W. B. Frankland.
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PATIENCE
PAVEMENT
329
PATIENCE (viroixovi), Lk 8i« 2V^, and throughout NT ; iJ.aKpodv/j.ia, ' long-sufiering,' only in Epp. ; verbal form appears Mt 18-'^- ^^, with bignificance 'Give me time'). — The moral attribute which enables men to endure afflictions and to employ strength wisely. It is essentialh' a Christian grace. The classical conception of virtue was mainlj^ active. ' The old pagan world meant by a virtuous man, a brave, strong, just, energetic humftn being, who might be, but who probably would not be, also humble, submissive, self-subduing ' (Liddon, Chris- tirtn World Pulpit, vol. xxiv. 138). The Oriental itlea touches the opposite extreme, in which virtue consists not in such qualities as patience, but in the passivity from which feeling is expelled (cf. Newman Smyth, Christian Ethics, pt. i. cli. 2, iii. ). As a Chi-istian grace, patience is inculcated in the NT (1 Ti 6'^ Tit 2^ He W\ Ja l^ 2 P 1«), and exemplihed in the life of Christ. His patience is referred to directly only once in the NT, and then incidentally (2 Th 3' AVm and RV) ; but examples of it are mentioned in the Epp. as incentives to believers (He 12-, 1 P 2-^).
1. The patience of Christ may be regarded ( 1 ) in itself. It constitutes one of the most remarkable features of His manhood, ft is not visible upon the surface of the Evangelical narratives, but it becomes impressive the moment that reflexion begins to deal with His Personality in the light of the events of His life on earth. Whatever His consciousness of Himself, He was evidently aware that extraordinary forces were at His command (Mt 4^ 26^^). 'Just in proportion to the eminence of a man's sphere and the genius of a man's endow- ments, the quality of patience is necessary.' To none, therefore, was it more necessary and more difficult than to our Lord, and by none was it more perfectly possessed. He set before Himself an aim which marks Him as the supreme Dreamer of liis- toiy ; yet, with the vision always before Him, and the longing for its fulfilment pressing on His heart (Lk 12''"), He moved unhasting, if unpausing, to- wards the goal. The second temptation (Lk 4^'-) was a trial of patience. In it He met the tempta- tion to accomplish His purpose prematurely and superficially by means of an appeal to forces which lay ready to hand in the temper and expectations of the Jews. He preferred the patience that works perfectly, and therefore slowly, to the passion that strikes swiftly and works partially and imperfectly. At the same time, His temperament could not be described as phlegmatic. His patience was not the jdacidity of a pool secluded hy surrounding woods from storm, it was rather the calm of an ocean which refuses to allow any gale to rouse it to anger. Not incapability of passion, but perfect self-control, lay at the heart of the patience of Christ.
(2) In its m^inifestations. [n] Asa man, He had to endure the irritations from which none is exempt, e.g. interruptions (Mk 5-^'- 6^°^-, Jn 4''- ''■), the sus- picions (Lk W^-) and the provocations (Lk 10^^ IP^) of His foes ; the spiritual diilness (Mk 9'«, Lk lO*"*- 24-5) .^,^j carnal expectations (Mk 9^^- lO^"-) of His friends. ' He was subjected to trials of temper . . . ; He was harassed by temptations caused by nervous irritability, or want of strength, or physical weak- ness, or bodily weariness ; unfair opposition was constantly urging Him to give Avay to undue anger and unrestrained passion ; or rejection and desertion would, had it been possible, have betrayed Him into moodiness or cynical despair. The machina- tions of His foes, the fickleness of the mob, even the foolishness of His disciples, Avere scarcely ever wanting to try His spirit, and would often goad Him beyond endurance ' (Bernard, Mental Char- arteristirs of the Lord Jesus, cited in Stalker's Inmgo Christ i, p. 192 f.). It is not enough to say
that our Lord endured these temptations without showing any imjiatience ; there was a positive ladiance about His patience that makes it the supreme example of the grace as manifest in human life. (6) As a teacher, the patience of Christ was manifested (i. ) in dealing with individuals, e.g. Philip (Jn V'^ (pf- 148), Thomas (20-'^-), Peter (1^^ Mt 14-«f-, Lk 22=*"- "^1 243^ Jn 2p5f-) ; (ii.) in train- ing the discijiles, e.g. explaining His parables to them (Mk 4'"- ^^) ; teaching them only as they were able to receive the truth (Mt 16-', Jn 16'-) ; repeat- ing lessons only partially understood (Mk 9'*^ 10''-'' '•). It was through His patience as a teacher that our Lord was able out of very raw material to educate the men who v,-eve the founders and Apostles of His Church, (c) As a sufferer, His patience is con- spicuous in the scenes connected with His passion (seeesp. Mt 2Q^-^-, Mk Ugm-^s, Jn 18--f-, Lk 23^\ Mk 15-"'). No one ever suffered so terribly and so patiently as He. There was the extreme of 2)hysical pain, of mental torture, and of spiritual agony. The suffering was unjustly inflicted, and was accompanied by almost everj possible indignity, but the patience of the Sufferer rose above it with a quiet dignitj^ that makes those scenes the most wonderful in history.