general considerations. 16

What is clear is the declaration that God loves and cares for the righteous. How that is manifested is left up to Him. 6. 1 Peter 1:8-9 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls. What is “joy inexpressible”? Are we to understand this expression in the same vein as “His ways are higher than our ways,” simply conceding that whatever this joy is, we can’t find any human way of experiencing it? The Greek term is anĕklalētŏs, literally, “not spoken out,” from the negative particle and the word ĕklalĕō, also a combination of the primary preposition, ĕk, and lalĕō, “to utter words.” Once we see the construction of the word in 1 Peter, we realize that this doesn’t mean joy that is beyond comprehension. What anĕklalētŏs really describes is joy that can’t be verbalized. In other words, this is joy we can express; it just can’t be expressed in words. Peter is pointing us toward an emotional reaction, beyond the reach of cognitive articulation. In his view, this deep sense of joy touches the realm of glory. Perhaps he is recalling the Transfiguration experience that overwhelmed him in the past. Perhaps he is simply being Hebraic, steering us away from Greek rationality as the vehicle of religious evaluation. To imply that this kind of joy is “unspeakable” is to push us toward Sinai, an experience embedded

15Harris,R.L.(1999).2אָבַד.InR.L.Harris,G.L.Archer,Jr.&B.K.Waltke(Eds.),TheologicalWordbookoftheOldTestament(3).Chicago:MoodyPress.16Ibid.

in the ethnic psychology of the Jews. Or perhaps Peter is just noticing that some things of great value can’t be articulated and this fact is worth celebrating. We are not minds wrapped in flesh, as Platonic dualism might suggest. We are emotive, volitional, animated, embodied beings, and we need to pay attention to the whole range of human interactions in this world, particularly those we can’t quite capture in rational thought. This suggests something else. Could it be that “faith” isn’t really assent to a set of propositions or the vocalization of a creed? Could it be that “faith” is a feeling, not in the sense of some transitory emotional wave but in the sense of shalom, an awareness of wholeness, of well-being? That would be Hebraic. 7. Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Paul connects joy and peace. There is a link between chará and eirḗnē. In fact, this link also includes elpís (hope) for it is the “God of hope” that makes chará and eirḗnē possible. How does this work? In the Greek world, “hopes are subjective projections of the future.”17 But these hopes are more like emotional crutches than real possibilities. “Hope for the Greeks is a comfort in distress, but it is also deceptive and uncertain except in the case of the wise who base it on scientific investigation.”18 In other words, hope isn’t wish fulfillment. It is rationally justified probability, and as we can readily see, there is nothing “certain” about rationally justified probability. Without a sovereign God, hope is about as definitive as a weather report. Perhaps this is why the LXX uses elpízein and elpís for bāṭaḥ, a Hebrew word that does not rely on observable fact-gathering but rather on the character of the Creator. “The God of hope” is crucial if we are to experience joy. In fact, Paul suggests that joy is a passive experience, that is, it happens to us. We are not the initiating agents. The “God of hope” is the active agent. Perhaps joy is like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. If we pursue it, we can never find it, but if we simply go about the business of trusting the God of hope, joy arrives. C. S Lewis’ engaging title, Surprised by Joy, may be the proper understanding of the biblical concept. We should also note that Paul connects this experience of joy and peace with pisteúō (to believe). What we must keep in mind is that “believing” isn’t simply cognitive acknowledgement of the fact that God offers hope. In the Semitic world, believing is an action, a state of extreme readiness and a deliberate willingness trust God despite present evidence. This aligns with the Hebrew view of hope, that is, “To hope is to trust. It is demanded even in good times. It is not our own projection but confidence in what God

17 Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (229). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans. 18 Ibid.

