Passion

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Charles Buck Theological Dictionary [1]

In its general import, signifies every feeling of the mind occasioned by an extrinsic cause. It is used to describe a violent commotion or agitation of the mind; emotion, zeal, ardour, or of ease wherein a man can conquer his desires, or hold them in subjection.

1. As to the number of the passions, Le Brun makes them about twenty,

1. Attention;

2. admiration;

3. astonishment;

4. veneration;

5. rapture;

6. Joy, with tranquillity;

7. desire;

8. laughter;

9. acute pain;

10. pains, simply bodily;

11. sadness;

12. weeping;

13. compassion;

14. scorn;

15. horror;

16. terror or fright;

17. anger;

18. hatred;

19. jealousy;

20. despair.

All these may be represented on canvass by the pencil. Some make their number greater, adding aversion, love, emulation, &c. &c. these, however, may be considered as included in the above list. They are divided by some into public and private; proper and improper; social and selfish passions.

2. The original of the passions are from impressions on the senses; from the operations of reason, by which good or evil are foreseen; and form the recollections of memory.

3. The objects of the passions are mostly things sensible, on account of their near alliance to the body: but objects of a spiritual nature also, though invisible, have a tendency to excite the passions; such as the love of God, heaven, hell, eternity, &c.

4. As to the innocency of the passions; in themselves they are neither good nor evil, but according to the good or ill use that is made of them, and the degrees to which they rise.

5. The usefulness of the passions is considerable, and were given us for a kind of spring or elasticity to correct the natural sluggishness of the corporeal part. They gave birth to poetry, science, painting, music, and all the polite arts, which minister to pleasure; nor are they less serviceable in the cause of religion and truth.

"They, " says Dr. Watts, "when sanctified, set the powers of the understanding at work in the search of divine truth and religious duty; they keep the soul fixed to divine things; render the duties of holiness much easier, and temptations to sin much weaker; and render us more like Christ, and fitter for his presence and enjoyment in heaven."

6. As to the regulation of the passions: to know whether they are under due restraints, and directed to proper objects, we must inquire whether they influence our opinions; run before the understanding; engaged in trifling, and neglectful of important objects; express themselves in an indecent manner; and whether they disorder our conduct. If this be the case, they are out of their due bounds, and will become sources of trial rather than instruments of good. To have them properly regulated we should possess knowledge of our duty, take God's word for our rule, be much in prayer and dependence on the Divine Being.

7. Lastly, we should study the passions. To examine them accurately, indeed, requires much skill, patience, observation, and judgment; but to form any proper idea of the human mind, and its various operations; to detect the errors that arise from heated temperament and intellectual excess; to know how to touch their various strings, and to direct and employ them in the best of all services; I say, to accomplish these ends, the study of the passions is of the greatest consequence. "Amidst the numerous branches of knowledge, " says Mr. Cogan, "which claim the attention of the human mind, no one can be more important than this. Whatever most intimately concerns ourselves must be of the first moment. An attention, therefore, to the workings of our own minds; tracing the power which external objects have over us; discovering the nature of our emotions and affections; and comprehending the reason of our being affected in a particular manner, must have a direct influence upon our pursuits, our characters, and our happiness.

It may with justice be advanced, that the happiness of ourselves in this department is of much greater utility than abstuser speculations concerning the nature of the human soul, or even the most accurate knowledge of its intellectual powers; for it is according as the passions and affections are excited and directed towards the objects investigated by our intellectual natures that we become useful to ourselves or others: that we rise into respectability, or sink into contempt; that we diffuse or enjoy happiness, diffuse or suffer misery. An accurate analysis of these passions and affections, therefore, is to the moralist what the science of anatomy is to the surgeon. It constitutes the first principles of rational practice; it is, in a moral view, the anatomy of the heart; it discovers why it beats, and how it beats; indicates appearances in a sound and healthy state; detects diseases with their causes, and it is infinitely more fortunate in the power it communicates of applying suitable remedies."

See Hutcheson, Watts, Le Brun, Cogan, and Davan on the Passions; Grove's Moral Philosophy, vol. 1: ch. 7; Reid's Active Powers of Man; Fordyce's Elements of Mor. Phil. Burke on the Sublime and Beautiful, p. 50.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words [2]

A — 1: Πάθημα (Strong'S #3804 — Noun Neuter — pathema — path'-ay-mah )

"a suffering" or "a passive emotion," is translated "passions" in  Romans 7:5 , RV, "(sinful) passions," AV, "motions," and  Galatians 5:24 , RV; see Affection , A, No. 3, Afflict, B No. 3.

A — 2: Πάθος (Strong'S #3806 — Noun Neuter — pathos — path'-os )

see Affection , A, No. 1.

