Kindness - Encyclopedia of The Bible

Encyclopedia of The Bible – Kindness

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Kindness

KINDNESS (חֶ֫סֶד֮, H2876; LXX ἀντιλήπτωρ; δικαιοσύνη, G1466; ἐλεημοσύνη, G1797; ἔλεος, G1799; NT ἐπιείκεια, G2116; φιλανθρωπία, G5792; χρηστός, G5982; χρηστότης, G5983). Kindness is (1) the state or quality of being kind; kind disposition or nature; humaneness; tenderness; (2) a kind act; a token of friendliness and good will. (3) Archaic: a kind feeling; affection, love. Kindness occurs forty-four times in the KJV; thirty-three times (including Titus 3:4) in the RSV.

I. OT

A. Heb., חֶ֫סֶד֮, H2876, “goodness,” “kindness.”

B. Gr.

1. ̓Αντιλήπτωρ, “helper,” “protector” (Ps 109:12). LXX for seven Heb. words.

2. Δικαιοσύνη, “righteousness,” “uprightness” (Gen 19:19; 20:13). The LXX for twelve Heb. words; appears in Theognis, Herodotus, Plato, Aristotle, Philo, and Josephus. It is frequent in the inscrs. but rare in the papyri, and is absent from Homer and Hesiod. Plato’s utopia is based upon his concept of dikaiosynē. Since this is the specific Christian virtue, it becomes almost synonymous with Christianity (Matt 5:10; 1 Pet 3:14).

3. ̓Ελεημοσύνη (Prov 21:21; 31:26), “kind deed”; later—“alms,” “charitable giving.” LXX for three Heb. words. It occurs frequently in Tobit, is not in either Philo or Josephus. In the LXX eleēmosynē usually trs. צְדָקָה, H7407. NT usage is confined exclusively to the sense of “benevolent activity” and invariably to the poor, i.e., “almsgiving.” Justin Martyr in Dialogus cum Tryphone Judaeo (36.4) employs eleēmosynē for God’s mercy (quoting Ps 23:5). In late Gr. the term means “sympathy.”

4. ̓Ελεος, “mercy,” “compassion,” “pity.” LXX for seven Heb. words.

II. NT

A. ̓Επιείκεια (Acts 24:4), “gentleness,” “forbearance,” “clemency,” “graciousness.” A very elusive term which does not always mean “sweet reasonableness.” It appears in Plato, Aristotle, Thucydides, and Philo. Josephus uses it of the prophet, the lawgiver, the king. Occurs twice in the NT (Acts 24:4; 2 Cor 10:1).

B. Φιλανθρωπία, “love for mankind,” “(loving) kindness”; “hospitality.” This word is found in Plato, Philo, Josephus; twice in the NT (Acts 28:2; Titus 3:4). RSV trs. “loving kindness” in Titus 3:4.

C. Χρηστός, “useful,” “suitable,” “worthy,” “good”; “(morally) good,” “reputable”; “virtuous,” “excellent”; “gracious.” (As a substantive, kindness.) Used by Philo and Josephus; seven times in the NT.

D. Χρηστότης, “goodness,” “uprightness”; “goodness,” “kindness,” “generosity.” Appears in Aristotle and Philo; nine times in the NT. RSV trs. “kindness” eight times.

“Kindness” in the KJV OT (except 2 Sam 2:6) is invariably the tr. of hesed. Usually it refers to man but sometimes to God (Gen 20:13; 40:14; 1 Sam 15:6; 20:14, 15; 2 Sam 9:3; Neh 9:17; Ps 141:5; Isa 54:8, 10).

“Kindness” in the KJV NT is the tr. of philanthrōpía once (Acts 28:2) and chrēstótēs four times (2 Cor 6:6; Eph 2:7; Col 3:12; Titus 3:4).

“Kindness” is (1) an attribute of God (Titus 3:4), (2) a characteristic of true charity (1 Cor 13:4), and (3) a trait of good men (Ps 112:5). Believers are exhorted to possess (Col 3:12; 2 Pet 1:7). It is sinful to refuse kindness to one’s neighbor (Prov 14:21). He that is kind to the poor receives a blessing (14:21). The ideal woman speaks kind words (31:26).

God’s kindness is great (Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2) and everlasting (Isa 54:8, 10). God is kind to the ignorant and wayward (Heb 5:2), to the ungrateful and evil (Luke 6:35).

God’s people should be kind to (1) fellow-believers (Deut 22:1; Zech 7:9, 10; Rom 15:5; Eph 4:32; 1 Pet 3:8; 4:8), (2) neighbors (Rom 15:2), (3) foreigners (Lev 19:34), (4) widows (1 Tim 5:9, 10), (5) orphans (Zech 7:10, (6) the needy (Matt 5:7; 1 John 3:17, 18), (7) the weak (Acts 20:35; Rom 15:1), (8) the sorrowing (12:15), (9) the weary (Gal 6:2), (10) the fallen (6:1), (11) all men (6:10), even enemies (Luke 6:34, 35). At the Judgment, Christ will reward those who have been kind to His people (Matt 25:34-36). Biblical examples of kindness: (1) Pharaoh to Jacob (Gen 45:16-20; 47:5, 6); (2) Pharaoh’s daughter to Moses (Exod 2:6-10); (3) Rahab to the spies (Josh 2:1-3; 6:17-25); (4) David to Mephibosheth (2 Sam 9:1-13); (5) Joab to Absalom (14:1-24); (6) Ahab to Ben-hadad (1 Kings 20:32-34); (7) Elisha to the Shunammite (2 Kings 8:1); (8) Evil-merodach to Jehoiachin (2 Kings 25:27-30); (9) Jehoshabeath to Joash (2 Chron 22:11); (10) Jews to less fortunate brethren (Neh 5:8-19); (11) Mordecai to Esther Esth 2:7); (13) Nebuchadrezzar to Jeremiah (Jer 39:11, 12); (13) Joseph to Mary (Matt 1:19); (14) a centurion to his servant (Luke 7:2-6); (15) Jews to Mary and Martha (John 11:19, 33); (16) John to Mary (19:27); (17) Felix to Paul (Acts 24:23); (18) Julius to Paul (27:3, 43); (19) Onesiphorus to Paul (2 Tim 1:16-18); and (20) Paul to Onesimus (Philem 17-19).

Bibliography C. H. Dodd, The Bible and the Greeks (1935), 59-62; L. H. Marshall, Challenge of New Testament Ethics (1947), 305-308; J. Smith, and R. Lee, Handfuls On Purpose, IV (1947), 273; M. Luther, “The Large Catechism,” The Book of Concord (c.1959), 369.32; M. Luther, Sermons on the Gospel of St. John, Vol. XXIV of Works (1961), 50, 247, 251, 253, 267f., 270; D. M. Lloyd Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, I (1964), 299-309; R. Earle, “The Acts of the Apostles,” Beacon Bible Commentary, VII (1965), 583.