" Blessed are those who mourn, for they willbe comforted. " Matthew 5:4
The next admonition Paul gave to the Corinthian church in describing "...The Excellent Way..."(I Cor. 12:31), was "...Love..." "...is not rude..."(I Cor. 13:5). While the NIV has the foregoing translation the Interlinear records: "...does not behave disgracefully..." The Amplified adds "...unbecomingly..." The KJV says "...unseemly...".
The Greek word here is aschemonei. On the surface, to some, the word may say to them "just be nice to one another" or "don't be unpleasant" or "have a sweet smile" or "have an agreeable countenance" or "exude a likable disposition before others." And then "duty done."
Christian relationships prompted by love are more meaningful than that, even though a sweet dispostion is good. Our relationships are more than mere surface sentiments and appearances. Unity is acheived by love during the bad times, the struggles, the sins, the imperfections, the problems, the differences. These are all litmus tests that prove or disprove love.
The word aschemonei addresses just how truly concerned Christians are for one another. Zodhiates says this word tells us that love does not react or behave in an ugly manner. It is translated "...disgrace..."(I Cor. 7:36) We should not then disgrace others. Zodhiates further indicates the meaning as "...love in its speech and action seeks to contain no evil, but seeks to change the evildoers."
Adam Clarke tells us: "...love never acts out of it place or character." He said "...I never wish to meet with those who affect to be called blunt honest men, who feel themselves above all the forms of respect and civility, and care not how many they displeasure."
It means to me that Christians do not turn their heads at the weakness of others, but the key thing is how this weakness is dealt with or more correctly how we help others deal with their problems and weaknesses. Love will not allow us to appoint ourselves to demoralize, destroy, debilitate, demean, or devastate others.
Synonyms of aschemonei reinforce this idea. Atimazo is one and according to Zodhiates, it means "to dishonor" "treat with indignity." Jesus used this word, according to Luke, in the parable of the tenants in Luke 20. When a certain servant was sent to the tenants of the man's vineyard to get fruit from the vineyard, Jesus said that man was treated "...shamefully..."(atimasantes) The owner of the vineyard then sent His Son. But the tenants "...threw him out of the vineyard and killed him." If one reads on one gets the point of God's attitude of those who shamefully mistreat others.
Another synonym is entrepo. Sometimes in our study we run across a gem we have been looking for to better clarify our understanding of truth. This is one of those gems to me. It is the very opposite of bruttishness, boorishness, bullism. It will not allow us a cloak of righteousness whereby we rationalize our position to give ourselves the right to take advantage of others who might be sinful, fallen, or weak. Under the influence of this word folks are seen in a different light.
There is no doubt that discipline is proper and appropriate for the blatant and uncaring. Inspiration calls for discipline for that behavior. Entrepo allows that. It means "to withdraw" "to shame" "put to shame." Yes even brothers can be disciplined, if they have become hardened and uncaring sinners. .(II Thess. 3:14-15) But discipline is not a means of destruction. It is always a means of reconciliation. Actually William Barclay tells us that the word for discipline in the N.T. is a word which literally means "mending nets." It is interesting that that is the word Paul uses in I Cor. 1:10, when he is encouraging the church at Corinth to unity. He tells them that they should be "...peferfectly joined together..."
When discipline is practiced it is designed to keep the channels of communication open between Christians. So often that is not the case. Knee jerk reactions to others weaknesses have caused what Barclay called "...retributory punishment..." and in so many cases vengeful practices result in shame, disgrace, and dishonor.
Jesus taught quite the opposite in his earthly ministry. In Luke 15 He taught about the Lost Son. Fact is if the Father of that son had been like many today the prodigal would have been shunned for the rest of his life. The Father would have rejected him and his life would have been one of hopelessness and despair. Many have missed the point of the parable and the application. The Father was God and since God is love, He did not react in a derogatory manner towards that pentitent boy. Untold damage has been done and is being done in the Kingdom of God by the highhanded tactics of some. That is not love. Love is not rude.
