Charity

VIEW:49 DATA:01-04-2020

CHARITY.—The word ‘charity’ never occurs in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] in the sense of almsgiving, but always with the meaning of love. It comes from the Vulg. [Note: Vulgate.] caritas, which was frequently used to translate the Greek agapç, probably because amor had impure associations, and because dilectio (which is sometimes so used) was scarcely strong enough. Wyclif followed the Vulg. [Note: Vulgate.] , as did afterwards the Rhemish translators. Tindale and the Genevan Version preferred ‘love’; but in the Bishops’ Bible’ charity’ was again often used, and the AV [Note: Authorized Version.] followed the Bishops in this. In the RV [Note: Revised Version.] , however, ‘charity’ never occurs, the Gr. agapç being everywhere rendered ‘love.’
For Feast of Charity (Jud_1:12 AV [Note: Authorized Version.] ) see Love Feast.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909

The Greek "love," "loving esteem"; Latin caritas. The outward benefaction, or alms, is a mere manifestation of the inward and true charity of Scripture (1Co_13:3): "Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, ... and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."
Fausset's Bible Dictionary
By Andrew Robert Fausset, co-Author of Jamieson, Fausset and Brown's 1888.

considered as a Christian grace, ought in our translation, in order to avoid mistake, to have been translated love. It is the love of God, and the love of our neighbour flowing from the love of God; and is described with wonderful copiousness, felicity, and even grandeur, by St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 13; a portion of Scripture which, as it shows the habitual temper of a true Christian, cannot be too frequently referred to for self-examination, and ought to be constantly present to us as our rule.
2. In the popular sense, charity is almsgiving; a duty of practical Christianity which is solemnly enjoined, and to which special promises are annexed.
Biblical and Theological Dictionary by Richard Watson
PRINTER 1849.

char?i-ti (ἀγάπη, agápē):
1. A New Word
2. A New Ideal
3. An Apostolic Term
4. Latin Equivalents
5. English Translation
6. Inward Motive
7. Character
8. Ultimate Ideal
9. Almsgiving
10. Tolerance
In the King James Version in 26 places from 1Co_8:1 onward. The same Greek word, which appears in the New Testament 115 times, is elsewhere translated by ?love.?
1. A New Word
The substantive agapē is mainly, if not exclusively, a Biblical and ecclesiastical word (see Deissmann, Bible Studies, 198ff), not found in profane writings, although the verb agapā́n, from which it is derived, is used in classical Greek in the sense of ?love, founded in admiration, veneration, esteem, like the Latin diligere? (Grimm-Thayer), rather than natural emotion (Latin, amare).
2. A New Ideal
It is a significant evidence of the sense of a new ideal and principle of life that permeated the Christian consciousness of the earliest communities, that they should have made current a new word to express it, and that they should derive that word, not from the current or philosophical language of Greek morality, but from the Septuagint.
3. An Apostolic Term
In the New Testament the word is apostolic, and appears first and predominantly in the Pauline writings. It is found only twice in the Synoptics (Mat_24:12; Luk_11:42), and although it is in both places put in the mouth of the Saviour, it can easily be understood how the language of a later time may have been used by the narrator, when it is considered that these gospels were compiled and reduced to writing many years after the spread of the Pauline epistles. The word is not found in James, Mark or Acts, but it appears in Paul 75 times, in John 30 times, in Peter 4 times, in Jude twice and in Hebrews twice. Jesus Christ gave the thing and the spirit in the church, and the apostles (probably Paul) invented the term to express it.
4. Latin Equivalents
When Jerome came to translate the Greek Testament into Latin, he found in that language no word to represent agapē. Amor was too gross, and he fell back on dilectio and caritas, words which, however, in their original meanings were too weak and colorless to represent agapē adequately. No principle seems to have guided him in the choice of the one word or the other in particular places.
5. English Translation
Caritas in English became ?charity,? and was taken over by the English translators from the Vulg, though not with any regularity, nor as far as can be judged, according to any definite principle, except that it is used of agapē only in man, never as it denotes a quality or action of God, which is always translated by ?love.? When agapē is translated by ?charity? it means either (1) a disposition in man which may qualify his own character (1Co_8:1) and be ready to go forth to God (1Co_8:3) or to men; or (2) an active and actual relation with other men, generally within the church (Col_3:14; 1Th_3:6; 2Th_1:3; 1Ti_1:5; 1Ti_4:12; 1Pe_4:8; 1Pe_5:14), but also absolutely and universally (1Co_13:1-13). In the earlier epistles it stands first and unique as the supreme principle of the Christian life (1Co_13:1-13), but in the later writings, it is enumerated as one among the Christian virtues (1Ti_2:15; 2Ti_2:22; 2Ti_3:10; Tit_2:2; 2Pe_1:7; Rev_2:19).
6. Inward Motive
In Paul's psalm of love (1Co_13:1-13) it is set forth as an innermost principle contrasted with prophecy and knowledge, faith and works, as the motive that determines the quality of the whole inner life, and gives value to all its activities. If a man should have all gifts of miracles and intellect, and perform all the works of goodness and devotion, ?and have not love, it profiteth nothing,? for they would be purely external and legal, and lacking in the quality of moral choice and personal relation which give life its value (1Co_13:1-3). Love itself defines men's relation to men as generous, tolerant and forgiving.
7. Character
?Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not? (1Co_13:4). It determines and defines a man's own character and personality. It is not boastful and arrogant, but dignified, pure, holy, courageous and serene. Evil cannot provoke it nor wrong delight it. It bears cheerfully all adversity and follows its course in confident hope (1Co_13:4-7). It is final virtue, the ultimate ideal of life. Many of life's activities cease or change, but ?love never faileth.?
8. Ultimate Ideal
To it all other graces and virtues are subordinated. ?Now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love? (1Co_13:8-13). In one passage only in the New Testament (3Jo_1:6) agapē seems to have a meaning that comes near to the later, ecclesiastical meaning of charity as almsgiving.
9. Almsgiving
With the growing legalism of the church and the prevalence of monastic ideals of morality, caritas came to mean the very opposite of Paul's agapē̌ - just ?the giving of goods to feed the poor,? which ?without love profiteth nothing.? At present, the word means either liberality to the poor, or tolerance in judging the actions of others, both qualities of love, but very inadequate to express its totality.
10. Tolerance
The Revisers have therefore accurately dropped the word and substituted ?love? for it in all passages. It is interesting to note that in Welsh the reverse process has occurred: cariad (from Latin caritas) was used throughout to translate agapē, with the result that, in both religious and ordinary speech, the word has established itself so firmly as almost to oust the native word ?serch.?

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINTER 1915.

The Greek word agape frequently thus rendered in the Authorized Version of the New Testament (e.g. 1 Corinthians 13 throughout) is that which is more usually translated 'love' in the same version (e.g. John 15 throughout). The translation of the word by 'love' is the more proper, seeing that 'charity' has acquired a signification in our language which limits it to overt acts of beneficence. The Greek word denotes that kindly state of mind or feeling which renders a person full of such goodwill or affectionate regard towards others as is always ready to evince itself in word or action. In short, it describes that state of feeling which the apostle enjoined the Romans (Rom_12:10) to entertain: 'Be ye kindly affectioned one to another.' This extended meaning of the word explains the pre-eminence which the Apostle assigns to the virtue which it implies over every other Christian grace (I Corinthian 13).
The Popular Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature
by John Kitto.

FACEBOOK

Participe de nossa rede facebook.com/osreformadoresdasaude

Novidades, e respostas das perguntas de nossos colaboradores