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In its substantival, adjectival, verbal, and adverbial form this term occurs in the English NT in the following passages: Luk_6:35, Act_27:3; Act_28:2, 1Co_13:4, 2Co_6:6, Gal_5:22 (Revised Version only), Eph_2:7; Eph_4:32, Col_3:12, Tit_2:5 (Revised Version only), Tit_3:4, 2Pe_1:7 (Authorized Version only; Revised Version ‘love of the brethren’). In all these passages (except Act_27:3; Act_28:2, where it renders öéëáíèñþðùò , öéëáíèñùðßá , Tit_2:5, where it renders ἀãáèüò , and 2Pe_1:7, where ‘brotherly kindness’ renders öéëáäåëößá ) the original has ÷ñçóôüò , ÷ñçóôüôçò , ÷ñçóôåýåéí . These Greek words, however, occur in several other places, where the English NT docs not employ the term ‘kindness,’ viz. Mat_11:30 (‘easy’), Luk_5:39 (Authorized Version ÷ñçóôüôåñïò , ‘better,’ Revised Version ÷ñçóôüò , ‘good’), Rom_2:4 bis (‘goodness’), Rom_3:12 (‘good’), Rom_11:22 (‘goodness’), 1Co_15:33 (‘good’), Gal_5:22 (Authorized Version ‘gentleness,’ Revised Version ‘kindness’), 1Pe_2:3 (‘gracious’). These passages will have to be taken into account in determining the precise meaning of the conception.
÷ñçóôüò is the verbal adjective of ÷ñÜù , ‘use.’ Its primary meaning, therefore, is ‘usable,’ ‘serviceable,’ ‘good,’ ‘adequate,’ ‘efficient’ (of persona as well as of things). This utilitarian sense of ‘goodness’ passes over into the ethical sense in which it becomes the opposite to such words as ðïíçñüò , ìï÷èçñüò , áἰó÷ñüò . It further passes over into the more specialized ethical meaning of ‘kind,’ ‘mild.’ The process of the latter transition may perhaps still be observed in the phrase ôὰ ÷ñçóôÜ =‘good services,’ ‘benefits,’ ‘kindnesses.’
In the NT there is only one instance where it has the sub-ethical meaning ‘good for use,’ viz. Luk_5:39; here the old wine is said to be ‘good’ or ‘better.’ According to Trench (Synonyms of the NT9, 1901, p. 233), even here the thought is coloured by the ethical employment of the word in other connexions, ÷ñçóôüò = ‘mellowed with age.’ This is certainly true of Mat_11:30, where Christ’s yoke is called ÷ñçóôüò because it is a figure for demands that are kind and mild. In all other instances the ethical application is explicit. The precise shade of meaning, however, attaching to the word in this sense is not easy to determine. In certain instances it may designate moral goodness in general. This seems to be the case in Rom_3:12 ( ðïéῶí ÷ñçóôüôçôá , a quotation from Psa_14:2, where ÷ñçóôüí is the Septuagint rendering for èåֹá ). In 1Co_15:33 the proverbial saying öèåßñïõóéí ἤèç ÷ñçóôὰ ὁìéëßáé êáêáß , ‘evil companionships corrupt good morals’ (or ‘characters’), has ÷ñçóôüò in the same general sense, the opposite here being êáêüò . In all other cases there are indications that some specific quality of moral goodness is intended. Most clearly this is apparent in Gal_5:22, for here ÷ñçóôüôçò stands among a number of Christian graces and is even distinguished from ἀãáèùóýíç , ‘goodness.’ A similar co-ordination is found in Col_3:12, where ÷ñçóôüôçò occurs side by side with ðñáὔôçò . Various attempts have been made at defining that conception. Jerome in his exposition of Gal_5:22 renders ÷ñçóôüôçò by benignitas (cf. the rendering by Wyclif and in the Rheims Version), and quotes the Stoic definition; ‘benignitas est virtus sponte ad benefaciendum exposita.’ The difference between ÷ñçóôüôçò and ἀãáèùóýíç he finds in this, that the latter can go together with a degree of severity, whilst it is inherent in ÷ñçóôüôçò to be sweet and inviting in its association with others. This, however, does not quite hit the centre of the biblical idea. Most shrewdly, it seems to us, the latter has been pointed out by Tittmann (de Synonymis in NT, 1829-32, i. 141) as consisting in the trait of beneficence towards those who are evil and ungrateful: ‘ ÷ñçóôüò bene cupit, neque bonis tantum sed etiam malis.’
A closer inspection of the several passages will bear this out, at least as the actual implication of the NT usage, if not as the inherent etymological force of the word. In Luk_6:35 God is said to be ÷ñçóôüò towards the unthankful and evil, and the statement serves to urge the preceding exhortation: ‘love your enemies, do them good, and lend, never despairing.’ The passages in Romans point to the same conclusion. In Luk_2:4 the ÷ñçóôüôçò is associated with ‘forbearance’ and ‘longsuffering’; it is that attitude of God by which doing good in the face of evil He leads men to repentance. In the second clause of this verse the word occurs in the form ôὸ ÷ñçóôὸí ôïῦ èåïῦ , which probably means the embodiment of the ÷ñçóôüôçò in acts. On the same principle in Luk_11:22 ÷ñçóôüôçò is the opposite of ἀðïôïìßá , ‘severity’; ‘to continue in the ÷ñçóôüôçò of God’ means to continue in conscious dependence on this undeserved favour of God (cf. Luk_11:21, ‘be not highminded, but fear’). In 1Co_13:4 we read of love that it ‘suffereth long ( ÷ñçóôåýåôáé ), envieth not,’ which indicates that a kindness is meant which overcomes obstacles. In 2Co_6:6, again, ÷ñçóôüôçò is found in conjunction with ‘longsuffering,’ and in a context which emphasizes the patient, forbearing character of the Apostle’s loving ministration to his converts. In Gal_5:22 we meet with the same conjunction between ‘longsuffering’ and ÷ñçóôüôçò , and here, by distinction from ἀãáèùóýíç , ‘benevolence,’ and ðñáὔôçò , ‘meekness,’ the sense is narrowed down to a benevolence which asserts itself either with a peculiar cheerfulness or in the face of peculiar difficulties. According to Eph_2:7 the Divine grace is shown in kindness; no matter whether ÷ñçóôüôçò is here taken as abstractum pro concreto=the embodiment of God’s kind procedure in the work of salvation, or whether ‘grace’ be given an objective concrete sense; in either case the association of the two shows that the Divine ÷ñçóôüôçò is conceived as having for its object the sinful and unworthy. The context of Col_3:12 likewise emphasizes the forbearing and forgiving disposition required of the Christian in view of the forgiveness received from God, and the terms with which ÷ñçóôüôçò is here associated (‘lowliness,’ ‘meekness,’ ‘longsuffering’) are again terms that describe benevolence over against faults observed in fellow-Christians. The ÷ñçóôüôçò of Tit_3:4 is shown by the context to be God’s kindness towards sinful, undeserving man, and held up as an example for the Christian of abstention from evil-speaking, contentiousness, and pride. It came to such as were ‘foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.’ Finally, in 1Pe_2:8 (a quotation from Psa_34:9) the general meaning ‘gracious’ seems to be indicated by the fact that the Divine ÷ñçóôüôçò is set in contrast to the wickedness and guile and hypocrisies and envies and evil-speakings, which the readers must put aside as new-born men (cf. 1Pe_1:23 and the ‘therefore’ in 1Pe_2:1), and the putting aside of which is invited by their vivid experience in the new life that the Lord Himself is gracious.
Geerhardus Vos.