LiTERATrEE.— H. A. A. Kennedy, Sources of NT Greek, 1895, p. 101 ; R. C. Trench, NT SynonyjnsS, 1876, p. 107 f. ; H. B. Swete, The Apocalypse of St. John'^, 1907, p. 63 ; the Com- mentaries on Ephesians, esp. J. Armitage Robinson, 1903 ; ExpT xiv. [1902-03] 272; see also artt. 'Chastening' and •Nurture' in flZ)B. H. CARISS J. SlDNELL.
CHEERFULNESS (O.E. chere, 'face,' 'look'; L. Lat. cara, 'the face'). — The abundance of ex- pressions of buoyant gladness in a weak and perse- cuted community, as was the Christian Church of the first century, is striking. Whereas we might expect depression and sighing, we find everywhere singing at midnight in the prison houses (Ac S'*' 16^, Ro 8=»-37, 1 P 16.8, etc.). Although St. Paul is described as once saying that his service has been -with tears (Ac 20'^-^^), and in his letter to Corinth confesses that he writes with many tears and with deep suffering and depression of spirit (2 Co 2*), such utterances stand isolated among a multitude of phrases suggestive of rejoicing and exultation. The Apostle's references to depressing circumstances of life are usually to indicate his triumph over them (Ph 3^-8, 2 Co <^'^- 6-» Ipo 12"). Is there affliction ? That may be joyfully regarded as filling up what was lacking in the suflerings of Christ (Col !-■•), as building up character (Ro 5* ; cf. He 12", Ja 1-), as winning an eternal weight of glory (2 Co i^''). Even martyrdom for faith is a thought inspiring joyfulness (Ph 2'^- ^^). Are there those who preach Christ out of envy and con- tentiousness ? No matter, Christ is being preached (Ph 1'5"^8). St. Paul's very imprisonment is having happy results — the Imperial guards have thereby heard of Christ, and other brethren have been in- spired by St. Paul's sacrifice to bolder service (Ph 1^2*1*). There is much in human life to give gladness— meetings with friends (Ph 2"^ ^, 2 Ti 1^, 2 Jn ^^), even the very remembrance of them (Ph 1^), the sharing of the joj-s of others (Ro 12'^ 1 Co 12=8)^ the success of one's work (Ph 2^^), the faithfulness of converts (1 Th 2'8- ^o), their repentance after error (2 Co 7^), their thoughtful liberality (Ph 4^"). One may rejoice in a good conscience (2 Co 1'^), in the joy set before those running the good race (He 12-), in the ins])irations and consolations of Christian faith (Ro 5-- " 15'3, 2 Co P^ S^^-, Ph P^, 1 P l**). Not only is there cause for joy in the argued inferences from Christian beliefs — in the direct experience of the Holy Spirit there is joy and peace which the world cannot give (Ro 14'^ Gal 5^, 1 Th 1' ; cf. the characteristic features of mysticism in W. James, Tha Varieties of Religious Experience, London, 1902, lects. 16 and 17). Christian cheerfulness is not based on a denial of the reality of the dark things of life, but on the proportioning of them by tlie larger elements of joyful Christian faith and experience. A shallow, worldly cheerfulness must not be confused with
the joy of the Christian in God. Human good cheer is only for a season (1 Co 7^°) ; there is a laughter which should be turned to grief, and gladness to shame (Ja 4®). Exhortations to re- joice are found in 1 Th 5i», Ro 5=* (cf. Col 1") 12^2, Ph 3^ 4^ Cxa^pere expresses the predominant mood of the Epistle, a mood Avonderfully characteristic of Paul's closing years ' [H. A. A. Kennedy, EOT, ♦ Philippians,' 1903, p. 466]). H. BULCOCK.
CHERUBIM {x^pov^lfi). — Among the symbolic ornaments of the Tabernacle the writer of Hebrews mentions ' the cherubim of glory overshading the mercy-seat' (9^). In Solomon's Temple there were two colossal cherubim whose out-spread wings filled the most holy place (1 K 6^'^^), but in the ideal description of the Tabernacle two much smaller figures are represented as standing on the ark of the covenant itself (which was only about four feet long), facing each other and overshadowing the place of God's presence. The cherubim were ' das beliebteste Ornamentstiick der Hebraer' (Ben- zinger, Heb. Arch., Freiburg, 1894, p. 268). It is significant that while precise directions are given regarding their material, position, and attitude, nothing is said of their shape except that they were winged. Their enigmatic form made them fitting symbols of the mysterious nature of the Godhead. Originally, no doubt, they were far from being merely allegorical. They had lived long in the popular imagination before they came to be used as religious emblems. They were mythical figures probably suggested by the phen- omenon of the storm-cloud, in which God seemed to descend from heaven to earth, the thunder being the rushing of their wings and the light- ning their flashing swords (cf. Ps 18^"- "). While Lenormant (Les Origines, 1880-84, i. 112 f.) and Friedrich Delitzsch ( Wo lag das Paradies ?, 1881, p. 150 f.) connect them with the winged bulls which guarded the entrance to Assyrian palaces, others associate them with the Syrian griffins (probably of Hittite origin) which were supposed to draw the chariot of the sun-god (Cheyne, EBi i, 745). Behind the cherubim of Ezekiel (10^'*) which are the original of the ' living creatures ' of Rev 4'''8, there may be the signs of the zodiac (Gunkel).