Language Studies

Greek Thoughts

MAKROTHUMIA* - Part 2 - εχηγεομαι (Strong's #1834)
Patience, longsuffering, forbearance

Please note that all Biblical quotes, in this and all other lessons posted to Greek Thoughts, are from The Literal English Translation of the Bible produced by BTE Ministries - The Bible Translation and Exegesis Institute of America.

This week we are continuing our study of the Greek noun μακροθυμὶα (Strong's #3115), which means "patience, longsuffering, forbearance," and its verb form μακροθυμὲω (Strong's #3114), which means "to persevere, to endure, to suffer long." Both words are made up of the adjective μακρὸς (Strong's #3117), which means "long," and θυμὸς (Strong's #2372), which means "passion, heat, anger." Μακροθυμὶα is used to express a slow human reaction toward another human being or of God waiting long to bring judgment against man. It is helpful for the understanding of makroqumi/a to consider it in contrast to ὑπομονὴ, which means a remaining under or endurance in circumstances.

Our study last week, from Galatians 5:22-23, focused on the source producing long-suffering in the life of the believer. We learned that μακροθυμὶα is part of the fruit of God's Spirit and is used to describe the controlling of human reaction toward others in order for the Spirit of God to perform His will. Our study today is from Ephesians 4:1-6 and deals with the necessity of μακροθυμὶα in Christian fellowship. Fellowship among and ministry to other believers happens only when the Holy Spirit is in control of the human reaction; since believers need the ministry of God's Spirit, not the fleshly reactions and opinions of others. Therefore, successful fellowship and ministry among believers requires that Christians have their human reactions under the Spirit's control.

Ephesians 4:1-6

1)

I appeal to you therefore, I the prisoner in the Lord, that you should walk^F1 worthily of the calling of which you were called,

Paul begins this section of his letter by making an appeal to the Ephesian Christians which he bases on his own circumstance of being imprisoned in Rome. He refers to himself as a prisoner in the Lord, not the prisoner of Rome. This shows that he viewed his circumstance as being part of his service in the Lord, necessary to fulfill the Lord's will for his life. His appeal is for Christians to walk "worthily of the calling" to which the Lord has called them. Please notice that Paul did not appeal for them to "be worthy," but to walk worthily. "Worthily" is the adverb ἀχὶως (Strong's #516), a word describing the balancing of the marketplace scales. When a transaction took place, the seller placed an item on one side of the scale, and then the buyer put money on the other side of the scale, continuing to place coins until the two sides balanced. Although believers are not worthy to walk with Christ, we are called, as Paul teaches here, to walk in a worthy manner, living up to or balancing in equality to, the calling we have been given in Christ. Paul then presents what components make up the believer's calling.

2)

with all humble-mindedness and meekness, with longsuffering (μακροθυμὶα), bearing up with one another in love;

3)

while being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Paul lists two prepositional phrases, each beginning with the preposition μετὰ (Strong's #3326) meaning "with," to denote the characteristics of walking worthily. The first two characteristics are joined together in one phrase. Paul uses the word ταπεινοφροσὺνη (Strong's #5012) meaning a lowly or humble frame of mind for the first of these two characteristics. It is made up of the word ταπεινὸς (Strong's #5011) meaning "lowly" or "humble," and the word φρὴν (Strong's #5424) denoting the frame of mind or attitude. Paul is teaching that a believer's attitude toward others must come from a frame of mind that is humble or lowly, esteeming others before one's self. This word is connected to the word for the second characteristic, πραὸτης (Strong's #4236), translated "meekness." Πραὸτης in this context, denotes a lack of self-assertiveness. These two words taken together express a lowly or humble attitude toward others coupled with a non-aggressiveness that exhibits a trust in the Lord in all circumstances. The second prepositional phrase contains our word of study, longsuffering (μακροθυμὶα). This word represents a control of human reaction, whereby the Spirit of God can influence the life of other believers without interference from human opinion and reaction.

Paul then uses two participial phrases to express the manner in which believers are to walk. The first, found at the end of verse 2, uses ἀνὲξομαι (Strong's #430), the word for "bearing up." It means to hold up or to bear under someone or something. Paul is using a word that represents a continuous undergirding and tolerance for other believers.

The second participial phrase is found in verse 3 where Paul uses the word σπουδὰζω (Strong's #4704), which is translated "diligence." This word denotes a priority. He is presenting that a priority in the believer's life is "to keep the unity of the Spirit..." The word translated "to keep" is τηρὲω (Strong's #5083), which means "to guard." In this context, it means to keep in the sense of preserving something. Believers are to preserve "the unity of the Spirit" and are to do it "in the bond of peace." Paul is teaching that the unity of the Spirit among believers already exists and that believers have the responsibility to preserve that unity, that oneness which binds all believers together. In verses 4-6, Paul lists seven characteristics of that unity.

4) There is one body, and one Spirit, according as you were called in one hope of your calling;

5)

one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6)

one God and Father of all, the One who is over all, and through all, and in you all.

Paul teaches that believers must function in the Body of Christ with a lowly or humble frame of mind, coupled with a lack of self-assertiveness, in order to maintain and preserve the unity that already exists among them. They must also be slow in human reaction toward each other and have a continual ministry of holding up and tolerating others, while simultaneously
making the preservation of the unity of the Spirit their top priority. As this study shows, all of these verses taken together teach that total control of the human element—from the mind to the emotions and responses—is necessary in order for the Spirit of God to be effective within the unity that already exists among believers.
Next week we will study, from Chapters 3,4 of II Timothy, the necessity of longsuffering in the lives of those ministers who would be effective for Christ.

*MAKROTHUMIA is the English font spelling of the Greek word μακροθυμὶα.

F1: The aorist infinitive περιπατησαι, "to walk" is translated νᾶπεριπατὴσητε, "that you should walk."

Copyright Statement
'Greek Thoughts' Copyright 2024© Bill Klein. 'Greek Thoughts' articles may be reproduced in whole under the following provisions: 1) A proper credit must be given to the author at the end of each article, along with a link to https://www.studylight.org/language-studies/greek-thoughts.html  2) 'Greek Thoughts' content may not be arranged or "mirrored" as a competitive online service.