will do.”19 In fact, we might say that hope is the ability to look over the horizon and expect that God’s past actions will continue in the future. 8. 2 John 1:12 Though I have many things to write to you, I do not want to do so with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face, so that your joy may be made full. John offers another connection: the link between personal relationship and joy. In this translation, the English idiom, “face to face,” is really stóma prós stóma, literally “mouth near mouth.” What John wants is personal conversation, not words written in a letter. Only then, in the immediate presence of the other, will chará be complete. We easily identify with John’s desire. Studies have shown that a great deal of human communication is not verbal. It is made up of body language, tone of voice and responsive reaction. Reflection on our own experiences confirms this. The physical presence of the other enhances our interpersonal relations. If joy is a communal experience, then proximity is important. Words alone, even electronically instantaneous, are not sufficient. Neither is image transport. We might “see” the other person on a video screen, but it just isn’t the same as “in person.” In the first century, the delay between sender and receiver was significant, and although modern technology has reduced that gap to milliseconds, the absence of the real person is still an impediment to joy. Perhaps our Western paradigm of individualism has interfered with clarity about the relationship between joy and personal presence. Because we think that identity is a matter of individuality, we believe that joy is also an individual experience. So we look for joy on our own, as if this treasure could be found through solitary discovery or effort. What we have not understood is that joy is a function of community, whether the community is just two people or many. Yes, we can experience hēdonḗ privately, but that isn’t chará, unless, like Aristotle, chará is replaced by hēdonḗ. Biblical joy is inter-personal and communal, and I suspect looking for it in any other way is bound to leave us with a sense of deficiency. 9. Luke 15:7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Why does Yeshua make such an outrageous claim? Think about it. Aren’t ninety-nine righteous people a great delight to God? Aren’t they a blessing to others? Don’t they exemplify Kingdom restoration? The angels must sing praises for such people. So why does Yeshua say that one single repentant sinner causes more joy than these ninety-nine? The mathematics of heaven doesn’t seem to add up.

19 Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (230). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

The key might be found in the Greek term metánoia (to repent). Of course, in Greek this term is related to the word group of noéō, a group of words expressing cognition in one way or another. But Yeshua wasn’t speaking Greek. First we need to understand how the word is used in the Greek apostolic writings. The classical Greek background sets the stage:

(1) The noun, too, can mean “later knowledge” or “subsequent emendation.” (2) More commonly it denotes “change of noús,” whether in feelings, will, or thought. (3) It then means “remorse” or “regret” if there is dissatisfaction with the previous noús and the pain etc. it might have caused. . . . At first the two words bear a purely intellectual sense. When the idea of change of noús establishes itself, emotional and volitional elements come in, but the change is not necessarily ethical; it may be from good to bad. Only when the idea of regret is present is a moral component plainly included, and even now there is no total change in life’s direction, for the regret is only for a specific act or attitude, not for a whole way of life.20

With this in mind, we are confronted with an immediate linguistic problem. The Tanakh does not have a special term for repentance like the Greek metánoia. “The prophets do not invent a special word for true repentance but make do with the common word for return (šûḇ ). This carries with it a sense of turning back, i.e., after relapse, but not exclusively so, for sometimes the idea is that of turning from. In general, what is meant is an about-face.”21 We see that if Yeshua used the same Hebrew word as the prophets, he avoids the Greek nuance of regret, that is, remorse about past actions without a full change in direction. Our theological education teaches us that repentance is more than regret, and properly so since the theology is founded by the Hebrew rather than the Greek. One thing is clear. When Yeshua speaks of the joy in heaven over the “about-face” of a sinner, he means that this person has turned completely around. Perhaps the reason that this event produces more joy is that it is so incredibly difficult. The rabbis’ insight here is important. If a man chooses righteousness, God assists him. But if he chooses unrighteousness, God makes way for him to follow it. In other words, his actions are like self-fulfilling prophecy. That means a change in direction is almost impossible for the pathway of the sinner is already actively present in his choices. The idea that there is more joy and rejoicing over the change in direction of a single sinner than over the continued obedience of the righteous just might be related to this behavioral improbability. In other words, the Bible recognizes that behaviors create biological routines and biological routines create virtually automatic responses. Each

20 Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (639). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans. 21 Ibid., (640).

