The duty of showing hospitality is insisted on in the case of a ' bishop' in 1 Ti 3'-, Tit P (he is to be (f)i.\6S.€vos), and in the case of a widow in 1 Ti 5^* (i^evo56xn<rev) ; and Christians in general are bidden to 'pursue' (Ro 12i3) and 'not to forget' (He 13^) love unto strangers ((piko^evla), to be ' lovers of strangers ' ((pCKbievoi, 1 P 4^), i.e. not to be givers of feasts but to receive strangers (C. Bigg, St. Peter and St. Jude [ICC, 1901], 173 ; cf. Job 3p2). In these injunctions there is a reminiscence of our Lord's words, ' I was a stranger, and ye took me in ' (Mt 25^). See, further, art. Hospitalitv.
A. J. Maclean.
HONEST.— 1. The word 'honest ' in the AV bears the Latin (honestus, ir. honos=' honour') and the older English senses of (a) 'regarded with honour,' ' honourable,' and (b) 'bringing lionour,' ' becoming' (art. 'Honest, Honesty' m HDB). It is used in translating (1) fiaprvpov/j^vos (Ac 6^) ; the 'deacons' must be men of 'honest report' (AV), i.e. of honourable repute (cf. He ll'^- 3", etc.). (2) /caX6s ; it is a Christian duty ' to take thought for things
honourable (AV, ' honest') in the sight of all men' (Ro 121''), j_g ^Q 2iyg morally above suspicion in the eyes of the world. The same phrase (taken from the LXX translation of Pr 3^) occurs in 2 Co 8-^ St. Paul's precautions to avoid slander in the administration of Church funds provide an illus- tration of the principle. Ka\6s is translated in the RV 'honourable' ('honest,' AV) in 2 Co 13^ and ' seemly ' (' honest,' AV) in 1 P 2'^'^. Since integrity wins men's moral respect, ' honestly ' is retained as the RV translation of KaXQs in He 13^^, and the RVm rendering of koXQv ipyuv in Tit 3^* is ' honest occupations.' (3) evaxv/^ovw (Ro 13'^ 1 Th 4^^) ; both the AV and the RV translate ' honestly,' but 'becomingly' or ' worthily' seems preferable (the same adverb is translated 'decently' in 1 Co 14'***). (4) (Te/MvcL ; ' whatsoever things are honest (AV ; ' honourable,' RV) . . . think on these things ' (Ph 4^). Various renderings have been suggested — ' reverend ' (AVm), ' seemly ' (Ellicott), ' venerable ' (Vincent), 'whatever wins respect' (Weymouth), ' the things which produce a noble seriousness ' (M. Arnold). Tlie corresponding noun in 1 Ti 2^ is translated in the RV 'gravity.'
2. The idea of honesty in our modern sense is fairly conspicuous in the writings of the Apostolic Church (ct. the Gospels, where there is practically no direct reference to this virtue; see art. 'Honesty' in DCG). Thieves and avaricious men shall not enter the Kingdom of God (1 Co 6*'^"). Liars cannot enter the New Jerusalem (Rev 2P^ 22^^) : their part is in the fiery lake (21^). Deceit (SoOXos) finds its place in the black list of pagan vices (Ro l-**) : it is one of the signs of an unregenerate world (3^^ ; cf. 2^1) ; the Christians, becoming new men, must put away falsehood, and speak truth, each man with his neighbour (Eph 422- 2b, Col 3**). He that stole must steal no more, but must work with his hands 'in honest industry' (Eph 4^^). None must suffer disgracefully for thieving (1 P 4^^). The dishonesty of Ananias and Sapphira meets with terrible punishment (Ac 5). Fair dealing in sexual relations is recognized (1 Co V). A con- temptible form of dishonesty is that of a religious teacher whose motive is self-interest, and who is so degraded as to trick his hearers (2 Co 2" IP", Ro 16'^, Eph 4"). St. Paul, in contrast, asserts his own purity of motive (1 Th 23'-, 2 Co T 12i«'-, Ac 20^^) and honesty of message (2 Co 4-). The burden of the social-reform prophets of the OT is repeated in the denunciations of the unscrupulously rich — ' Behold, the hire of the labourers, who mowed your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth out' (Ja 5^). See further art. 'Honest, Honesty ' in HDB for literary illustrations of the use of the word ' honest.' H. BULCOCK.
HONEY (AiAt).- The words of God are often compared to food that is exceedingly agreeable to the palate— sweeter than honey (Ps lO^" 119'"^). The prophet of the Revelation received from an angel's hand a little book (/Si/SXaptSiov) — evidently some special source, probably Jewish, which he has incorporated in his own work — and was enjoined to eat it (Rev lO^'-)- I" his mouth it was sweet as honey (cf. Ezk 3^), but as soon as he swallowed it he felt its bitterness (Rev 10^"). To be taken into God's council and made cognizant of His purposes gave promise of the most delightful experiences ; but a prophet's sense of tlie reaction of Divine holiness against the world's sin, and his call to be the herald of Divine judgments, often made his ministry anytiiing but enviable. Jeremiah, to whom God's revelation, when first received, was the joy of his heart, afterwards found the trutii so bitter that he refused to publish it, until it began to be like a fire shut up in his bones (Jer 15'^ '20"). Every true messenger of God, resolute in facing