292
JEALOUSY—JEHOVAH, YAHWEH
J
JEALOUSY. This is a frame of mind which lays claim to undivided devotion, implying no tolerance toward any rivalry. It often involves deep and strong feelings. The word may convey a good or an evil attitude.
God tells His people that they must not worship idols. He gives as the reason, "I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God" (Exod. 20:5, nasb, niv). God is jealous and accordingly demands what is His due, exclusive allegiance.
Jealousy is a good and wholesome trait when what is demanded is what is due. The Spirit's sanctifying influence generates sensitivity to what is right and good—there will be desire to give and to receive what is morally owed. The cleansed heart will be keenly sensible of the exclusive nature of some relationships. This aspect of the marriage relationship needs constant emphasis. Christian husbands and wives should jealously guard marital fidelity.
Carnal jealousy is indicated when inappropriate demands are made and ill feelings arise because those demands are not met. Jealousy, a neutral impulse, may be set in a wrong direction by a carnal heart, going beyond legitimate demands to seek that which is not proper. That attitude was demonstrated in Joseph's brothers. They were "jealous of him" (Gen. 37:11, rsv). That disposition of mind may also be described as "envy" (as the kjv translates qana in that text). Envy properly defines carnal jealousy. While jealousy may at times be righteous, envy never is.
A study of the OT words from which we get "jealous" and "zealous" suggests that those words have some common ground in meaning. Elijah says that he has been "zealous for the Lord" (1 Kings 19:10, nasb, Niv; the Kjv and rsv translate qana as "jealous"). What is indicated here is deep and strong feeling resulting from sympathetic identification with God's will and purpose. The apostle Paul reflects that attitude where he says, "I am jealous over you with godly jealousy" (2 Cor. 11:2).
See envy, carnal christians, hardness of heart, hate (hatred).
For Further Reading: Scharbert, "Jealousy (zeal)," Encyclopedia of Biblical Theology. ALDEN AlKENS
JEHOVAH, YAHWEH. Yahweh is the personal name, the covenant name for the God of Israel. He is called by this name more than by all other titles combined. It is a name which not only identifies the Person but also reveals His character.
The sacred name was first written by four consonants, YHWH, technically called the tet-ragrammaton. Considered to be too sacred to be pronounced at all, in its place was read Adonai, "Lord." The combination in writing the consonants YHWH and the vowels a, o, a of Adonai created the hybrid word Jehovah. This practice dates from the 16th century and thus appears in many English Bible translations. Some translations (e.g., kjv rsv, nasb, Niv) use capital and small capital letters for the word—LORD—to designate the title.
The Hellenistic Jews, accustomed to using Greek, substituted Kurios (Lord) for the title Adonai. Hence the title Kurios appears 5,321 times in the Septuagint (LXX).
The meaning of the sacred name for the Israelites is clear. For them it meant "He who is" or "He who will be" (Exod. 3:10 ff). "When God himself speaks, He uses the first person, and the name becomes T am' or T will be.'... It is almost equivalent to 'He who has life in Himself (cf. John 5:26)" (HDB, 2:299).
The Israelites perceived in Yahweh a thorough and absolute uniqueness. There is no other like or equal to Him. Hence their unswerving (when faithful to the covenant) monotheism. He alone is God. For them He alone creates, reveals himself, and imposes His will upon man and history. He has the power and authority to dispose over all things. He alone saves and judges. To Him alone belongs the Kingdom, and it is He alone who could and did provide a remnant to assure the fulfilling of His covenant with Abraham.
Yahweh is the One who has revealed himself, not only His name but His personal character, His covenant, through His mighty deeds. Of all His mighty deeds none is greater than His self-revelation through His Son Jesus Christ.
See lord, name, god, revelation (special), the-
ophany.
JERUSALEM—JOHN THE BAPTIST
293
For Further Reading: HDB; Wiley, CT, 1:244-49; GMS,
60-63. Joseph H. Mayfield
JERUSALEM. Jerusalem became the earthly capital of Israel during the reign of David and continued as such for over 400 years. During that time, the Israelites increasingly regarded Jerusalem as the Holy City, as Mount Zion, the place where God dwelt with His people.
