The man of the world's conception of honour does not appear in the NT.
Literature. — Wilke-Grimm, Clavis Novi Testamenti, 1868, s.OTi. 66fa, Sofa^oj ; DCGi.,!irt. 'Honour' ; HDB'u., art. 'Glory'; J. R. Dummelow, The One Volume Bible Commentary, 1909, p. 999; H. R. Reynolds in Expositor, 1st ser. vol. iv. p. 47; A. S. Peake, EGT, 'Colossians,' 1903, p. 535 ; G. Jackson in Expositor, 6th ser. vol. xii. pp. 180-193.
John Reid.
HOPE (iXiris). — 'Hope maybe defined as desire of future good, accompanied by faith in its realization. The object both of faith and of hope is something unseen. Faith has regard equally to past, present, or future, while no doubt in Scripture referring mainly to the future. Hope is directed only to the future. Expectation differs from hope in referring either to good or evil things, and therefore lacks the element of desire ' (J. S. Banks in HDB, S.V.).
We shall divide our study of the word and idea in the Apostolic Church into two parts: (1) the Pauline conception of hope ; (2) the idea of hope in other apostolic and sub-apostolic writings, ex- clusive of the Gospels.
1. The Pauline conception. — According to St. Paul, hope has for its object those benefits which, though promised to the Christian Church, are not yet within its reach (Ro 8'-^). It is therefore described generally as the hope of salvation (1 Th 5^ ; cf. Ro S-'*'-'*), as indeed the last terra includes generally deliverance from all evils and the bestownient of all good. It is the hope of the resurrection (1 Th 4'-), inasmuch as the resurrection is at once deliverance from death and the begin- ning of future felicity. It is the hope of glory or of the glory of God (Ro 5^, Col P^ ; cf. 2 Co 3^-), in so far as the happiness of the future state is set forth under the figure of splendour and brightness, involving the perfection of the outward as well as of the inward life. Again, it is the hope of righteousness (Gal 5^), i.e. of justification, inas- mucli as justification, or the acceptance by God of believers as righteous, is the necessary condition of and prelude to final felicity. Once more, as all these benehts are to be realized at the Parousia of Christ, it is spoken of as the hope of the Lord
(1 Th P). Again, inasmuch as these same bless- ings are to be enjoyed in heaven, our hope is said to be laid up in heaven (Col 1^) ; and as the mystical indwelling of Christ is the earnest and promise of future salvation (cf. the present writer's Man, Sin, and Salvation, 95 IF. ), Christ in us is spoken of as ' the hope of glory' (Col 1"').
Hope is also variously characterized by St. Paul in reference to the foundation on which it rests. It is the hope of the gospel (Col 1^), in- asmuch as it is guaranteed by the gospel promises; it is the hope of the Scriptures (Ro 15^), inasmuch as it rests upon those of the OT. It is the hope of the Divine calling (Eph 1^^ 4*), in so far as it is substantiated to the individual by the immediate call of God. It is hope in Christ (1 Co 15''^), as founded in faith upon Him ; while God is the God of hope (Ro 15^^), as its Object, Inspirer, and Giver (cf. 2 Th 2'6).
In Ro 5 St. Paul has described the growth of hope ^^'ith experience. As justified, we already rejoice in the hope of the glory of God (v.-). Tribulations, however, serve to intensify and deepen our hope. Tribulation works patience, and patience experience [doKifi-r), the approved character of the veteran), and experience hope (vv.^- "*) ; and this hope never disappoints, because the love of God is shed abroad in the heart through the Holy Spirit given unto us (v.^).
Finally, hope is one of the most distinctive marks of the Christian life in opposition to the hopelessness of the Gentile world (Eph 2^^; cf. 1 Th 413).
2. In the other apostolic and sub - apostolic writings. — The only difference between St. Paul and the other apostolic and sub-apostolic ^^Titers is that, just as they have less of a theological system than St. Paul, so the refei'ences to hope in their writings have a less distinctly theological char- acter. But the substance of the idea is the same.
Christians are heirs of salvation in hope (Tit PS'). Christ is our hope (1 Ti \\ Tit 2'3; Ign. Eph. xxi. 2, Magn. xi.. Trail. Introd. ii. 2, Phil. xi. 2). We hope in Him [Ep. Bai-n. vi. 3, viii. 5, xi. 11, xvi. 8), in His Cross (xi. 8). God has united us to Himself by the bond of hope (He 7^*, 1 Clem. xxvii. 1 ; cf. Ac 24'^ 1 P P') ; we hope in Him (1 Ti 4i» 5' 617).
A striking expression for the value of hope in the Christian life is found in 1 P P : God has begotten us again unto a living hope by the Resur- rection of Christ from the dead. Cf. Ep. Barn. xvi. 8, ^\7r/<ro»'res . . . iyevofieda, Kaivol ; cf. also Herm., Sim. IX. xiv. 3, ' AVhen we were already destroj'ed, and had no hope of life, (the Lord) renewed our life.' Hope, in fact, is the content of the Christian's life (1 P 1^3 3^, He 3^ 6'i lO^^; Clement, ad Cor. li. 1, Ivii. 2; Ep. Barn. xi. 8; Herm. Vis. I. i. 9, Mand. V. i. 7, Sim. IX. xxvi. 2 ; Ign. Magn. ix. 1, Phil. v. 2). In the beautiful language of He 6'* it is, moreover, 'an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and entering into that which is within the veil ; whither as a fore- runner Jesus entered for us.'