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Bible Dictionaries
Longsuffering
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament
or The word ‘longsuffering’ occurs in the English NT in Luke 18:7 (Revised Version only; Authorized Version ‘bear long with’), Romans 2:4; Romans 9:22, 1 Corinthians 13:4, 2 Corinthians 6:6, Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 4:2, Colossians 1:11; Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (Revised Version only; Authorized Version ‘patient’), 1 Timothy 1:16, 2 Timothy 3:10; 2 Timothy 4:2, 1 Peter 3:20, 2 Peter 3:9; 2 Peter 3:15. The Greek words corresponding to this are μακρόθυμος, μακροθυμία, μακροθυμεῖν. These forms, however, occur in the original in a number of passages, where the English Bible (both Authorized Version and Revised Version ) has as their rendering ‘patient,’ ‘patiently,’ ‘patience’ (Matthew 18:26, Acts 26:3, Hebrews 6:12; Hebrews 6:15, James 5:7-8; James 5:10). In the Septuagint the word occurs in the following passages: Exodus 34:6, Numbers 14:18, Nehemiah 9:17, Psalms 86:15; Psalms 103:8; Psalms 145:8, Proverbs 14:29; Proverbs 15:18; Proverbs 16:32; Proverbs 19:11; Proverbs 25:15, Ecclesiastes 7:8, Jeremiah 15:15, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2, Nahum 1:3. In all these passages the Hebrew has אֶרָךְ אַפַיִם, or the noun-form of the same word. Besides these there are four instances where the Septuagint renders by μακροθυμία other Hebrew words, or is based on a different Hebrew text, so that the conception does not occur in the English Bible. These are Job 7:18, Proverbs 17:27, Isaiah 57:15, Daniel 4:24. μακροθυμία, is a word belonging to the later Greek.
The Hebrew אֶרָךְ אַפַיִם and the Greek μακρόθυμος absolutely coincide in their verbal structure. None the less there is to be noted a difference in the basic figure underlying each, which will explain the difference in usage. The Hebrew אַפַּיִם specifically means ‘anger,’ ‘wrath,’ and accordingly the אָרֶךְ אַ׳ is one who is ‘long,’ in the sense of ‘long-delaying’ his anger; hence in many cases the word is rendered by ‘slow to anger’ in the English Bible. On the other hand, θυμός in μακρόθυμος does not specifically denote ‘anger,’ but has the general meaning of ‘temper,’ although it can also have the former specialized sense. A μακρόθυμος is therefore he who keeps his temper long, and this can be understood with reference to wilful provocation by man, in which case it will mean the exercise of restraint from anger; or with reference to trying circumstances and persons, in which case it will mean the exercise of patience. The Greek term thus comes to have a double meaning whilst the Hebrew equivalent has only one, never being used in the sense of ‘patience.’ Jeremiah 15:15 is no exception to this, for when the prophet here prays, ‘Take me not away in thy longsuffering,’ he relates the longsuffering to his persecutors, and expresses the fear that God’s deferring their punishment may result in his own death.
μακροθυμία is in the NT employed in both senses-that of ‘longsuffering’ and that of ‘patience’-with reference to both God and man. The only instance of the meaning ‘patience’ in its application to God seems to be Luke 18:7. Here it is said that God will ‘avenge his elect that cry to him day and night (καὶ μακροθυμεῖ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς) although he is longsuffering over them.’ The αὐτοῖς does not have for its antecedent the persecutors of the elect, but the elect themselves. The meaning is that God proceeds slowly and patiently in attending to their case (cf. 2 Peter 3:9 : βραδύνει, ‘the Lord is not slack concerning his promise’). In all other cases the word when used of God denotes specifically the restraint of His anger and the deferring of the execution thereof (= ὀργή); thus Romans 2:4; Romans 9:22, 1 Timothy 1:16, 1 Peter 3:20.
This Divine longsuffering is exercised with a two-fold purpose: (a) to give its objects time for repentance (Romans 2:4, 2 Peter 3:9; 2 Peter 3:15); (b) to gain time and prepare the opportunity for the execution of His purpose in other respects (Romans 9:22; here the ‘enduring with longsuffering of the vessels of wrath’ is placed side by side with the purpose of God [θέλειν] to show His wrath, and the μακροθυμία does not imply a reversal or suspense of this purpose [so Weiss], but simply a delay in its execution, among other things for the reason stated in Romans 9:23, ‘that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy’).
μακροθυμία as exercised by men towards men may be both ‘longsuffering’ and ‘patience.’ It is not always easy to tell with certainty which of the two is in the mind of the writer, but in a case like Colossians 1:11, where ὑπομονή, ‘patience,’ and μακροθυμία, ‘longsuffering,’ occur, together, the meaning is plain. Trench (NT Synonyms3, 1876, p. 191) observes that μακροθυμία always refers to persons, never to things. This is not quite correct, for Hebrews 6:12; Hebrews 6:15 proves that it can be used in respect to circumstances or things as well as to persons. Patience can be exercised with reference to trying persons as well as to trying circumstances; and, from the nature of the case, where the former happens the distinction between ‘longsuffering’ and ‘patience’ will become more or less a flecting one and the line will be hard to draw (cf. Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 4:2, Colossians 1:11; Colossians 3:12, 1 Thessalonians 5:14, 2 Timothy 3:10, 2 Peter 3:15 on the one hand with James 5:7-8; James 5:10 on the other).
μακροθυμία in the sense of ‘longsuffering’ has for its synonym ἀνοχή; in the sense of ‘patience,’ ὑπομονή. The difference between μακροθυμία and ἀνοχή (Romans 2:4; Romans 3:26) seems to be that in ἀνοχή the idea of the temporariness of the suspension of punishment is given with the word as such, whereas μακροθυμία, so far as the word is concerned, might be never exhausted. As to ὑπομονή, this differs from μακροθυμία in having an element of positive heroic endurance in it, whilst the patience called μακροθυμία is a more negative conception which denotes the absence of a spirit of resistance and rebellion. As stated above, μακροθυμία occurs of God at least once in the sense of ‘patience’; ὑπομονή is nowhere ascribed to God. θεὸς τῆς ὑπομονῆς (Romans 15:5) is not ‘the God who shows patience,’ but ‘the God who gives patience’ (cf. Romans 15:13, Hebrews 13:20, 1 Peter 5:10). It is predicated of Jesus in 2 Thessalonians 3:5, Hebrews 12:1-2.
Geerhardus Vos.
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Hastings, James. Entry for 'Longsuffering'. Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/hdn/l/longsuffering.html. 1906-1918.