Paul taught the Corinthians a firsthand lesson about this. A man lived among them who was practicing immorality. He told them to expel the man.(I Cor. 5) But was the sentence a life sentence? No! Just a few months later Paul wrote to them, and in II Cor. 2:8 we read Paul's instructions about the same man. "...forgive and comfort him..." "...reaffirm you love for him..." In some pompous circles that is not possible. The shunning would continue indefinitely.
I must tell you that the word for "...comfort..." here is parakalesai. It means "to aid" "to help" "encourage" according to Zodhiates. Note that all these meanings involve involvement and participation on the part of those Corinthians.
Isn't it interesting that so-called Bible students sometimes miss the point of the greatest sermon ever preached, The Sermon on the Mount. For if they had not missed the point, they would not treat their brothers with disdain and disrespect and shame them. Jesus made the statement in that sermon: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."(Mt. 5:4) The word for mourn here is penthountes. Literally it says "...the one mourning..." It means "to be sad" "sorrowful." For what should one be sad. Adam Clarke says of this circumstance: "only such persons as are deeply convinced of the sinfulness of sin, feel the plague of their own heart." He goes on to say that such men "...have promises of God's solid comfort..." Matthew Henry describes this mourning as:"A penitential mourning for our own sins..." Paul said "...God...comforts the downcast..."(II Cor. 7:6) Do we?
Another synonym is kataischuno. It means "to shame" "dishonor" "disgrace." Paul uses it in a discussion of the Lord's Supper in I Cor. 11. There seemed to be a lack of respect for some lowly ones in the church. So Paul told them: "..do you despise the church of God and humilitate(kataischunete) those who have nothing."(I Cor. 11:22)
Scripture says "He who believes in Him will not be put to shame..."(Ro. 10:10-11) And "...the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame..."(I Pet. 2:6) Are we prone to do what God will not do?
Love promotes unity among God's people. There can be no unity in fellowships where shame and disgrace are practiced rather than honor and respect. And if "...love is not rude..." which it is not...then where rudeness is love is not and neither is true unity.
The next admonition Paul gave to the Corinthian church in describing "...The Excellent Way..."(I Cor. 12:31), was "...Love..." "...is not rude..."(I Cor. 13:5). While the NIV has the foregoing translation the Interlinear records: "...does not behave disgracefully..." The Amplified adds "...unbecomingly..." The KJV says "...unseemly...".
The Greek word here is aschemonei. On the surface, to some, the word may say to them "just be nice to one another" or "don't be unpleasant" or "have a sweet smile" or "have an agreeable countenance" or "exude a likable disposition before others." And then "duty done."
Christian relationships prompted by love are more meaningful than that, even though a sweet dispostion is good. Our relationships are more than mere surface sentiments and appearances. Unity is acheived by love during the bad times, the struggles, the sins, the imperfections, the problems, the differences. These are all litmus tests that prove or disprove love.
The word aschemonei addresses just how truly concerned Christians are for one another. Zodhiates says this word tells us that love does not react or behave in an ugly manner. It is translated "...disgrace..."(I Cor. 7:36) We should not then disgrace others. Zodhiates further indicates the meaning as "...love in its speech and action seeks to contain no evil, but seeks to change the evildoers."
Adam Clarke tells us: "...love never acts out of it place or character." He said "...I never wish to meet with those who affect to be called blunt honest men, who feel themselves above all the forms of respect and civility, and care not how many they displeasure."
It means to me that Christians do not turn their heads at the weakness of others, but the key thing is how this weakness is dealt with or more correctly how we help others deal with their problems and weaknesses. Love will not allow us to appoint ourselves to demoralize, destroy, debilitate, demean, or devastate others.
Synonyms of aschemonei reinforce this idea. Atimazo is one and according to Zodhiates, it means "to dishonor" "treat with indignity." Jesus used this word, according to Luke, in the parable of the tenants in Luke 20. When a certain servant was sent to the tenants of the man's vineyard to get fruit from the vineyard, Jesus said that man was treated "...shamefully..."(atimasantes) The owner of the vineyard then sent His Son. But the tenants "...threw him out of the vineyard and killed him." If one reads on one gets the point of God's attitude of those who shamefully mistreat others.