The Temple was built and rebuilt in Jerusalem, and here the Israelites offered sacrifices for their sins, praised God, and prayed. They understood that the Lord, the great King, reigned from Mount Zion (Ps. 48:2-3). Some even believed that the city was immune from destruction, and threatened to stone Jeremiah when he spoke against the city (Jer. 26:6-15). But the Lord did allow the city and its Temple to be torn down, due to the sins of the people. However, the city was not forsaken; it was rebuilt, and an eschatological significance, begun in the kingdom period and the Exile, was attached to it (Ps. 46:4-6; Lam. 2:15; Ezek. 5:5). The Messiah was to reign from Zion, and all nations would come to it to learn truth (Zech. 2:7-13; 3:8-10; 8:20-22; 9:9-11; 14:12-21).
The Messiah did come to Jerusalem, but He was not welcomed by its leaders. The crisis came when Jesus was put to death and arose from the grave outside the city walls. His death and resurrection and the Pentecost event gave the city a greater redemptive importance, an importance that survived its second destruction at the hands of the Romans (a.d. 70 ).
There was, however, a paradox in this new importance. The earthly city represented sin and slavery, but the new heavenly city represented freedom (Gal. 4:25-26). In the Book of Revelation, we read of a New Jerusalem that comes from God. It has no temple, for God and the Lamb take its place. This is the eternal city, the home of the saints (Revelation 21—22).
See israel, church, kingdom of god.
For Further Reading: Barclay, The City of the Great King, 604-21; "Jerusalem," Encyclopedia Judaica, 9:1549-93; Oliphant, Jerusalem, 430-521; De Young, Jerusalem in the New Testament.
George Herbert Livingston JESUS. See christ.
JOHN THE BAPTIST. He was the last and greatest of the prophets, an ascetic, and designated by the Holy Spirit as the forerunner of Christ.
After 400 years during which no prophet had spoken to Israel, "The word of God came to
John" (Luke 3:2, niv). As a child of promise he was to be "filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth" (1:15, niv). This designated him as a prophet who by the Holy Spirit would speak God's message to the people "in the spirit and power of Elijah" (v. 17, niv). As a prophet he had the distinction of being the consummation of the prophetic order leading to the coming of Jesus Christ. Because of his unique position between the old order and the coming of the Kingdom, Jesus declared him to be the greatest of the prophets while at the same time making it clear that "he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he" (Matt. 11:11, niv).
God's word to John was to call people to repentance and to announce the coming One and His kingdom and to give promise of a twofold baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33). The coming One he designated as the One who "has surpassed me because he was before me" (John 1:30), the One "who will baptize with the Holy Spirit" (v. 33) and "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (v. 29, all Niv).
John's baptism with water was closely tied to repentance and forgiveness. He came "preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" (Mark 1:4, niv). John did not and could not forgive sins. "But John's baptism was the expression of the repentance that results in the forgiveness of sins" (Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, 40).
The message of John centered in repentance— a radical change of mind and heart. Using Isa. 40:3-5 as a text, he warned of "the coming wrath." He called for "fruit in keeping with repentance" and judgment in the figure of ax and fire (Luke 3:3-9, niv). To inquiring crowds, tax collectors, and soldiers he gave specific instruction of the moral implications of true repentance (w. 10-14).
John's baptism included Jesus, but for a different reason than any other. Jesus' total identification with man's need included His participation in the symbol of man's need for forgiveness and cleansing, which in the new order would be made possible through the redemptive life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So John could say to Him, "I need to be baptized by you" (Matt. 3:14, niv).
See BAPTISM, WATER, FORGIVENESS, CLEANSING, BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
For Further Reading: HDNT, 1:861 ff; ISBE, 3:1708 ff.
Joseph H. Mayfield
JOY. Joy is an exhilarating emotion of pleasure. It need not be exuberant to be deep and real.
The experience may come with an increase of some good that we desire: wealth or education. It may be found in sensory experiences, in beauty, in mental activity, in moral achievement, and in religious devotion. It may occur with the discovery of a higher value, as when we find that kindness brings more satisfaction than selfishness.
The Bible affirms man's inherent privilege to enjoy nature, music, and social activities. But these natural joys are purified and intensified by a right relationship with God.