B — 1: Πάσχω (Strong'S #3958 — Verb — pascho — pas'-kho, path'-o, pen'-tho )

"to suffer," is used as a noun, in the aorist infinitive with the article, and translated "passion" in  Acts 1:3 , of the suffering of Christ at Calvary. See Suffer.

C — 1: Ὁμοιοπαθής (Strong'S #3663 — Adjective — homoiopathes — hom-oy-op-ath-ace' )

"of like feelings or affections" (homoios, "like," and A, No. 2; Eng., "homeopathy"), is rendered "of like passions" in  Acts 14:15 (RV marg., "nature"); in   James 5:17 , RV, ditto (AV, "subject to like passions").

Webster's Dictionary [3]

(1): ( n.) The state of the mind when it is powerfully acted upon and influenced by something external to itself; the state of any particular faculty which, under such conditions, becomes extremely sensitive or uncontrollably excited; any emotion or sentiment (specifically, love or anger) in a state of abnormal or controlling activity; an extreme or inordinate desire; also, the capacity or susceptibility of being so affected; as, to be in a passion; the passions of love, hate, jealously, wrath, ambition, avarice, fear, etc.; a passion for war, or for drink; an orator should have passion as well as rhetorical skill.

(2): ( n.) Capacity of being affected by external agents; susceptibility of impressions from external agents.

(3): ( v. t.) To give a passionate character to.

(4): ( n.) The state of being acted upon; subjection to an external agent or influence; a passive condition; - opposed to action.

(5): ( n.) Passion week. See Passion week, below.

(6): ( v. i.) To suffer pain or sorrow; to experience a passion; to be extremely agitated.

(7): ( n.) A suffering or enduring of imposed or inflicted pain; any suffering or distress (as, a cardiac passion); specifically, the suffering of Christ between the time of the last supper and his death, esp. in the garden upon the cross.

(8): ( n.) Disorder of the mind; madness.

King James Dictionary [4]

PAS'SION, n. L. passio, from patior, to suffer.

1. The impression or effect of an external agent upon a body that which is suffered or received.

A body at rest affords us no idea of any active power to move, and when set in motion, it is rather a passion than an action in it.

2. Susceptibility of impressions from external agents.

The differences of moldable and not moldable, &c., and many other passions of matter, are plebeian notions. Little used.

3. Suffering emphatically, the last suffering of the Savior.

To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion, by many infallible proofs.  Acts 1 .

4. The feeling of the mind, or the sensible effect of impression excitement, perturbation or agitation of mind as desire, fear, hope,joy, grief,love, hatred. The eloquence of the orator is employed to move the passions. 5. Violent agitation or excitement of mind, particularly such as is occasioned by an offense, injury or insult hence, violent anger. 6. Zeal ardor vehement desire.

When statesmen are ruled by faction and interest, they can have no passion for the glory of their country.

7. Love.

He owned his passion for Amestris.

8. Eager desire as a violent passion for fine clothes.

PAS'SION, To be extremely agitated. Not used.

Holman Bible Dictionary [5]

 Romans 6:12 Galatians 5:24 Ephesians 2:3 Romans 1:26-27 1 Corinthians 7:9 1 Thessalonians 4:5 Ephesians 2:3 Titus 3:3 1 Peter 1:14 Galatians 5:24 Romans 6:5-14 Colossians 3:5 2 Timothy 2:22 Titus 2:12 2 Acts 14:15 James 5:17 Acts 1:3 Luke 17:15 Luke 24:26

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible [6]

PASSION. In   Acts 14:15 ‘We also are men of like passions with you,’ ‘passion’ means ‘feeling or emotion.’ But in   Acts 1:3 ’ He showed himself alive after his passion,’ the word means ‘suffering,’ as in Wyclif’s translation of   Hebrews 2:9 ‘Ihesus for the passioun of deeth, crowned with glorie and honour.’

Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary [7]

We find mention made of our Lord's passion in the Acts of the Apostles: ( Acts 1:3) and indeed the whole tendency of the Scriptures is to bring the church acquainted with this one great event, in the sufferings and death of Jesus. The reader will do well to have this always in remembrance in all his researches and enquiries concerning Christ.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary [8]

 Acts 1:3 , suffering; the last sufferings and death of Christ. In  Acts 14:15   James 5:17 , "like passions" is nearly equivalent to "the same human nature."

Morrish Bible Dictionary [9]

'Suffering:' Christ showed Himself alive after His suffering.  Acts 1:3 .

Easton's Bible Dictionary [10]

 Acts 1:3

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature [11]

(Gr. Πάσχω , To Suffer ) expresses really the contrary of action. But first in the plural form, and now even in the singular, the word is used to describe a violent commotioi or agitation of the mind emotion, zeal, ardor. In its widest sense it denotes all the states or manifestations of the sensibility every form and degree of feeling. In a more restricted psychological sense it is confined to those states of the sensibility which are turbulent, and weaken our power of self-command. This is also the popular use of the phrase, in which Passion is opposed to reason.