Another synonym is entrepo. Sometimes in our study we run across a gem we have been looking for to better clarify our understanding of truth. This is one of those gems to me. It is the very opposite of bruttishness, boorishness, bullism. It will not allow us a cloak of righteousness whereby we rationalize our position to give ourselves the right to take advantage of others who might be sinful, fallen, or weak. Under the influence of this word folks are seen in a different light.
There is no doubt that discipline is proper and appropriate for the blatant and uncaring. Inspiration calls for discipline for that behavior. Entrepo allows that. It means "to withdraw" "to shame" "put to shame." Yes even brothers can be disciplined, if they have become hardened and uncaring sinners. .(II Thess. 3:14-15) But discipline is not a means of destruction. It is always a means of reconciliation. Actually William Barclay tells us that the word for discipline in the N.T. is a word which literally means "mending nets." It is interesting that that is the word Paul uses in I Cor. 1:10, when he is encouraging the church at Corinth to unity. He tells them that they should be "...peferfectly joined together..."
When discipline is practiced it is designed to keep the channels of communication open between Christians. So often that is not the case. Knee jerk reactions to others weaknesses have caused what Barclay called "...retributory punishment..." and in so many cases vengeful practices result in shame, disgrace, and dishonor.
Jesus taught quite the opposite in his earthly ministry. In Luke 15 He taught about the Lost Son. Fact is if the Father of that son had been like many today the prodigal would have been shunned for the rest of his life. The Father would have rejected him and his life would have been one of hopelessness and despair. Many have missed the point of the parable and the application. The Father was God and since God is love, He did not react in a derogatory manner towards that pentitent boy. Untold damage has been done and is being done in the Kingdom of God by the highhanded tactics of some. That is not love. Love is not rude.
Paul taught the Corinthians a firsthand lesson about this. A man lived among them who was practicing immorality. He told them to expel the man.(I Cor. 5) But was the sentence a life sentence? No! Just a few months later Paul wrote to them, and in II Cor. 2:8 we read Paul's instructions about the same man. "...forgive and comfort him..." "...reaffirm you love for him..." In some pompous circles that is not possible. The shunning would continue indefinitely.
I must tell you that the word for "...comfort..." here is parakalesai. It means "to aid" "to help" "encourage" according to Zodhiates. Note that all these meanings involve involvement and participation on the part of those Corinthians.
Isn't it interesting that so-called Bible students sometimes miss the point of the greatest sermon ever preached, The Sermon on the Mount. For if they had not missed the point, they would not treat their brothers with disdain and disrespect and shame them. Jesus made the statement in that sermon: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."(Mt. 5:4) The word for mourn here is penthountes. Literally it says "...the one mourning..." It means "to be sad" "sorrowful." For what should one be sad. Adam Clarke says of this circumstance: "only such persons as are deeply convinced of the sinfulness of sin, feel the plague of their own heart." He goes on to say that such men "...have promises of God's solid comfort..." Matthew Henry describes this mourning as:"A penitential mourning for our own sins..." Paul said "...God...comforts the downcast..."(II Cor. 7:6) Do we?
Another synonym is kataischuno. It means "to shame" "dishonor" "disgrace." Paul uses it in a discussion of the Lord's Supper in I Cor. 11. There seemed to be a lack of respect for some lowly ones in the church. So Paul told them: "..do you despise the church of God and humilitate(kataischunete) those who have nothing."(I Cor. 11:22)
Scripture says "He who believes in Him will not be put to shame..."(Ro. 10:10-11) And "...the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame..."(I Pet. 2:6) Are we prone to do what God will not do?
Love promotes unity among God's people. There can be no unity in fellowships where shame and disgrace are practiced rather than honor and respect. And if "...love is not rude..." which it is not...then where rudeness is love is not and neither is true unity.
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