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JOY.
The noun joy and its synonyms, rejoicing, gladness, mirth, the verb joy—more usually rejoice, also be (and make) joyful, be (and make) glad or merry—with the corresponding adjectives, represent in the OT a rich variety of Heb. synonyms not easily distinguishable. NT Greek expresses the emotion by three leading words: (a) the ordinary chara (vb. chairô; cf. charis, ‘grace’); (b) a term signifying excited, demonstrative joy, exultation—as noun rendered ‘gladness’ (Luk_1:14, Act_2:46, Heb_1:9; ‘exceeding joy’ in Jud_1:24), as vb. ‘be exceeding glad’ (Mat_5:12, Rev_19:7), or ‘rejoice greatly’ (Act_16:34, 1Pe_1:6; 1Pe_1:8; 1Pe_4:13)—never found in Paul; (c) almost peculiar to Paul (who uses noun and vb. 34 times in 1 and 2Co_8:1-24 times in Rom_8:1-39 times elsewhere), denoting joy over some personal distinction or possession, and mostly rendered ‘glorying’ or ‘boasting’ by AV [Note: Authorized Version.] , by RV [Note: Revised Version.] uniformly ‘glorying,’ except in Rom_5:2 f. where it appears twice as ‘rejoicing.’ (d) In Luk_12:19; Luk_15:23 etc., 2Co_2:2, we find a familiar Gr. word for festive, social joy; (e) in Act_27:22 etc., Jam_5:13, a similar term signifying cheerfulness or high spirits. The Beatitudes of OT (under the formula ‘Blessed!,’ or ‘Happy, is the man,’ etc., as in Psa_1:1; Psa_127:5) and of the NT (Mat_5:3 ff. etc.) come under this head, as they set forth the objective conditions, spiritual or material, of religious happiness; while ‘peace’ designates the corresponding inward state forming the substratum of joy, which is happiness in its livelier but fluctuating emotional moods. Joy is to peace as the sunshine and bright colours are to the calm light and sweet air of a summer day: on the relations of the two, see Joh_14:1; Joh_14:27 f., Joh_15:11; Joh_16:19-33, Rom_14:17; Rom_15:13; Rom_15:32 f., Gal_5:22, Php_4:1-7 etc.).
Joy is more conspicuous in Christianity than in any other religion, and in the Bible than in any other literature. Psychologically, joy is the index of health, resulting from the adequate engagement of the affections and the vigorous and harmonious exercise of the powers; it is the sign that the soul has found its object. In the OT, as between J″ [Note: Jahweh.] and Israel, joy is mutual. Its ascription to J″ [Note: Jahweh.] indicates the realism of the Heb. conception of the Divine personality: J″ [Note: Jahweh.] ‘rejoices in his works (Gen_1:31 etc., Psa_104:31), and ‘rejoices over’ His people ‘for good’ (Deu_30:9, Zep_3:17 etc.; cf. Luk_15:7; Luk_15:10). ‘The righteous’ in turn ‘rejoice in J″ [Note: Jahweh.] ,’ (Psa_97:12; Psa_149:2 etc.), in the fact that they have such a God and know Him (Psa_4:6 f., Psa_16:11 f., 100 etc.)—this is the supreme happiness of life, it is ‘life’ in the full sense (Psa_36:9; Psa_63:1-7 etc.)—particularly in His ‘mercy’ and ‘faithfulness’ and ‘salvation’ (Psa_21:1-7; Psa_51:7-17; Psa_85:1-13; Psa_89:1-8, Isa_25:9, Hab_3:17 ff.), in His wise and holy ‘statutes’ (Deu_4:7 f., Psa_119:1-176); they ‘rejoice before J″ [Note: Jahweh.] ,’ expressing their joy by sacrifice and feast (Deu_12:10-12 etc.), they rejoice in the natural boons of life, in the guidance of Providence (Psa_103:1-22; Psa_116:1-19; Psa_118:1-29 etc.), in national blessings and success (Exo_15:1-27, 1Ki_8:66, Isa_55:1-13, Neh_12:43 etc.), in J″ [Note: Jahweh.] ’s ‘judgments’ on wrong-doers (1Sa_2:1-10, Psa_48:4 ff; Psa_68:1-6 etc.), and in His ‘promises,’ which bring hope and light into the darkest days (Psa_27:1-6, Jer_15:16, Zec_2:10; Zec_9:9 etc.).
The OT joy in God breaks out again in the Canticles of the NT (Luk_1:46 ff., Luk_1:68 ff; Luk_2:28 ff.), being all the while sustained on ‘the hope of Israel,’ and gathering in the hidden reservoir of pious Jewish hearts. This ‘joy in God’ was strong in Jesus; the intimations given by Mar_2:18-22, Mat_5:10-12; Mat_6:16 ff., Mat_5:25-34; Mat_11:16-19, Luk_10:21; Luk_10:15 (the whole ch.), Joh_2:1-11; Joh_15:11; Joh_17:13, should correct the one-sided impression that in His ordinary temper our Lord was the ‘man of sorrows’; the glow of happiness felt in His company formed an element in the charm of Jesus. Christian joy is associated with the ‘finding’ of life’s ‘treasure’ in true religion (Mat_13:44 etc.), with the receiving of salvation through Christ (Act_2:46; Act_16:34, 1Th_1:6), with the influence of the Holy Spirit on the soul (Rom_14:17, Gal_5:22, Eph_5:18-20), with success in work for God and man, and hope of heavenly reward (Luk_10:20 f., Joh_4:36, Rom_12:12, Php_1:18, 1Pe_4:13; cf. Psa_17:14 f., Psa_126:5), and with spiritual fellowship and friendship (Rom_12:15, 2Co_7:7-16, Php_2:1 ff., 2Jn_1:4 etc.)—‘the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,’ etc., an inseparable pair (see Joh_15:9-14). The adversities which destroy earthly happiness, like obstructions crossing a stream that rises from some deep spring, go to swell the tide of joy in the breast of the children of God; see, e.g., Mat_5:10 ff., Joh_16:33, Act_5:41, Rom_5:3-11; Rom_8:31-39, 1Pe_1:6-12, Rev_7:14-17, Isa_35:1-10.
G. G. Findlay.