Gentleness

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

Sensitivity of disposition and kindness of behavior, founded on strength and prompted by love.

The Old Testament . Gentleness is suggested by the waters of a stream ( Isaiah 8:6 ) or by wine flowing over lips and teeth ( Song of Solomon 7:9 ). It stands in contrast to baseness ( Deuteronomy 28:54,56 ), harshness ( 2 Samuel 18:5 ), and wildness ( Job 41:3 ). Gentle words wield great power ( Proverbs 15:1;  25:15 ). Job's counsels were well received, because he spoke them gently ( Job 29:22 ). Gentleness evidences itself in a willingness to yield, reminiscent of a lamb being led to slaughter ( Jeremiah 11:19; cf.  Isaiah 53:7 ). The supreme exemplar of gentleness is Israel's God. He cares tenderly for the flock under his care, and "gently leads those that have young" ( Isaiah 40:11 ). He discloses himself not just in wind and earthquake and fire, but in "a gentle whisper" ( 1 Kings 19:11-13 ). His consolations are spoken gently ( Job 15:11 ). As Yahweh's representative, the messianic king comes in humility and gentleness ( Zechariah 9:9 ).

The New Testament . That king, now come in the flesh, is "gentle and humble in heart" ( Matthew 11:29 ). In accord with the prophecy, he enters Jerusalem in gentleness and lowliness ( Matthew 21:5 ). Paul appeals to believers "by the meekness and gentleness of Christ" ( 2 Corinthians 10:1 ). By his Spirit, Christ cultivates the same quality in his people ( Galatians 5:23 ). Following Jesus' example, Paul treats his people gently, "like a mother caring for her little children" ( 1 Thessalonians 2:7 ). He comes to them not "with a whip [but] in love and with a gentle spirit" ( 1 Corinthians 4:21 ). Church leaders are admonished to be "not violent but gentle" toward persons under their care ( 1 Timothy 3:3 ); it is a quality they are avidly to pursue ( 1 Timothy 6:11 ). Knowing themselves to be subject to weakness, they can more readily deal gently with the ignorant and the erring. Believers ensnared by sin must be restored gently ( Galatians 6:1 ). A witness to Christian truth is the more effective for being made "with gentleness and respect, " especially toward a hostile or an unbelieving listener ( 2 Timothy 2:25;  1 Peter 3:15 ). The qualities to which gentleness is joined elucidate its setting and character. Wives should seek "the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit" ( 1 Peter 3:4 ). "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love, " exhorts Paul ( Ephesians 4:2 ). Let believers clothe themselves "with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience" ( Colossians 3:12 ). "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" ( Galatians 5:22-23 ), a cluster of qualities each of which reinforces and finds expression in the others.

J. Knox Chamblin

See also Fruit Of The Spirit

Bibliography . W. Barclay, New Testament Words, pp. 94-96,240-42; W. Bauder, NIDNTT, 2:256-64; H. Preisker, TDNT, 2:588-90; F. Hauck and S. Schulz, TDNT, 6:645-51.

Charles Buck Theological Dictionary

Softness or mildness of disposition and behaviour. Little as this disposition is thought of by many, we find it considered in Scriptures as a characteristic of the true Christian. "The wisdom that is from above, " saith St. James, "is gentle, " ch. 3: 17. "This gentleness, indeed, is to be distinguished from passive tameness of spirit, and from unlimited compliance with the manners of others. That passive tameness, which submits without a struggle to every encroachment of the violent and assuming, forms no part of Christian duty; but, on the contrary, is destructive of general happiness and order. That unlimited complaisance, which on every occasion falls in with the opinions and manners of others, is so far from being a virtue, that it is itself a vice, and the parent of many vices. It overthrows all steadiness of principle, and produces that sinful conformity with the world which taints the whole character.

