(6) and {c). 'The idea of ' completeness,' under- stood as implying the complete equipment of the individual believer and the harmonious co-opera- tion of the members of the community, is domi- nant in the passages enumerated above. For the
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PERFECT, PERFECTION
PERGA
Thessalonians' ' faith to God-ward ' (1 Th 1») St. Paul K'^'es thanks, yet he is solicitous for the perfecting' of that wliich is lacking in their faith {3'"). In the same spirit the writer of the Epistle to the liebrews prays (13-'): 'Now the God of peace . . . make you perfect in every good tidng to do his will.' Westcott's note (llclirews, London, 18S9, p. 449) on this verse applies to all the NT passages in which this aspect of perfection is described: 'The word . . . includes the thoughts of the harmonious combination of diilerent powers and of the supply of that which is defective.
3. In the NT 'perfect' is most frequently the rendering of WXeios. Much misunderstanding would he prevented if due weight were always given to the root-meaning of this Greek adjective. It is derived from the substantive t^Xos, which 'does not, as is commonly supposed, primarily denote the end, terniination, with reference to time, but the goal reached, the completion or con- clusion at which anything arrives, either a^ issue or ending, and thus including the termination of what went before ; or as result, acme, consumma- tion. . . . " It never" (according to Passow) "de- notes merely an end as to time, a termination in and for itself; for this, Te\evT-/i is always used"' (H. Cremer, Bibl.-Thcol. Lex. of NT Greek, Edin- burgh, ISSO, p. 541).
In three important passages the RV renders 7-Aeios ' full-grown,' twice in the text (Eph 4'", He 5"), and once in the margin (1 Co 2°). Mature Christians are contrasted with babes in Christ, as in 1 Co 14-", where, however, riXnoi. is translated ' men ' : ' howbeit in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men.' The significance of this antithesis is clearly stated by Westcott in his note on He S" : ' A man is said to be reXdos who has reached the full maturity of his powers, the full possession of his rights, his tAos, his "end." This maturity, completeness, perfection, may be regarded gener- ally or in some particular aspect. As compared with the child, the full-grown man is t^Xcioj physically, intellectually, socially (cf. 1 Co 13"''-, Gal 4^) ; as compared with the fresh uninstructed convert, the disciplined and experienced Christian is TAaos (1 Co 2" 14-», Eph 4'», Ph 3", Col 1^ 4", Ja V].'
The maturity of the Christian character is evi- denced by the complete and harmonious develop- ment of moral virtues and spiritual graces ; each must have its full fruition. TUefnith of Abraham attained its end in his actions, which were at once the proof of its energy and the means of its perfect- ing (Ja 2--). In order that faith may abide the test, the Christian has need oi patience ; so Ion" as he fails in endurance he lacks what is essential to his perfecting (Ja V-). Moreover, as often as he stumbles in word he makes it manifest that he has not yet reached the goal ; self-control is a sign of maturity and of the putting away of childish things (Ja 3=). In He 6' (cf. 5") the forward movement towards perfection is conceived as ad- vance in the kyiowledge of Christ.
Much more than the maturity of a single grace is implied in St. John's teaching concerning the perfecting of love. Perfect love is the best defini- tion of Christian perfection ; and how love is per- fected is plainly taught in the First Epistle of St. John ('2' 4'-- "• '*). ' In the phraseology of this Epistle, "perfected" love signifies, not love in a superlative degree, but love that is consummated in action. Bearing fruit in actual obedience, Love has been perfected : it has fulfilled its mission, has reached its goal. . . . The conception common to " keeping His word" and " loving one another" is the embodiment of Love in actual conduct. . . . The idea is that, not of qualitative, but of efl'ective perfection ; and rereXeiuT-oi might I
be translated more unambiguously by "fulfilled" or " acconiplishe<l ■' than by "perfected." 'i'hat is TiT€\ti{jiix{voi' which has reached its tAos, has achieved its end, has run its full course. And the end of God's Love to us is attained in our loving one another' (K. Law, Tlie Tests of Life, Edin- burgh, 1909, pp. 212f., 2S6f.).
In Ph S" St. Paul includes himself among the TiXewi : ' Let us therefore, as many as be |)crfect, be thus minded ' ; but in v.'^ he says : 'not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect' {TiTeXelufiai). It is improbable that rAfioi is a reminiscence of the technical term used in the mysteries to denote the initiated (cf. H. A. A. Kennedy in EG1\ ' Philiiipians,' London, 1903, p. 457). The difi'erence between the two words, notwithstanding their derivation from the same root, must be taken into account. ' In v.'* the Apostle is speaking of absolute perfection, such as would relieve him of the necessity of further striving. In v." he is speaking of relative perfec- tion ' (M. R. Vincent, ICC, ' Philippians and Phi- lemon,' Edinburgh, 1897, p. 112). Here, as else- where, the apostolic teaching in regard to Christian perfection unfolds the implications of our Lord's great saying : ' Ye therefore shall be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect' (Mt S'"). The context shows that the perfection which Christ exhorts His disciples to strive after is not the absolute perfec- tion of God, but the perfected sonship which manifests itself in love for enemies and prayer for persecutors, and generally in such actions as are becoming in those who are sons of the Father in heaven, who ' maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust' (Mt S").