1 Thessalonians 5:16 (ESV)
Rejoice always,
Philippians 3:1 (ESV)
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
Philippians 4:4 (ESV)
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
The word rejoice is used 74 times in the New Testament. Here is what Vine says about the word:
chairō; a primary verb; to be “cheer”ful, i.e. calmly happy or well-off; impersonally, especially as salutation (on meeting or parting), be well: — farewell, be glad, God speed, greeting, hall, joy(- fully), rejoice.
Translated in the AV (74) as - rejoice 42, be glad 14, joy 5, hail 5, greeting 3, God speed 2, all hail 1, joyfully 1, farewell 1;
Paul is quite found of the word. He uses it in his writings 24 of those times. He uses it even more if you count derivatives of the word. To say we are supposed to live in joy and rejoice is a command that comes directly from our Savior, however. Jesus came that we might have joy, always, even in sorrow:
John 16:20-24 (ESV)
Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
These words, albeit short, are a command. We are to rejoice always. This is not an option. Jesus want through great suffering for us to have joy and to rejoice, always.
No comments:
Post a Comment