time the sinner acts in a particular way, altering that path becomes more difficult. Each action reinforces the subsequent repetition of the action. Since this is simply a fact of biological response, the “about face” of the sinner becomes more and more improbable as the behaviors continue, so that, in the end, it is almost impossible to act otherwise. Therefore, when there is an “about face” in the life of someone who has repeated behavioral conditioning, it is almost a miracle. That is why there is more joy. We expect the righteous to act righteously. That’s why they are righteous. They have learned the behavioral conditioning of obedience. But the sinner hasn’t. He has learned to act in ways that are prompted by and feed the yetzer ha’ra, and to see him change that conditioned response is altogether unexpected. When it happens, it is amazing—and a cause for celebration. 10. Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat of the fat, drink of the sweet, and send portions to him who has nothing prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Are you tired? Are you weary? Do you long for some far-away place without the incessant demand of the trivial necessary? A vacation from living? You’re feeling like you’re all alone in the fight, that God Himself is absent. Then suddenly something happens and rays of hope stream down from heaven. You feel the presence of the Lord and you know, deep inside, that your life matters. Tears of joy can’t be withheld. That’s the situation when this audience hears the words, “Go, eat, drink.” After decades of captivity, after the struggle to rebuild and fight the enemies at the same time, after feeling that God has left the scene, suddenly the words of the Book, found in the Temple, remind you that God’s love does not fail, that He cares, that there is a purpose in all this. You weep for joy—and the scribe tells you, “Listen, this is a time for great celebration. Party!” The word used here isn’t the usual one, śimḥâ. In fact, this word is only used twice in the Tanakh. ḥed-vaw´ is found here and in one other occurrence in 1 Chronicles 16:27. Derived from the second stem of ḥādâ which means, “to make glad, rejoice,” it is not what we expected. Perhaps a look at the context in 1 Chronicles 16 will help us understand why this rare word is used here too. The event in 1 Chronicles 16 is the return of the Ark. It is a monumental day for the people of Israel. On this day David composes a song which is sung by Asaph and his brothers. It is a song that extols the continued faithfulness of the Lord in the history of His people. In the song, David reaffirms the covenant between Israel and YHVH, especially as it applies to the giving of the land. The song confirms that no pagan power will defeat God’s purposes and those purposes mean that Israel will have its inheritance, the land of promise. This fact is witnessed by the heavens and the earth and will never change. In this context, David uses the word ḥedwâ, the only other occurrence in the Tanakh. When the reading of the Word occurs centuries later, this word recalls the song of glorification penned by David and sung over the Ark. Even though it is extremely rare, it evokes a particularly important

and significant fact for the people who are rebuilding Jerusalem: God does not renege on His promises. He is with us and will ensure that our efforts to rebuild His city will prevail. This is “joy” in a special sense. It reminds the people of something that happened long ago that continues to the present. It isn’t the usual śimḥâ, found throughout Scripture. It is historical, covenantal joy, anchored in God’s unshakeable word, heard this day once again after a long hiatus. So, “Go, eat, drink, and party.” This is joy for the ages. 11. Esther 8:17 In each and every province and in each and every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree arrived, there was gladness and joy for the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the dread of the Jews had fallen on them. Here we have an example of translation confusion. Typically the word śimḥâ is translated “joy,” but because there is a synonym in close proximity, śimḥâ in this verse is translated “gladness” so that śāśôn, the following expression of celebration, can be translated “joy.” Gary Cohen notes: “(śāśôn). Joy, gladness, rejoicing, mirth. This masculine noun makes twenty-two appearances in the OT, and almost universally it speaks of human happiness and abounding delight. Typically in Jer 25:10 God announces that he will use Nebuchadnezzar to take from sinful Judah ‘the voice of mirth (śāśôn);’ and in Jer 31:13 he will turn the mourning of repentant Israel in the last days ‘into joy (śāśôn).’ See the synonym, śimḥâ.”22 Since it is related to political circumstances, the choice of this word in the book of Esther makes perfect sense. Unfortunately, the English translation obscures that fact that this is the synonym of śimḥâ. Perhaps the verse would have been better translated “there was joy and gladness,” reversing the order so that we would recognize that śimḥâ is the first word, and “gladness” (śāśôn) the second. The root of śāśôn is śûś. The original context provides an interesting contrast buried within the usage of the term. śûś is a word about joy, rejoicing and exultation. We expect that the use of this word will be associated with good things, as it is here in Esther with the defeat of Haman. But when Moses uses the word four times in close succession, we discover that śûś has a counterintuitive use as well.

The four usages of the verb śûś in the Mosaic writings occur in Deut 28:63 and 30:9, twice in each verse. Here, amid the Mosaic warnings of the blessings and cursings, three times the Lord is pictured as one rejoicing over Israel to bless them for obedience to his Law, and once as rejoicing over them to destroy them for disobedience! “As the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good; so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you” Deut 28:63.) śûś here thus seems to convey the idea of God’s enthusiasm to bless the righteous and to punish the wicked.

