Kind

March 23

Kind

chrēstos

In Classical Greek, chrēstos (G5543) originally denoted usefulness, and therefore referred to things that were useful, suitable, and proper, such as good food or wine (e.g., Luk_5:39 , "better"). The term broadened to include moral excellence. When used of persons, then, it describes one who is "good-natured, gentle," "mild [and] pleasant" in contrast to "harsh, hard, sharp, [and] bitter."

Our Lord used this in a verse we examined yesterday, Mat_11:30 : "For my yoke is easy (chrēstos), and my burden is light." Whoever heard of a "kind" yoke? They are notorious for being cruel and painful. But that is exactly what is pictured. Even though burdens will come to the Christian, they are still kind in comparison to those of the world.

Our Lord used this word, for example, to describe God Himself as one who is kind even "unto the unthankful and to the evil" (Luk_6:35 ). Peter declares this as well in 1Pe_2:3 , where he writes that "the Lord is gracious" (chrēstos). How merciful God is to allow men to continue in their indescribable wickedness!

Likewise, therefore, no matter whom we deal with, we are to do so with kindness. Our Lord gives us the same principle in the Beatitudes: "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake" (Mat_5:11 ).

As we saw on January 12, the word blessed is makarios (G3107), which speaks of a contentedness that is not affected by circumstances. It doesn’t matter how someone might treat us; what matters is how we treat them.

We’ll couple this word with another tomorrow.

Scriptures for Study: In Rom_2:4  what does God’s "goodness" (chrēstos) bring? In 1Co_15:33 , what corrupts "good" manners (ethos, G1485, "moral habits")?

 
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