Rev. Charles Tr avers Wood, M.A., Fellow and Lecturer in Hebrew in Queens' College, Cambridge.
Rev. H. J. Wotherspoon, M.A., Edinburgh.
Rev. Arthur Wright, D.D., Fellow, Tutor, and Vice-President of Queens' College, Cambridge.
Rev T. H. Wright, Edinburgh.
Rev D. G Young, B.D., Moneydie, Perth.
Rev. J Young, B.D., Paisley.
Rev. Andrew C. Zenos, D.D., Professor of Ecclesiastical History in the M'Cormick Theo- logical Seminary, Chicago.
DICTIONARY OF CHRIST AND THE GOSPELS
LABOUR Tlie verb Komav in NT Greek signi- fies not only the weariness produced bj^ constant toil (see Jn 4* KeKowiaKws), which is the idea attach- ing to the word in classical writings (cf. Liddell and Scott's Lex. s.v.) ; it also has reference to the toil itself (cf. Mt 628 11-^s, Lk 5' 12-^, Jn 4^), and some- times to its result in the field of operations (6 ovx v/j-eii KeKowLa.Ka.Te = Tbv kjwov in Jn 4''*). This ex- tension in the use of the word is not confined, liowever, to the NT, and it is probable that it is borrowed from the LXX. We find it employed, f^n- instance, in Joshua (24^^). Nor is it unlikely that Jesus had in His mind this passage and was even conscious of a parallel between Himself and the warlike leader of Israel's armies, who brought the nation into a land on the development of which they spent no wearisome toil (icf fiv ovk eKOTriao-are, k.t.X. ). The perfection of Christ's human nature is emphasized by the use of this ^\'ord in the Johannine narrative of the woman of Samaria (Jn 4^), and it is worthy of note that the record of this incident is peculiar to that writing (see Westcott's Gospel of St. John, adloc).
Closely allied to this word is ipyd^ea-dai and its cognates, (pydT-qs which occurs frequently in the Gospels, and ^pyaaia almost peculiar to the Lukan Avritings. The last mentioned word not only im- plies the business or trade bj' which men gain their livelihood (Ac 19-^), but includes in its meaning the resultant gain or profit accruing (see Ac W^- '"), and sometimes tlie trouble or toil involved in the pursuit of an object (Lk 125«). An ethical content is imported into the word by St. Paul (Eph 4}^), just as is done in St. Luke's Gospel where a Latin - ism (56s ipyaaiav) is employed to emphasize the warning of Jesus with respect to the conciliation of an adversary. ' In medical language it was used for the making of some mixture, the mixture itself —the work of digestion and that of the lungs,' etc. (Hobart, The Medical Langiincjc of St. Luke, p. 243). At the same time it miist not be forgotten that this word is found in the LXX (cf. e.g. Wis 13'-' I, where St. Luke may have become familiar with its uses. A similar spiritual significance fre- quently attaches to the words Koiridv, kowos, and epydrrjs in the Gospel narratives (cf. Jn 4»^ Mt 9^'- = Lk 102, Mt 10i*' = Lk 10^ IS^).
Considerations like these show us clearly in what spirit Jesus claimed the active support of His followers. Theirs was to be no half-hearted
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allegiance. They were expected to work in His cause ceaselessly and in spite of weariness, for the field of operations was large and the toilers few (oi epydrai oXiyoi, 6 depicr/j-bs ttoXvs, Mt 9^" = Lk 10"). The conditions as to remuneration which obtained in the case of the ordinary field-labourer held good in the case of those who preached the Gospel (a|ios yap 6 ipydrris rrjs rpocpijs avrov, Mt 10^", cf. Lk 10"). His disciples were reminded that they were the successors of a long line of toilers who sowed the seed, of which they were about to reap the fruit {dWoi KeKowidKaaiv, Kai Vfx,e7s eis top kottov airQv eiffeXr]- Xvdare, Jn 4**).
This is a thought which has a large place in the Pauline conception of Christian work, and the Christolog.v of St. Paul enhances the dignity of, as it supplies the motive "power which guides and strengthens, the toiler (cf. froW.i iHo-riccinv iv K'^p.a, Ro 1612; see also 1 Co loW, Gal 411, Ph 216, Col 129, i xh 512). With this conception of laborious effort as the norm of Chris- tian life we may compare what is told of Rabbi Judah in the Midrash on Genesis, who sat labouring ' in the law ' before the Babylonish synagogue in Zippor (Bereshith Rabba, § 33). We are reminded of the exhortation respecting those ' who labour (o( xoTiivri;) in the word and in teaching' (1 Ti 51"). It may not be out of place to call attention here to those incidental statements which picture for us the Apostle of the Gentiles and his companions working dav bv dav to supply their physical necessities (1 Co 412 xoTi-Zysv', cf.' 96, 1 Th 29, 2 Th 38).
Not only does the life of Jesus exhibit the great example of self-sacrificing labour for the sake of the souls of men ; it furnishes, moreover, the prin- ciple that human life in all its phases is, at its best, a life of service. In its earliest stages obedi- ence to parental authority (/cat ^v v-rroTaa-a-o/xevoi auTols, Lk 2^') leads the Avay to Avilling obedience to a primal and fundamental law which conditions man's living to the full his present life (see Gn 3'" ev IdpuiTi Tov TrpoauiTTOv aov (pdyrj rbv dprov aov, k.t.X. ).