M. Scott Fletcher. SUFFERING 'Suffering 'is the usual transla- tion of Tra8ifti.a (found in sing, only in He 2") in AV and KV. In AV the Gr. word is also tr. 'afllicticms' (3 times; KV ' suflerings'), 'aflec- tions' (Gal S^ ; KV 'passions'), and 'emotions' (Ho 7° ; RV 'passions'). The cognate verb irdcrp(<D is always tr. 'sufler' in AV and RV, with two exceptions (Ac P, ' passion,' AV and KV ; 28°, AV ' feel,' RV ' took '). The same verb appears in compound forms in 'suffer before'(l TIi2-', AVand KV) and 'sutler with ' (Ro 8", 1 Co 12a', ^V and KV). In KV KOKOTrdOeio is rendered 'suH'ering' (.Ja 5'"; AV 'suffering aflliction'); KaKoraO^u, ' sufler hardship ' (2Ti 4^ AV ' endure afllictions ' ; 2 Ti 2», AV 'sutler trouble'), 'be suffering'
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SUFFERING
SUN
(Ja 5"; AV 'be afflicted'); avyKaKo-n-aS^o), 'suffer liaiilsliip witli' (2 Ti !», AV 'be partaker of the afflictions of; and 2 Ti 2', AV 'endiire hard- ness'). In AV Traffijrds is rendered ' should sillier,' in liV ' must suHer,' in RVm ' subject to suffering ' (Ac 26^).
Other words rendered by 'suffer' are dniid^u (Ac 5'" ; AV 'suffer shame,' KV 'sutler dishonour ') ; S>/u4u (pass.), ' suffer loss ' (1 Co 3", Ph 3" AV and ItV ; 2 Co 7' KV;AV 'receive dainaf;e'); naKov- Xiofxai (He 13^ ; AV ' suffer adversity,' KV ' he evil entreated'); iJLaKpoev)j.iu (1 Co 13\ AV and RV, ' suller long ' ; 2 P 3", A V and RV, 1 Th S" RV, ' be longsutiering,' elsewhere ' be patient,' 1 Th S" AV, Ja 5"- AV, Ja 5"- RV, or ' patiently endure,' He 6'°, AV and RV) ; va.va.yiui, 'suller shipwreck' (2 Co 11=», AV and RV) ; iveiSi^oi (pass.), 'suller reproach' (1 Ti 4"' AV ; RV 'strive'); ariyoi (1 Co 9'-; AV 'suffer,' RV 'bear' ; also tr. 'bear' 1 Co 13^ AV and RV, and ' forbear,' 1 Th 3'- \ AV and RV) ; (TvyKa.Kovxioix.o.i ( He 1 1-' ; A V ' suller afflic- tion with,' RV 'be evil entreated with'); virix'^ (Jude', 'suffer,' AV and RV) ; moixivu, Ci Ti 2'-; AV 'suffer,' RV 'endure'; usually rendered ' endure ' in AV and RV, but also ' be patient,' Ro 12'-, AV and RV, ' take patiently,' 1 P 2-'"'is, AV and RV).
1. The sufferings of Christ. — The sufferings of Christ were foretold (Ac 3"* 262«-, 1 P 1"). ' It behoved the ChrLst to suffer' (Ac 17'; cf. He 9="). Moses and the prophets showed how that must be (Ac 26-' ; cf. 17'). He suffered throughout His earthly life, 'in the flesh' (1 P 4'). He suffered, being tempted (He 2"*). On the Cross His suli'or- ings culminated. He suffered for sins once (1 P3'*), suffered without the gate (He 13'^ ; cf. Ac P). His sufferings revealed His character, and had a refle.x influence on His own nature. ' When he suttered, he threatened not' (1 P 2-'). 'He learned obedience by the things which he suH'ered ' (He 5'). Of these sufferings St. Peter was one of the chief witnesses (1 P 5'), and he points out Christ as the great example (2-'). It was for His followers that He suft'ered (ib.).
2. The sufferings of Christ shared by Christians. — Though Christ suffered, His disciples are not saved from sutt'ering. Rather does their relation- ship to Him cause them to suffer also. If they are faithful to Him, the enmity and opjiosition He met with will also to some extent fall to their lot. Hence St. Paul, who endured so much on behalf of the gospel, could with reason speak of sliaring the sufferings of Christ. ' The sufferings of Christ abound unto us,' he says (2 Co P). He longs to know 'the fellowship of his sufferings' (Ph 3'"). Others who belong to Christ also suller with Him ; and those who thus suffer will share His glory (Ro 8"). ' Insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sutl'erings, rejoice' (1 P 4''). 'If we endure, we shall also reign with him ' (2 Ti 2").
3. Suffering on behalf of the faith.— The .suffer- ing of the NT is almost entirely suffering in the cause of Christ. St. Paul is told that he is to suffer for the Lord's name's sake (Ac 9'*). He tells Timothy that he sutt'ers because he is an apostle and a teacher (2 Ti 1'°), suffers hard.ship even unto bonds (2"). He speaks of his sufferings in such a way as to show that they were chiefly persecutions (3"). Accordingly, Timothy is exhorted to sutter hardship with him (2 Ti 2'). ' Be not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner ; but sutter hard.ship with the gospel' (P). 'Suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist' (4*). St. Paul suffered, and was shamefully entreated at Philippi (1 Th 2-). There he endured stripes and imprisonment (Ac le''*"'-, esp. v.^). He also suffered because of the perverse ideas of his converts (1 Co 9", 2 Co 1«). His converts, too, frequently
suflered on account of the faith. The Galatians suliered many things (cf. Ac 14-'-'>- ■"■2-). The I'liilippians sull'ered on behalf of Christ (1-"). The Thessalonians suffered for the Kingdom of God (2 Th P) at the hands of their fellow-countrymen, as the churches of Juda'a did at tlie hands of the Jews (I Th 2"). The readers of I Pet. were also subjected to sull'ering. They suffered wrongfully when well-doing (2'"- ^"), for righteousness' sake (3''' ; cf. v."), as Christians (4'«). St. Peter told them that those who are called to God's eternal Kingdom in Christ may nevertheless suffer (5'°), just as St. Paul had told Timothy that 'all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer perse- cution ' (2 Ti 3'^). Among the things w'hich the Christiansof Smyrna have to suffer is imprisonment (Rev 2'° ; cf. He 13'). The Hebrews are reminded that after they were enlightened they ' endured a great conflict of sutt'erings ; partly, being made a gazingstock both by reproaches and by afflictions ; and partly, becoming partakers with them that wei'e so used' (He 10"^). The heroes also suflered for their faithfulness. Moses preferred to sutter affliction with the people of God (He IP'). The prophets gave an example of suffering (Ja 5'°). The early Christians seem to have concerned them- selves little about what we call the problem of sutt'ering, except perhaps in so far as their sutt'er- ings were ascribed to the activity of tlie devil (1 P 5^). Their chief anxiety seems to have been that tbey should suffer according to the will of God (4ii>), i.e. for well-doing (3" 4'").