22Cohen,G.G.(1999).2246 Theological(Eds.),WaltkeK.B.&Jr.,ArcherL.G.Harris,L.R..שׂוּשׂWordbookoftheOldTestament(electroniced.,p.873).Chicago:MoodyPress.

Fortunately, by God’s mercy, Deut 30:9 shows that when Israel at last turns back to him, that “the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good.” Likewise in the prophets Israel is the object of his joy (Isa 62:5; 65:19; Jer 32:41; Zeph 3:17.)23

If God can rejoice over the destruction of His people, we are challenged to acknowledge that the truest sense of rejoicing comes from God’s perspective, not ours. In fact, this might lead us to realize that biblical language is not anthropomorphic but rather theomorphic, that is, the real definition of terms comes from the divine context and is only derivatively applied to human circumstances. śāśôn and śûś point us toward a change in the way we understand the origin of language. If we are created as speaking beings, then the real foundation of our ability to communicate is found in the author of our speaking, and that means that language is first and foremost a divine attribute. This all sounds too academic until we apply the lesson to a word like “love.” If language begins in the divine, then “love” needs to be understood from the divine before we try to define it in human terms. Just as śûś must mean “rejoicing” from God’s point of view. 12. Isaiah 12:6 Cry aloud and shout for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. This passage in Isaiah is an example of the difference in syntax between English and Hebrew. In Hebrew the words translated, “Cry aloud and shout for joy” are actually only two verbs and a conjunction. ṣāhalî wa-rōnnî contain within the verbs the idea of “loud” and “for joy.” We will investigate the historical context of the second of these two verbs, rānan. “rānan is a primary Hebrew root, not developed in the other Semitic languages, passing into medieval Judeo-Arabic. The root and its verbal noun appear over fifty times in the OT. The most frequent occurrences are in Isa and Ps, generally in poetic passages.”24 The fact that the word has no cognates in other Semitic languages is important. It implies that this kind of joy (“shouting for joy”) is associated only with the Hebraic consciousness of God’s majesty. In other words, there is no other expression that can be borrowed from another language to fully convey what God means to Israel. Perhaps words like this are behind the rabbis’ assertion that a man can only really pray in Hebrew. The connection between the Hebrew language and the Hebrew God cannot be severed. There are simply things about YHVH that can’t be communicated in other languages. That begs the question: What are these things that can’t be translated? According to the prophet Isaiah, these things are direct expressions of the magnificence of the Holy One of Israel, so it is incumbent upon followers of this god to understand just how unique YHVH is. The first characteristic that comes to mind is expressed in the word ḥesed.

23Cohen,G.G.(1999).2246 Theological(Eds.),WaltkeK.B.&Jr.,ArcherL.G.Harris,L.R..שׂוּשׂWordbookoftheOldTestament(electroniced.,p.873).Chicago:MoodyPress.24White,W.(1999).2179רָנַן.R.L.Harris,G.L.ArcherJr.,&B.K.Waltke(Eds.),TheologicalWordbookoftheOldTestament(electroniced.,p.851).Chicago:MoodyPress.

Perhaps a quick review of ḥesed will indicate just how unique YHVH is among the gods of the ancient Near East.

For centuries the word ḥesed was translated with words like mercy, kindness, love. The LXX usually uses eleos “mercy,” and the Latin misericordia. The Targum and Syriac use frequently a cognate of ṭob. The root is not found in Akkadian or Ugaritic. The lexicons up through BDB and GB (which said Liebe, Gunst, Gnade, love, goodness, grace) are similar. KB however is the “mutual liability of those … belonging together.” In 1927 Nelson Glueck, shortly preceded by I. Elbogen, published a doctoral dissertation in German translated into English by A. Gottschalk, Hesed in the Bible with an introduction by G. A. LaRue which is a watershed in the discussion. His views have been widely accepted. In brief, Glueck built on the growing idea that Israel was bound to its deity by covenants like the Hittite and other treaties. He held that God is pictured as dealing basically in this way with Israel. The Ten Commandments, etc. were stipulations of the covenant, Israel’s victories were rewards of covenant keeping, her apostasy was covenant violation and God’s hesed was not basically mercy, but loyalty to his covenant obligations, a loyalty which the Israelites should also show. He was followed substantially by W. F. Lofthouse (1933), N. H. Snaith (1944), H. W. Robinson (1946), Ugo Masing (1954), and many others.25