The NT recognizes rejoicing as one of God's gifts. Jesus' birth was the source of "great joy" (Luke 2:10). Joy is also one of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22). Jesus explained the goal of His ministry: "That my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full" (John 15:11).
Joy is deeply linked with the gospel. Liberation from sin, recovery from lostness, and reconciliation with God move the spirit to praise. When life is enriched by God's blessings, we are glad. When we make progress toward goals for the spirit, we rejoice.
The joy of the Christian is sometimes overshadowed by temporal affliction, but never destroyed. When we walk with God, "weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Ps. 30:5).
Because joy is an emotion, its intensity varies; at times it may even be temporarily absent (1 Pet. 1:6). But in Christ we have dependable sources of renewal. Paul urges: "Rejoice in the Lord al-way: and again I say, Rejoice" (Phil. 4:4). The prophet sings, "God is my salvation; I will trust ... Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation" (Isa. 12:2-3).
See emotion (emotionalism), happiness, fruit of the spirit.
For Further Reading: Baker's DCE, 356-57; Wiley, CT,
3:55-58; Taylor, Miracle of Joy. A. F. harper
JUDAISM. Judaism is the complex of Jewish beliefs and customs. It is based upon the teachings of the Torah (Pentateuch) as interpreted continuously by prophets, teachers, and rabbis down to the present time. The term does not appear in most English translations of the Bible. However, it is used in the RSV on two occasions: Gal. 1:13-14; Acts 13:43.
While beliefs and practices have differed considerably among various Jewish sects and parties, Jews have held consistently to the belief in only one God, Yahweh. Indeed, if Judaism can be said to have a creed, it is expressed in Deut. 6:4: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord." Jews have considered themselves to be God's special people through a covenant relationship with Him.
Jews have accepted the whole OT as authoritative, but the Law of Moses, the Torah, is regarded as God's perfect and final revelation to them. Important, however, is the Talmud which provides commentary and interpretation of the OT. Out of these sources numerous practices have developed quite universally followed by the Jews. They include aversion toward idolatry, an insistence upon moral conduct, the following of certain dietary rules, circumcision, and sabbath-keeping.
Judaism holds that God is related to the world through creation which He has declared to be "very good" (Gen. 1:31). It, therefore, discredits extreme forms of asceticism and teaches rather that man's duty is to live life fully in this world intended for his habitation (Isa. 45:18). Judaism teaches that God is to send to earth a Messiah who will set up the kingdom of God in which the Torah will be perfectly enforced. Judaism says that by creation individuals are endowed with inclinations both toward good and toward evil, but with the capacity to choose which way each will go. Sin, defined as rebellion against God, is considered by Judaism to be common to the race; but through repentance individual sinners may find forgiveness.
Presently Jews are quite generally recognized as either Orthodox, Conservative, or Reformed. Orthodox Jews remain faithful to Talmudic observances, use Hebrew for public prayers, and consider the Messiah to be a real person. Conservative Jews may believe in the essentials of Judaism, but they adapt them to the modern situation. Reformed Jews, while revering their Jewish heritage, do not necessarily hold to the revelational validity of Judaism, give Prophets priority over the Torah, and practice communal good works by social action as a pragmatic Mes-sianism.
There is also a small but growing group of Messianic Jews who accept Christ as the Messiah, consider the NT as a part of God's Word, but retain their Jewish identity, pray in Hebrew, and follow many other Jewish traditions.
See legalism, israel, dispensationalism, judaistic controversy.
For Further Reading: IDB, suppl. vol.; Fallon, Encyclopedic Dictionary of Religion, vol. 2, Jacob J. Petuckowski, Encyclopedia International, vol. 10.
Armor D. Peisker
JUDAISTIC CONTROVERSY—JUDGE, JUDGMENT
295
JUDAISTIC CONTROVERSY. This was the conflict in the Early Church over the question of the relation of Gentile converts to the Mosaic law. While believing Jews, especially Pharisees, accepted Jesus as the promised Messiah, they saw Him as within and as continuing the legal system of Moses. They failed to see that the Mosaic regime was preparatory and prophetic, to be displaced by Christ, not reinforced and augmented. If they had ever heard Jesus' sayings about the peril of patching an old garment with new cloth, or putting new wine in old wineskins (Matt. 9:16-17), they either had forgotten or failed to understand.