(a.) Plato arranged the Passions in two classes, the concupiscible and Irascible Ἐπιθυμία and Θῦμος ; the former springing from the body and perishing with it, the latter connected with the rational and immortal part of our nature, and stimulating to the pursuit of good aid the avoiding of excess and evil. Aristotle included all man's active principles under one general designation of oretic, and distinguished them into the appetite irascible, the appetite concupiscible, which had their origin in the body, and the body rational ( Βούλησις ), which is in the will, under the guidance of reason. Descartes and Malebranche have each given a theory and classification of the Passions, also Dr. Isaac Watts, Dr. Cogan, and Dr. Hutcheson and Le Brun. The last named makes the number of passions about twenty:

1. attention;

2. admiration;

3. astonishment;

4. veneration;

5. rapture;

6. joy, with tranquillity;

7. desire;

8. laughter;

9. acute pain;

10. pains, simply bodily;

11. sadness;

12. weeping;

13. compassion;

14. scorn;

15. horror;

16. terror or fright;

17. anger;

18. hatred;

19. jealousy;

20. despair.

All these may be represented on canvas by the pencil. Some make their number greater, adding aversion, love, emulation, etc.; these, however, may be considered as included in the above list. They are divided by some into public and private, proper and improper, social and selfish passions.

(b.) The Origin of the passions is from impressions on the senses; from the operations of reason, by which good or evil is foreseen; and from the recollections of memory.

(c.) The Objects of the passions are mostly things sensible, on account of their near alliance to the body; but objects of a spiritual nature also, though invisible, have a tendency to excite the passions: such as the love of God, heaven, hell, eternity, etc.

(d.) As to the Innocency of the passions; in themselves they are neither good nor evil, but according to the good or ill Use that is made of them, and the degrees to which they rise.

(e.) The Usefulness of the passions is considerable; they were given us for a kind of spring or elasticity to correct the natural sluggishness, of the corporeal part. They give birth to poetry, science, painting, music, and all the polite arts, which minister to pleasure; nor are they less serviceable in the cause of religion and truth. "When sanctified," says Dr. Watts, "they set the powers of the understanding at work in the search of divine truth and religious duty; they keep the soul fixed to divine things; render the duties of holiness much easier, and temptations to sin much weaker; and render us more like Christ, and fitter for his presence and enjoyment in heaven.

(f.) As to the Regulation of the passions: to know whether they are under due restraints and directed to proper objects, we must inquire whether they influence our opinions; run before the understanding; are engaged in trifling, and neglectful of important objects; express themselves in an indecent manner; and whether, they disorder our conduct. If this be the case, they are out of their due bounds, and will become sources of trial rather than instruments of good. To have them properly regulated, we should possess knowledge of our duty, take God's Word for our rule, be much in prayer and dependence on the Divine Being.

(g.) Lastly, we should Study the passions. To examine them accurately, indeed, requires much skill, patience, observation, and judgment; but to form any proper idea of the human mind, and its various operations; to detect the errors that arise from heated temperament and intellectual excess; to know how to touch their various strings, and to direct and employ them in the best of all services to accomplish these ends, the study of the passions is of the greatest consequence. "Amid the numerous branches of knowledge," says Mr. Cogan, "which claim the attention of the human mind, no one can be more important than this. Whatever most intimately concerns ourselves must be of the first moment. An attention, therefore, to the workings of our own minds; tracing the power which external objects have over us; discovering the nature of our emotions and affections; and comprehending the reason of our being affected in a particular manner, must have a direct influence upon our pursuits, our characters, and our happiness. It may with justice be advanced that the happiness of ourselves in this department is of much greater utility than abtruser speculations concerning the nature of the human soul, or even the most accurate knowledge of its intellectual powers; for it-is according as the passions and affections are excited and directed towards the objects investigated by our intellectual natures that we become useful to ourselves and others; that we rise into respectability or sink into contempt; that we diffuse or enjoy happiness, diffuse or suffer misery. An accurate analysis of these passions and affection, therefore, is to the moralist what the science of anatomy is to the surgeon. It constitutes the first principles of rational practice; it is, in a moral view, the anatomy of the heart; it discovers why it beats, and how it beats; indicates appearances in a sound and healthy state; detects diseases with their causes, and it is infinitely more fortunate in the power it communicates of applying suitable remedies."

See Hutcheson, Watts, Le Brun, Cogan, and Davan On the Passions; Grove, Moral Philos. vol. 1, chap. 7; Reid, Active Powers of Man; Fordyce, Elements of Moral Philos.; Burke, On the Sublime and Beautiful, p. 50; M'Cosh, Hist. of Scottish Philos.; Ueberweg, Hist. of Philos. (see Index in vol. 2); Southern Rev. Oct. 1874, art. 3; New- Englander, Oct. 1872, p. 289.

References