Despite some academic disagreement about Glueck’s conclusions, Richard Harris’ comment is crucial:

. . . the theological difference is considerable whether the Ten Commandments are stipulations to a covenant restricted to Israel to which God remains true and to which he demands loyalty, or whether they are eternal principles stemming from God’s nature and his creation to which all men are obligated and according to which God will judge in justice or beyond that will show love, mercy and kindness.26

Furthermore, ḥesed is an example of one of those Hebrew words that cannot be adequately translated by any single English word, yet it is crucial for understanding the nature and character of the Hebrew God. Apparently rānan is another word like ḥesed. There is a quality of joy which can only be expressed in shouting and in that act God’s majesty is revealed and honored. Perhaps we learn this much: the uniqueness of the Hebrew God is sometimes expressed in unique Hebrew concepts that appear to require an absorption into Hebrew thought and culture in order to be fully understood. Gentiles may be welcomed into the Kingdom, but they will have to learn Hebrew thinking if they are going to communicate. In fact, this is precisely what Acts 15 implies, that Gentiles were

25Harris,R.L.(1999).698חסד.R.L.Harris,G.L.ArcherJr.,&B.K.Waltke(Eds.),TheologicalWordbookoftheOldTestament(electroniced.,p.305).Chicago:MoodyPress.26Ibid.

absorbed into the culture and thought of the synagogue, not that Hebraic ways of understanding God were translated into the language of the Gentile world. 13. Philemon 1:7 For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother. We return to the Greek term chará in Paul’s letter to Philemon. Now we are equipped with a broader appreciation for the Hebraic background of Paul’s Greek. Paul attaches joy to comfort. The syntax of the Greek is quite different than the English translation. In Greek, the first word in the sentence, and therefore the one with the most emphasis, is chará. Literally, the verse reads, “Joy for much I have come to have.” This is followed by paráklēsis, a Greek word with considerable range of meaning.

1. . . . the first sense being that of “calling to” either literally or with such nuances as calling for aid, inviting, and summoning. 2. A second sense is that of “beseeching,” e.g., calling on the gods in prayer, or, from a superior to an inferior, proposing. 3. A third sense is that of “exhorting” or “encouraging,” and even on occasion of “winning over” for a plan. 4. The final sense is that of “comforting,” mostly in the form of giving exhortation or encouragement in times of sorrow. This is not a common use.27

Notice that comfort is an uncommon meaning for paráklēsis. Certainly Paul knew this so that when he employed the word, he knew his reader would also recall the more typical meanings, i.e., calling, beseeching and encouraging. This umbrella of meanings helps us realize that the sense of joy and comfort is not narrowly defined as we might imagine. Whatever joy Paul finds in the brotherly love shown by Philemon, it certainly also includes the calling of Philemon, the exhortation of Paul, and the encouragement both men feel. Perhaps this reminds us not to restrict our expectation of joy to Greek concepts like pleasure and bliss but rather to look beyond toward the mutual celebration found in interpersonal relationships. The Hebrew equivalent of paráklēsis (parakaléō) is nāḥam. However, while nāḥam is used most often, there are fifteen other Hebrew expressions translated by paráklēsis (parakaléō) in the LXX. In some cases, the word exists in the Hebrew text but is absent in the Greek LXX. We should quickly point out that “comfort” in the Hellenistic world and the ancient pagan worldviews is principally associated with the immortality of the soul, a concept not found in the Tanakh. The contrast with Hellenism and other ancient religions could not be stronger. Accordingly, “The good are not dead; death is the birth of neverending life, a returning home. On this view life itself is an exile, with the body as a prison or burden, and death a joyous liberation.”28 Of course, the Tanakh shares none

27 Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 778). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans. 28 Ibid.