These sincere but misguided conservatives are called Judaizers because they supposed that to be saved, Gentiles must become Jews, and that this hinged, not simply on their faith in Christ, but upon their receiving circumcision.
The controversy raged over a period of years. It first came to a head in Antioch, where was thriving the first Gentile Church. Luke explains: "And some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, 'Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved'" (Acts 15:1, NASB). The vigorous opposition of Paul and Barnabas precipitated the first general church conference, in Jerusalem, at which Peter sided with Paul, and James, the half brother of Jesus, delivered a decision repudiating the Judaizers and vindicating the freedom party.
But the Judaizers were undeterred in their subversive campaign. Apparently they followed Paul for years, infiltrating the churches and agitating Gentile converts. Their insidious work prompted the writing of Galatians, and to a large extent Romans also. Galatians, says Robertson, is a "flaming torch in the Judaizing controversy. This Epistle was the battle cry of Martin Luther in the Reformation" (Word Pictures, 4:273).
Paul especially perceived the radical nature of the issues and the necessity of a no-holds-barred fight. While Peter argued that since God was already saving uncireumcised Gentiles, conformity to Judaism was obviously not necessary, Paul saw that the two systems, Moses and Christ, law and grace, circumcision and experience, ceremonialism and faith, were mutually exclusive, as the ground of salvation. To cling to Moses was to do despite to Christ; hence, "if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you" (Gal. 5:2, NASB). To trust in circumcision is to cling to the shadow and miss what circumcision pointed to—the circumcision of the heart (Rom. 2:25-29; Phil. 3:3; Col. 2:11). The watchword of evangelical religion is Gal. 6:15: "For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation" (NASB).
Paul's victory against the Judaizers was crucial to the preservation of an authentic Christianity. Today Judaizing tendencies are still with us, but in more subtle forms. The peril of trusting in rites rather than Christ is perennial.
See SACRAMENTARIANISM, CIRCUMCISION, LAW AND GRACE, MOSAIC LAW.
For Further Reading: Ladd, A Theology of the New
Testament, 354-56; Robertson, Word Pictures in the NT,
4:272 ff; CMS, 413-17. RICHARD S. TAYLOR
JUDGE, JUDGMENT. God is the Judge of all the earth (Gen 18:25; Heb. 12:23). He alone judges perfectly because He knows perfectly (1 Cor. 4:4-5; Heb. 4:12-13). He judges in righteousness (Gen. 18:25; Jer. 11:20; Rev. 16:7) and in truth (Rom. 2:2; Rev. 19:2). Human judges are to reflect divine judgment, else they judge falsely (Deut. 1:16-17; Prov. 29:7, 14).
Judgment, in the OT, is the activity of God in preserving His covenant by establishing a right order in society—by delivering His people and punishing His enemies (Deut. 32:36-43; Isa. 30:18-19; Ps. 7:6-11). Human champions raised up to deliver Israel are judges 0udg. 2:16-19), and juridical functions are secondary in their careers. The prophets emphasized the moral factor in their preaching of judgment: A disobedient Israel would be punished in the day of Yahweh as surely as the heathen (Amos 5:18-24; Joel 1:13-15). Daniel completes the OT vision of judgment, with the Son of Man reigning in everlasting righteousness and the wicked forever damned (Dan. 7:13; 12:1-3).
In the NT the day of Yahweh becomes "the day of the Lord" (2 Pet. 3:10). Final judgment is committed to Jesus Christ, whose total human experience qualifies Him to judge us all (Acts 17:31; John 5:22). This final judgment has cosmic significance, affecting the physical universe as well as its human inhabitants (2 Pet. 3:7-13). All will appear before this final Judge (Rev. 20:12; Rom. 14:10), whose coming in glory will effect the ultimate vindication of His followers and the ultimate destruction of His foes (2 Thess. 1:5-10).
This final acquittal of believers is brought forward into the present age as justification by faith. The death of Christ was judgment upon sin and Satan (John 12:31), and His resurrection launched the new age in which forgiveness and eternal life are present possibilities (John 5:24; Rom. 4:24-25). The Cross was a righteous judg
296
JUST JUSTIFY—JUSTIFICATION
ment, so that God is "just, and the justifier" of all who trust in Christ (Rom. 3:21-26).