In the present corrupted state of human manners, always to assent and to comply, is the very worst maxim we can adopt. True gentleness, therefore, is to be carefully distinguished from the mean spirit of cowards and the fawning assent of sycophants. It renounces no just right from fear; it gives up no important truth from flattery: it is, indeed, not only consistent with a firm mind, but it necessarily requires a manly spirit and a fixed principle, in order to give it any real value. It stands opposed to harshness and severity, to pride and arrogance, to violence and oppression: it is properly that part of charity which makes us unwilling to give pain to any of our brethren. Compassion prompts us to relieve their wants; forbearance prevents us from retaliating their injuries: meekness restrains our angry passions; candour our severe judgments; but gentleness corrects whatever is offensive in our manner, and, by a constant train of humane attention, studies to alleviate the burden of common misery."

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

GENTLENESS . The word ‘gentle’ occurs five times in NT (AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ). In   1 Thessalonians 2:7 and   2 Timothy 2:24 it corresponds to Gr. çpios  ; it is the character proper to a nurse among trying children, or a teacher with refractory pupils. In   Titus 3:2 ,   James 3:17 ,   1 Peter 2:18 ‘gentle’ is the AV [Note: Authorized Version.] tr. [Note: translate or translation.] of epieikçs , which is uniformly so rendered in RV [Note: Revised Version.] . The general idea of the Gr. word is that which is suggested by equity as opposed to strict legal justice; it expresses the quality of considerateness, of readiness to look humanely and reasonably at the facts of a case. There is a good discussion of it in Trench, Syn . § xliii.; he thinks there are no words in English which answer exactly to it, the ideas of equity and fairness, which are essential to its import, usually getting less than justice in the proposed equivalents.

In  2 Samuel 22:36 =   Psalms 18:35 (‘Thy gentleness hath made me great’) RV [Note: Revised Version.] keeps ‘gentleness’ in the text, but gives ‘condescension’ in the margin, which is much better. The key to the meaning is found in comparing such passages as   Psalms 113:5 f.,   Isaiah 57:15 ,   Zechariah 9:9 ,   Matthew 11:29 .

King James Dictionary

GEN'TLENESS, n. See Gentle. Dignity of birth. Little used.

1. Genteel behavior. 2. Softness of manners mildness of temper sweetness of disposition meekness.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.  Galatians 5

3. Kindness benevolence. 4. Tenderness mild treatment.

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

See Humility ; Meekness .

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

See Meekness.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

jen´t ' 50 - nes ( ענה , ‛ānāh  ; ἐπιείκεια , epieı́keia , χρηστότης , chrēstótēs ): In   2 Samuel 22:36 ‛ānāh , "to bend low," "to condescend," is translated "gentleness," "Thy gentleness hath made me great," the Revised Version, margin "or condescension"; so also  Psalm 18:35 , where the word is ‛anwāh "humility," "gentleness," or "condescension." In the New Testament epieikeia ("fairness," "moderation," in  Acts 24:4 translated "clemency") is in   2 Corinthians 10:1 translated "gentleness," "the meekness and gentleness of Christ" (2 Macc 2:22 "favour," the Revised Version (British and American) "forbearance"); chrēstotēs , "kindness," "usefulness," is translated "gentleness" in  Galatians 5:22 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "kindness"; chrēstós is the word translated "kind" (to the unthankful and evil,  Luke 6:35 ), and chrēstotēs seems to carry in it a similar idea of active kindness .

Gentle occurs in the Old Testament only in the Revised Version (British and American) of   Jeremiah 11:19 , "I was like a gentle lamb" ( kebhes ). In the New Testament it is the translation of ḗpios , "mild," "gentle" ( 1 Thessalonians 2:7;  2 Timothy 2:24 ), and of epieikḗs , "fitting" "proper," etc. ( 1 Timothy 3:3 the Revised Version (British and American);   Titus 3:2;  James 3:17;  1 Peter 2:18 ); also, with article,  Philippians 4:5 (the King James Version "moderation," the Revised Version (British and American) "forbearance"). In 2 Macc 15:12 Onias is said (the King James Version) to be "gentle ( práos ) in condition," the Revised Version (British and American) "in manner."