of this myth of eternal return, and Paul certainly does not have this in mind when he links joy and comfort. As Schmitz points out: “There is no true comfort apart from God.”29 Paul’s view of comfort and joy is immersed in the Kingdom, both present and future. Because the covenant-keeping God is the source of joy, those who follow His call can be comforted even in times of trouble. The good news is that God will prevail and His purposes will come to pass. It is a joyful thing to come into His presence, as David penned centuries before, and for Paul, any manifestation of the Kingdom is a seal of God’s constancy on the journey toward full restoration. 14. Psalm 27:6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord. “Shouts of joy.” We might have expected to encounter the verb rānan, as seen in Isaiah 12:6. But this Hebrew word is the noun form of the verb tĕrûʿâ, a word whose principal usage is not connected to joy at all. In fact, tĕrûʿâ is a verb about warnings, alarms and war cries. Consider William White’s comment:

This is a feminine noun formed from the root rûaʿ. It is a purely Hebrew formation and occurs thirty-six times in the ot, mostly in the singular. There are four distinct senses in which it is used. It is used for “signal” (Lev 25:9), the “sound of the trumpet” for the blowing of the šoar on the day of atonement. It is also used for “alarm” as in case of attack (Josh 6:5; Jer 4:19), “I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.” In addition, it is used for the trumpet in the tumult of the battle, “And Moab shall die amid uproar, amid shouting, and the sound of the trumpet” (Amos 2:2). Lastly, the noun is used for the exultation of praise to God, “Praise him with trumpet sound, praise him with lute and harp” (Ps 150:3).30

Clearly David has the last of these meanings in mind in this psalm, but the other senses of the word are not far off in David’s poems. Perhaps the songs of triumph referred to in the opening of the verse are more than historical declaration. They are also the ground for jubilation, that euphoric feeling that accompanies the signs that the enemies have been conquered and life is no longer threatened. Once more we are reminded that joy in the Hebrew context is very much a part of this world. Associated with festivals, relationships and victories, joy is first understood within the human frame. Its ultimate expression might become a part of another world, but in the Tanakh joy is grounded in God’s interaction with His people here and now. The eschatology of joy comes later, after the influence of rabbinic thought and

29 Ibid., p. 780. 30 White, W. (1999). 2135 רַֻע. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 839). Chicago: Moody Press.

Hellenism. For David, as for most of the writers of the Tanakh, joy is found in life lived on earth. It might not be able to be fully experienced without God, but it is still tied to life as we know it with God in the midst. Perhaps that’s why David can choose a word usually associated with warnings and use it to express the conquering of God’s enemies. 15. Isaiah 35:10 And the ransomed of the Lord will return and come with joyful shouting to Zion, with everlasting joy upon their heads. They will find gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah returns to the verb that expresses joy as a shout of jubilation. First found in Leviticus 9:24 at the initiation of the divine sacrifice, rānan is tied to God’s salvation in the Tanakh. White comments: “In all of the fourteen occurrences of rānan in Isaiah, it is the connotation of holy joy which is being celebrated by Israel’s shouting.”31 In all the passages except Lamentations 2:19, rānan is used to praise God. White continues:

In Ps the root is developed to its fullest. rānan appears in parallel poetry with nearly every term for “joy,” “rejoicing” and “praise” but not clearly in any strict grammatical relationships. [It also occurs a few times in parallel with šîr “sing.” (Ps 59:16 [H 17]) and zāmar “sing.” (Ps 98:4). The jubilation which is the main thrust of the root is elsewhere also in a context of music (II Chr 20:22, cf. v. 21), and singing may well be indicated. In many cases the jubilation could equally well be expressed in shouting or song—either would suit the context. . . The frequent employment of the term indicates decisively that the highest mood of OT religion was joy.32

This final comment is important since we know that this Hebrew word is not found in other Semitic languages. Perhaps we should conclude that joy, expressed in the deliverance of the people through historical events and festival remembrances, is the unique capstone of Hebraic faith. That raises a question about the focus of contemporary religious experience; a challenge to the preoccupation with eschatological escape. 16. Proverbs 15:23 A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word! This example in Proverbs returns us to the common Hebrew expression of joy, śimḥâ. We examined the word in Isaiah 9:3, but to that we might add:

Joy characterizes wedding (Jer 25:10) and farewell festivities (Gen 31:27), but most frequently the word is used for joy in the Lord on holy days (Num 10:10), sacred occasions of many sorts (cf. II Sam 6:12; Ezr 3:12). Because Israel is a