As there is a present justification for believers, so there is a present punishment for sinners. Unbelievers are already condemned (John 3:17-21) and the unrighteous already suffer wrath (Rom. 1:18-28).
Present judgment does not preclude future judgment (John 5:25-29; 2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 9:26-28), which occurs at "the end of this world" (Matt. 13:40-43).
We are justified by faith, but genuine faith works by love (Gal. 5:6; Jas. 2:14-26). Therefore, judgment is according to works—our words and deeds—as these are fruits of faith or unbelief. True faith in Christ evidences itself in obedience to His teachings and emulation of His compassion (Matt. 7:21-27; 12:7; 25:31-46; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:12). God mercifully chastens His erring people that they might live holy lives and avoid condemnation (1 Cor. 11:31-32; Heb. 12:5-17). To despise this discipline is to be condemned with the world.
The final judgment is determined irrevocably at death, for then the believer is at peace with Christ (Luke 23:43; 2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:21-23), and the impenitent wicked are in torment in hell (Luke 16:22-24).
As God is Judge of all, we are forbidden to judge one another (Matt. 7:1-2; Rom. 2:1; 14:4, 10). While judgment as condemnation is forbidden, judgment as discrimination is enjoined (Matt. 7:6, 15-20; Phil. 1:9-10), and the church is responsible for the discipline of its ministers and members (1 Cor. 5:1—6:6; Titus 3:10-11).
See ESCHATOLOGY, JUSTICE, DEATH, PROBATION, DISCRIMINATION, DISCERNMENT, REPROBATION.
For Further Reading: A Companion to the Bible,
209-15; ISBE, 3:1771-78; Aulen, The Faith of the Chris-
tian Church, 145-55. W. E. McCuMBER
JUST, JUSTIFY. See justification.
JUSTICE. In its earliest appearance in ethical and legal thought the term justice was used as the most adequate term for acceptable and adequate conduct. In attempting to determine and explain the nature of man, the Greek philosopher Plato established four cardinal excellences or virtues: wisdom, courage, self-control (usually translated as temperance), and justice. In spite of Plato's emphasis on human reason and wisdom, justice is particularly important because of its comprehensive character; the excellence of the harmonious functioning of all aspects of human nature is called justice.
The Hebrew Bible is equally emphatic in insisting upon "justice" or "righteousness" (these terms are largely interchangeable in translation; Exod. 23:1-8; Lev. 19:13-15; Deut. 16:18-20; Ps. 82:2-4; Isa. 1:17; 56:1; et al.). By adhering to God's standards of righteousness/justice, a people's character is finally approved or disapproved. Thus the "justification" of a people is determined.
Following Aristotle, classical philosophy tended to make distinctions which gave to justice the more limited character of a particular virtue. And in Christianity love became the dominant motif rather than justice. Christ spoke of divine justice as an impartiality which permitted the divine love to be expressed. And the Incarnation and Cross were/are supreme examples of God's love.
However, justice is still dominant in matters of conduct and salvation. Through Christ, God can be regarded as just even as He justifies the unjust (Rom. 3:26). Love must be paralleled by justice in order to avoid sentimentality, spinelessness, and general emptiness.
In the Middle Ages the cardinal virtues (including justice) were included in a general philosophical/theological system which also comprised love as included among the theological virtues. So important are these concepts both historically and theoretically that Frankena holds that all moral obligation can be basically reduced to justice and benevolence or love.
The call to justice is a call for some standard of rights and/or duties, and it confers a cardinal virtue on those who meet the standard. This standard also requires a fair distribution of honors, wealth, and other goods in accord with some divine or other principle. When just distribution is violated, justice requires the correction of such violation.
Justice thus becomes the acceptance of the dignity of all human beings along with the requirement that that dignity be respected by every other human being.
See JUDGE (JUDGMENT), CIVIL RIGHTS, LAW, LAW AND GRACE, REWARDS.
For Further Reading: International Encyclopedia of So-
cial Sciences, 8:341 ff; Tillich, Love, Power, and Justice; ER,
409. R. Duane Thompson
Share with your friends: |