Longsuffering

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

The word ‘longsuffering’ occurs in the English NT in  Luke 18:7 (Revised Versiononly; Authorized Version‘bear long with’),  Romans 2:4;  Romans 9:22,  1 Corinthians 13:4,  2 Corinthians 6:6,  Galatians 5:22,  Ephesians 4:2,  Colossians 1:11;  Colossians 3:12,  1 Thessalonians 5:14 (Revised Versiononly; Authorized Version‘patient’),  1 Timothy 1:16,  2 Timothy 3:10;  2 Timothy 4:2,  1 Peter 3:20,  2 Peter 3:9;  2 Peter 3:15. The Greek words corresponding to this are μακρόθυμος, μακροθυμία, μακροθυμεῖν. These forms, however, occur in the original in a number of passages, where the English Bible (both Authorized Versionand Revised Version) has as their rendering ‘patient,’ ‘patiently,’ ‘patience’ ( Matthew 18:26,  Acts 26:3,  Hebrews 6:12;  Hebrews 6:15,  James 5:7-8;  James 5:10). In the Septuagintthe word occurs in the following passages:  Exodus 34:6,  Numbers 14:18,  Nehemiah 9:17,  Psalms 86:15;  Psalms 103:8;  Psalms 145:8,  Proverbs 14:29;  Proverbs 15:18;  Proverbs 16:32;  Proverbs 19:11;  Proverbs 25:15,  Ecclesiastes 7:8,  Jeremiah 15:15,  Joel 2:13,  Jonah 4:2,  Nahum 1:3. In all these passages the Hebrew has אֶרָךְ אַפַיִם, or the noun-form of the same word. Besides these there are four instances where the Septuagintrenders by μακροθυμία other Hebrew words, or is based on a different Hebrew text, so that the conception does not occur in the English Bible. These are  Job 7:18,  Proverbs 17:27,  Isaiah 57:15,  Daniel 4:24. μακροθυμία, is a word belonging to the later Greek.

The Hebrew אֶרָךְ אַפַיִם and the Greek μακρόθυμος absolutely coincide in their verbal structure. None the less there is to be noted a difference in the basic figure underlying each, which will explain the difference in usage. The Hebrew אַפַּיִם specifically means ‘anger,’ ‘wrath,’ and accordingly the אָרֶךְ אַ׳ is one who is ‘long,’ in the sense of ‘long-delaying’ his anger; hence in many cases the word is rendered by ‘slow to anger’ in the English Bible. On the other hand, θυμός in μακρόθυμος does not specifically denote ‘anger,’ but has the general meaning of ‘temper,’ although it can also have the former specialized sense. A μακρόθυμος is therefore he who keeps his temper long, and this can be understood with reference to wilful provocation by man, in which case it will mean the exercise of restraint from anger; or with reference to trying circumstances and persons, in which case it will mean the exercise of patience. The Greek term thus comes to have a double meaning whilst the Hebrew equivalent has only one, never being used in the sense of ‘patience.’  Jeremiah 15:15 is no exception to this, for when the prophet here prays, ‘Take me not away in thy longsuffering,’ he relates the longsuffering to his persecutors, and expresses the fear that God’s deferring their punishment may result in his own death.

μακροθυμία is in the NT employed in both senses-that of ‘longsuffering’ and that of ‘patience’-with reference to both God and man. The only instance of the meaning ‘patience’ in its application to God seems to be  Luke 18:7. Here it is said that God will ‘avenge his elect that cry to him day and night (καὶ μακροθυμεῖ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς) although he is longsuffering over them.’ The αὐτοῖς does not have for its antecedent the persecutors of the elect, but the elect themselves. The meaning is that God proceeds slowly and patiently in attending to their case (cf.  2 Peter 3:9 : βραδύνει, ‘the Lord is not slack concerning his promise’). In all other cases the word when used of God denotes specifically the restraint of His anger and the deferring of the execution thereof (= ὀργή); thus  Romans 2:4;  Romans 9:22,  1 Timothy 1:16,  1 Peter 3:20.

This Divine longsuffering is exercised with a two-fold purpose: ( a ) to give its objects time for repentance ( Romans 2:4,  2 Peter 3:9;  2 Peter 3:15); ( b ) to gain time and prepare the opportunity for the execution of His purpose in other respects ( Romans 9:22; here the ‘enduring with longsuffering of the vessels of wrath’ is placed side by side with the purpose of God [θέλειν] to show His wrath, and the μακροθυμία does not imply a reversal or suspense of this purpose [so Weiss], but simply a delay in its execution, among other things for the reason stated in  Romans 9:23, ‘that he might make known the riches of his glory upon vessels of mercy’).