31White,W.(1999).2179רָנַן.R.L.Harris,G.L.ArcherJr.,&B.K.Waltke(Eds.),TheologicalWordbookoftheOldTestament(electroniced.,p.851).Chicago:MoodyPress.32Ibid.

sacred community, however, one cannot sharply divide secular from sacred festivities.33

Notice that Waltke’s insight about the inability to sharply divide secular and sacred is exemplified in this passage from Proverbs. What brings joy to the man of Proverbs? An answer from the whole mouth (“apt answer”) and a word that is on point (“timely”). These are very practical experiences in daily communication, yet they are described with the same word that is used for festive celebrations and praises of God. There is no “religious” language in Hebrew because, as Waltke notes, the entire community is considered a sacred whole dedicated to God’s purposes. Proverbs, those pithy expressions of behavioral wisdom, are just as much as part of the holy nation and royal priesthood as any other part of God’s involvement with Israel. Therefore, joy is to be found in every aspect of living in the Kingdom, whether it be the initiation of sacrifice, the experience of crowning the king, or an appropriate answer to a simple question. In other words, if we are living with Kingdom consciousness, joy should surround us. 17. John 16:22 Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. Conzelmann’s article on the word group chaírō [to rejoice], chará [joy] includes a review of John’s use of the terms.

Jn. 4:36 adopts the image of harvest joy and Jn. 3:29 that of wedding joy. The time of joy has come with Jesus. The Baptist’s joy is fulfilled because its object is now present. In 8:56 chaírō is the anticipation, agalliáomai the fulfillment. “Perfect joy” is the climax (15:11; 16:24; 17:13; 1 Jn. 1:4; 2 Jn. 12). The disciples should rejoice at Jesus’ death, for it means exaltation. Jesus does not censure the disciples’ sorrow but shows how the resurrection turns it into chará (16:20ff.). The association with peace brings out the eschatological nature of joy (14:27).34

These comments are strikingly different than the concepts found in the Tanakh. Here, according to Conzelmann, eschatological implications are paramount. Even though present experience seems to indicate the failure of the Messiah’s mission, joy remains because of the promise of final justice and restoration. But this is joy based in the future actions of God, something not quite as much a part of Israel’s idea of joy in the Tanakh. In the Tanakh, joy was anchored in the past faithfulness of YHVH, insuring that He would continue to uphold His people. Now John uses this assumed continuity to point toward a future restoration, vouched safe in the resurrection of the Messiah. Although John seems to shift the direction of our hope, he can do so only because YHVH is faithful. The resurrection alone does not guarantee salvation for all. It involves the 33Waltke,B.K.(1999).2268שָׂמַח.R.L.Harris,G.L.ArcherJr.,&B.K.Waltke(Eds.),TheologicalWordbookoftheOldTestament(electroniced.,p.879).Chicago:MoodyPress.34 Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 1300). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

Messiah. But it is the sign that the Messiah’s reign will come, and when it does all of God’s enemies will be defeated and His people with be justified. 18. Psalm 30:5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; weeping may last for the night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning. Once more we encounter the word that means “shouting joyfully,” common in the Psalms (rānan) and Isaiah. That this word is typical in the Psalms should not come as a surprise since these are songs of praise and celebration. The use in Isaiah is also understandable since this prophet is the messenger of God’s forgiveness and restoration of the people. 19. Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Having examined the word group of chaírō [to rejoice], chará [joy], we need only add the distinctive in Paul’s writings: Distinctively cháris in Paul expounds the structure of the salvation event. The basic thought is that of free giving. In view is not just a quality in God but its actualization at the cross (Gal. 2:21) and its proclamation in the gospel.35 Conzelmann’s article on chaírō and chará assumes that Paul endorses the equivalent of replacement theology so the remainder of his remarks fall within that theological view. Nevertheless, it is important to recognize that Paul uses cháris to write about the entire process of salvation which includes God’s covenant faithfulness, the mission of the Messiah, the death on the cross, the vindication and validation of the Messiah’s faithfulness in the resurrection, and the implications for believers now and in the ‘olam ha’ba. In other words, cháris is a comprehensive envelope that contains all of the rest of salvation history. Since Paul relies on the Tanakh to make his argument, there is no grounds for concluding that Paul’s view of cháris replaces any of the Hebraic understanding of grace, faith, or joy. Paul is not Greek. He is a Hebrew Tanakh scholar trained in the ways of the rabbis. He makes this abundantly clear in self-testimony. His idea of joy and its relationship to peace, grace, love, and fellowship are in concert with what we have learned about the Hebrew idea of communal, festive human experience. 20. Hebrews 12:2 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. Our final example connects the ideas we found in the Pauline writings to the role of the Messiah. The author describes the comprehensive work of the Messiah. He is both

