WORD STUDY

The Greek word chairo is closely related to the word charis (which means "grace"). In its broader meaning it is a form of greeting, such as "be well" or "thrive."

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

I Thessalonians 4:13 Romans 5:2 Philippians 4:4 I Peter 1:8

COMMENTARY

"The Christian life ought to be joyful because it is hopeful. To be glad is a Christian duty. Hope, if it is certain, is a source of gladness. True joy is not a matter of temperament, so much as a matter of faith" (Maclaren, p. 274-76).

"The Christian must be essentially an optimist. Just because God is God, the Christian is always certain that 'the best is yet to be.' There are no hopeless situations in life; there are only men who have grown hopeless about them. And there can never be any such thing as a hopeless Christian" (Barclay, p. 179).

"If our joy is derived from the hope of future life, then patience will grow up in adversities; for no kind of sorrow will be able to overwhelm this joy" (Calvin, p. 466-67).

"The church must be marked by a confident tone inspired not by wishful thinking but by the solid reality of the Christian hope" (Layman's, p. 1411).

"To the Christian is given a high and exalted hope of eternal glory with God. This so transcends in importance all earthly trials, troubles, disappointments, and afflictions that in the darkest hours he may find ground for rejoicing. A despondent, complaining, disheartened spirit that always sees evil is not in accord with the divine will" (Lipscomb, p. 226-27).

"The sure expectation in our hearts which rests solely on Jesus' promises" (Lenski, p. 770).

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