μακροθυμία as exercised by men towards men may be both ‘longsuffering’ and ‘patience.’ It is not always easy to tell with certainty which of the two is in the mind of the writer, but in a case like  Colossians 1:11, where ὑπομονή, ‘patience,’ and μακροθυμία, ‘longsuffering,’ occur, together, the meaning is plain. Trench ( NT Synonyms 3, 1876, p. 191) observes that μακροθυμία always refers to persons, never to things. This is not quite correct, for  Hebrews 6:12;  Hebrews 6:15 proves that it can be used in respect to circumstances or things as well as to persons. Patience can be exercised with reference to trying persons as well as to trying circumstances; and, from the nature of the case, where the former happens the distinction between ‘longsuffering’ and ‘patience’ will become more or less a flecting one and the line will be hard to draw (cf.  Galatians 5:22,  Ephesians 4:2,  Colossians 1:11;  Colossians 3:12,  1 Thessalonians 5:14,  2 Timothy 3:10,  2 Peter 3:15 on the one hand with  James 5:7-8;  James 5:10 on the other).

μακροθυμία in the sense of ‘longsuffering’ has for its synonym ἀνοχή; in the sense of ‘patience,’ ὑπομονή. The difference between μακροθυμία and ἀνοχή ( Romans 2:4;  Romans 3:26) seems to be that in ἀνοχή the idea of the temporariness of the suspension of punishment is given with the word as such, whereas μακροθυμία, so far as the word is concerned, might be never exhausted. As to ὑπομονή, this differs from μακροθυμία in having an element of positive heroic endurance in it, whilst the patience called μακροθυμία is a more negative conception which denotes the absence of a spirit of resistance and rebellion. As stated above, μακροθυμία occurs of God at least once in the sense of ‘patience’; ὑπομονή is nowhere ascribed to God. θεὸς τῆς ὑπομονῆς ( Romans 15:5) is not ‘the God who shows patience,’ but ‘the God who gives patience’ (cf.  Romans 15:13,  Hebrews 13:20,  1 Peter 5:10). It is predicated of Jesus in  2 Thessalonians 3:5,  Hebrews 12:1-2.

Geerhardus Vos.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

A — 1: Μακροθυμία (Strong'S #3115 — Noun Feminine — makrothumia — mak-roth-oo-mee'-ah )

"forbearance, patience, longsuffering" (makros, "long," thumos, "temper"), is usually rendered "longsuffering,"  Romans 2:4;  9:22;  2—Corinthians 6:6;  Galatians 5:22;  Ephesians 4:2;  Colossians 1:11;  3:12;  1—Timothy 1:16;  2—Timothy 3:10;  4:2;  1—Peter 3:20;  2—Peter 3:15; "patience" in  Hebrews 6:12;  James 5:10 . See Patience , and Note under Forbear

B — 1: Μακροθυμέω (Strong'S #3114 — Verb — makrothumeo — mak-roth-oo-meh'-o )

akin to A, "to be patient, longsuffering, to bear with," lit., "to be long-tempered," is rendered by the verb "to be longsuffering" in  Luke 18:7 , RV (AV, "bear long"); in  1—Thessalonians 5:14 , RV (AV, "be patient"); so in  James 5:7,8; in  2—Peter 3:9 , AV and RV, "is longsuffering. See Bear , No. 14, Endure, Patient, Suffer

 Exodus 34:6  Romans 2:4 1—Peter 3:20 1—Thessalonians 1:3

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

LONGSUFFERING. In the OT the RV [Note: Revised Version.] uses this word only in   Jeremiah 15:15 , where it is the translation of a phrase usually rendered ‘slow to anger’ (cf.   Exodus 34:6 ,   Numbers 14:18 ,   Psalms 86:15 , in which passages AV [Note: Authorized Version.] has ‘longsuffering’).

In the NT ‘longsuffering’ is the usual tr. [Note: translate or translation.] of makrothumia and the corresponding verb. (The only exceptions are ‘patience,’   Hebrews 6:12 ,   James 5:10; cf. vh. in   Matthew 18:25;   Matthew 18:29 ,   James 5:7 f.; and adv. in   Acts 26:3 ). The RV [Note: Revised Version.] improves on AV [Note: Authorized Version.] by using ‘longsuffering’ in   Luke 18:7 ,   1 Thessalonians 5:14 . The Gr. word means ‘a long holding out of the mind before it gives room to action or passion generally to passion.’ (Trench, Synonyms of NT , § liii.); it implies the opposite of short temper; cf. Old Eng. ‘longanimity.’ In the NT the longsuffering of God is regarded as a proof of His ‘goodness’ (  Romans 2:4; here and elsewhere ‘longsuffering,’ || ‘ forbearance ’ [ arochç ]) and of his faithfulness (  2 Peter 3:9;   2 Peter 3:15 ); it is manifested in the gracious restraint which characterizes His attitude towards those who deserve His wrath (  Romans 9:22 ,   1 Peter 3:20 ). The Divine longsuffering is perfectly exemplified in Christ’s dealings with sinners (  1 Timothy 1:16 ). Longsuffering is, therefore, a conspicuous grace in the ideal Christian character (  2 Corinthians 6:5 ,   Ephesians 4:2 ,   Colossians 3:12 ,   1 Thessalonians 5:14 ,   2 Timothy 3:10;   2 Timothy 4:2 ); it is viewed as an evidence of Divine strengthening (  Colossians 1:11 ), as a manifestation of love (  1 Corinthians 13:4 ), and as a fruit of the Spirit (  Galatians 5:22 ).