35 Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 1304). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

author and perfecter of faith. The Greek term, archēgós, means that Yeshua is the founder and leader. The translation “author” might be understood as originator, as if Yeshua were the one who brought faith into existence. This view relies on the fact that the word archḗ can mean beginning (as in Hebrews 1:10, “from the beginning”). The word can also be understood as “power” or “dominion.” But archēgós, found in this verse, needs some nuance. There are several possibilities:

a. The “hero” of a city, its founder or guardian; b. the “originator” or “author” (e.g., Zeus of nature or Apollo of piety); c. “captain.” Philo uses the term for Abraham, and once for God, while the LXX mostly has it for “military leader.” In the NT Christ is archēgós in Acts 5:31: we bear his name and he both looks after us and gives us a share of his glory, especially his life (3:15) and salvation (Heb. 2:10); he is also the archēgós of our faith both as its founder and as the first example when in his death he practiced his faith in God’s love and its overcoming of the barrier of human sin (Heb. 12:2).36

If we translate archēgós in this way, then we are not necessarily forced to treat Yeshua as if he originated the faith. He serves as the hero, leader, example, and overseer, assigned by YHVH to carry out this role and provide a witness to God’s faithfulness. Coupled with this is the idea of “perfecter.” The Greek term is tĕlĕiōtēs, better translated as “finisher” or “one who completes.” Unfortunately, the original sense of “perfecter” has been lost in English as it was first connected with reaching a goal, not with mathematical certainty. The Latin perfectus, meaning, “completed, excellent, accomplished,” or “exquisite,” merges the two distinct ideas so that we often confuse “complete” with “excellent” when we use the word “perfect.” Therefore, it is important to recognize that the Greek text here does not imply “without defect, excellent,” but rather “finished.” Yeshua is the one who acts as our leader assigned to oversee those who follow YHVH and he is the one who finished the task, ensuring that the process of first-fruits could be applied to all who serve him. With this background, the author of Hebrews notes that despite shame and suffering, Yeshua remained resolute because “of the joy set before him.” The question is: What was the joy so powerful that it motivated him to endure the vicissitudes of his mission? We should recognize that the author has more in mind than execution on the cross. It is probably accurate to say that the whole mission of the Messiah was fraught with shame and suffering, perhaps not always physical. He experienced rejection, abuse, misunderstanding, blame, criticism, betrayal, and skepticism virtually throughout his ministry. Even when he provided evidence of divine authorization, he was typically misinterpreted and rarely given thanks. The emotional and psychological suffering and shame accompanied him every day. Of course, this does not diminish the torture of

36 Kittel, G., Friedrich, G., & Bromiley, G. W. (1985). Theological Dictionary of the New Testament: Abridged (p. 83). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

Roman execution, but it reminds us that whatever this particular quality of joy is, it must have been present from the beginning of his ministry or before. Perhaps the enormity of the assignment provided some motivation and contributed to “the joy set before him,” but I suspect that even this would not have been enough to see him through. His prayer in the garden before arrest indicates just this. A joy that overwhelms even self-doubt must be more powerful than simply the importance of the mission. It seems to me that the quality of joy powerful enough to inspire unflagging commitment to this arduous assignment must come from the grandeur of the result. The value of the goal must be enough to motivate its accomplishment. Perhaps an example from our own experience helps us understand. What parent would not immediately sacrifice himself or herself if the result was rescuing a loved child from immediate threat to life? The sacrifice is not the motivating factor. The love of the child is. The goal is to ensure that the child does not die, and the parent willingly does whatever is necessary to accomplish that end. Perhaps the joy set before him was motivated by the love of those who would be rescued and the love of the God who sent him. Joy is, therefore, a product of love. It is not the goal itself. It is the experience that comes about when the goal of love is accomplished. In the end, this verse in Hebrews provides a summation of what we have learned about joy.