Equality
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament [1]
Equality —Equality in capability, responsibility, and future destiny is by no means taught by Christ in the Gospels. Christians are not reduced to one uniform level of worth and dignity, either here or hereafter. In the parables of the Talents and the Pounds the servants are not in a condition of equality during their period of probation or afterwards ( Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 19:11-27). The inequality of Dives and Lazarus here is an admitted fact, and their inequality beyond the grave is a sure consequence ( Luke 16:25). Christ repeatedly admits without deprecation the inequality observable among men. ‘There are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last’ ( Luke 13:30, cf. Matthew 19:30). There is, indeed, no suggestion whatever that a certain level of equality, tried even by internal criteria, is to be aimed at. Growth in grace follows the law of life, an increasing increment following upon each further increment ( Luke 19:26). ‘He that is but little in the kingdom of heaven’ is greater than John the Baptist ( Matthew 11:11, Luke 7:28). Pre-eminence is not at all directly discouraged or deprecated, only it must be the deepest and truest excellence, apart from the odiousness of comparison with others. The sons of Zebedee are too anxious for the position of pre-eminence hereafter, and too heedless of the call to self-sacrifice now ( Mark 10:37, Matthew 20:21). All disciples are in danger of desiring to be honoured by titles here, instead of awaiting God’s bestowal of dignity in the new life beyond ( Matthew 23:8-12). But, to be greatest in the Kingdom of heaven it is necessary to be as a little child here ( Matthew 18:4, Luke 9:48). Such lowly and meek Christians are called ‘little children,’ and the Lord identifies Himself with them ( Mark 9:37). The disciple must not lord it over his fellow-disciples wantonly and arrogantly ( Matthew 24:48 ff.). Not only superiority, but even equality, is forbidden as the goal of effort. Mutual service is to be the aim of the Christian community—the first is to be bond-servant of all ( Mark 10:44). This precept of service, instead of insistence upon equality ( Luke 22:26-27), was beautifully and touchingly practised by the Master-Servant on the night of His betrayal ( John 13:5). Every man is to descend below the level of equality and leave it to God to call him higher if it be good in His sight ( Luke 14:10). Especially in respect of penitence for sin is it good to sink ail considerations of comparative merit ( Luke 18:14). Except in the ideal sense, equality is neither an established fact nor a correct principle in the Christian Society. We are sons of one Father, and so brothers; but brothers are not equal, for some are older or wiser or richer or better. We are servants of one Master, and so fellows; but in this service there are various offices and diverse stations. Unity rather than equality is the leading characteristic of the internal economy of the Kingdom of heaven ( John 10:16; John 11:52; John 17:11 etc.).
Literature.—Bruce, Parabolic Teaching of Christ , pp. 178–225; Mozley, Univ. Sermons , p. 72 ff.; Newman, Selected Sermons , p. 260 ff.
W. B. Frankland.
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(1): ( n.) Sameness in state or continued course; evenness; uniformity; as, an equality of temper or constitution.
(2): ( n.) Evenness; uniformity; as, an equality of surface.
(3): ( n.) Exact agreement between two expressions or magnitudes with respect to quantity; - denoted by the symbol =; thus, a = x signifies that a contains the same number and kind of units of measure that x does.
(4): ( n.) The condition or quality of being equal; agreement in quantity or degree as compared; likeness in bulk, value, rank, properties, etc.; as, the equality of two bodies in length or thickness; an equality of rights.
King James Dictionary [3]
EQUAL'ITY, n. L. oequalitas. An agreement of things in dimensions, quantity or quality likeness similarity in regard to two things compared. We speak of the equality of two or more tracts of land, of two bodies in length, breadth or thickness, of virtues or vices.
1. The same degree of dignity or claims as the equality of men in the scale of being the equality of nobles of the same rank an equality of rights. 2. Evenness uniformity sameness in state or continued course as an equality of temper or constitution. 3. Evenness plainness uniformity as an equality of surface.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [4]
ē̇ - kwol´i - ti ( ἰσότης , isótēs ): In 2 Corinthians 8:14 , literally,. "out of equality," i.e. "in equal proportion" or "that there may be equality." In Philippians 2:6 , it occurs in a paraphrase of Greek tó eı́nai ı́sa theō̇ , "the being on an equality with God." In this much-discussed passage, isa , according to a not unusual Attic idiom, is construed adverbially (see Meyer on passage), meaning, therefore, not 'the being equal' (the King James Version), which would require ı́son , but "the having equal prerogatives and privileges." The personal equality is one thing; the equality of attributes is another, and it is the latter which is here expressed (Lightfoot). The "being on an equality" and the "having equal prerogatives" are both deductions from the possession of "the form of God." The thought is that if He who had "the form of God" had under all circumstances exercised His Divine attributes, He would have been employing only what belonged to Him, and would in no way have derogated from what belongs only to God. We regard this as referring to the incarnate Son in His historical manifestation.