J. G. Tasker.

King James Dictionary

LONG'SUF'FERING, a. Bearing injuries or provocation for a long time patient not easily provoked.

The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in goodness.  Exodus 34 .

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

See Patience .

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

long - suf´ẽr - ing ( אפּים ארך , 'erekh 'appayim  ; μακροθυηία , makrothumı́a ): The words 'erekh 'appayim , translated longsuffering, mean literally, "long of nose" (or "breathing"), and, as anger was indicated by rapid, violent breathing through the nostrils, "long of anger," or "slow to wrath." The adjective is applied to God (  Exodus 34:6 the King James Version, in the name of Yahweh as proclaimed to Moses;   Numbers 14:18 the King James Version;   Psalm 86:15 the King James Version; the Revised Version (British and American) "slow to anger," which is also the translation in other places; the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American)   Nehemiah 9:17;  Psalm 103:8;  Psalm 145:8;  Proverbs 15:18;  Proverbs 16:32;  Joel 2:13;  Jonah 4:2;  Nahum 1:3 ); it is associated with "great kindness" and "plenteous in mercy." The substantive occurs in  Jeremiah 15:15 : "Take me not away in thy longsuffering." In   Ecclesiastes 7:8 , we have 'erekh rūaḥ , the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) "patient in spirit."

The word in the New Testament rendered "longsuffering," makrothumia (once makrothuméō , "to be longsuffering"), which is the rendering of 'erekh 'appayim in the Septuagint, is literally, "long of mind or soul" (regarded as the seat of the emotions), opposed to shortness of mind or soul, irascibility, impatience, intolerance. It is attributed to God (  Romans 2:4;  Romans 9:22;  2 Peter 3:9 ), of His bearing long with sinners and slowness to execute judgment on them. It is, therefore, one of "the fruits of the Spirit" in man ( Galatians 5:22 ) which Christians are frequently exhorted to cherish and show one toward the other ( Ephesians 4:2;  Colossians 1:11;  Colossians 3:12 , etc.); it belongs, Paul says, to the love, without which all else is nothing: "Love suffereth long ( makrothumeı́ ), and is kind" ( 1 Corinthians 13:4 ); The verb makrothumeō is sometimes translated by "patience" ( Matthew 18:26 ,  Matthew 18:29 , "Have patience with me").  Luke 18:7 has been variously rendered; the King James Version has "And shall not God avenge his own elect ... though he bear long with them"; the Revised Version (British and American) "and yet he is longsuffering over them," the American Revised Version margin "and is he slow to punish on their behalf?" Weymouth ( New Testament in Modern Speech ) has "although he seems slow in taking action on their behalf," which most probably gives the sense of the passage; in  James 5:7 ,  James 5:8 the verb occurs thrice, the King James Version "be patient," "hath long patience"; the Revised Version (British and American) also translates by "patient"; this, however, as in   Matthew 18:26 ,  Matthew 18:29 , seems to lose the full force of the Greek word. According to Trench (Synonyms of the New Testament, 189), the difference between hupomonḗ ("patience") and makrothumia is that the latter word expresses patience in respect to persons, and the former in respect to things; hence, hupomonē is never ascribed to God; where He is called "the God of patience," it is as He gives it to His servants and saints. But in   James 5:7 it is used with reference to things, and in   Colossians 1:11 it is associated with patience (compare   Hebrews 6:12 ,  Hebrews 6:15 ), suggesting patient endurance of trials and sufferings. In  Colossians 1:11 it is also associated with "joy," indicating that it is not a mere submissiveness, but a joyful acceptance of the will of God, whatever it may be. In The Wisdom of Solomon 15:1; Ecclesiasticus 5:4, we have "longsuffering" ( makróthumos ) ascribed to God; also in Ecclesiasticus 2:11, the Revised Version (British and American) "mercy."