Lexical Summary chara: Joy, gladness, delight Original Word: χαρά Strong's Exhaustive Concordance gladness, joyFrom chairo; cheerfulness, i.e. Calm delight -- gladness, X greatly, (X be exceeding) joy(-ful, -fully, -fulness, -ous). see GREEK chairo HELPS Word-studies Cognate: 5479 xará (another feminine noun from the root xar-, "extend favor, lean towards, be favorably disposed") – properly, the awareness (of God's) grace, favor; joy ("grace recognized"). [The etymological link between 5463 /xaírō ("rejoice because of grace"), 5479 /xará ("joy because of grace") and 5485 /xáris ("grace") – i.e. that they are all cognates – is observed by LS (p 1,976), Zod (Dict), CBL, Wigram's Englishman's Greek Concordance (Ed. Ralph Winters), Word Study Greek-English NT (Tyndale, Ed. Paul McReynolds) – see also DNTT (2,356) and TDNT (9; 359,60). TDNT likewise groups them as cognates, referring to 5479 (xará) as the noun-form (nomen actionis), discussing them separately in light of their distinct connotations.] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom chairó Definition joy, delight NASB Translation greatly (1), joy (54), joyful (1), joyfully (1), joyously (1), rejoicing (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5479: χαράχαρά, χαρᾶς, ἡ (χαίρω), from Aeschylus and Sophocles down, the Sept. for שִׂמְחָה and שָׂשׂון, joy, gladness; a: Luke 1:14; Luke 15:7, 10; John 15:11; John 16:22, 24; John 17:13; Acts 8:8; 2 Corinthians 7:13; 2 Corinthians 8:2; Galatians 5:22; Colossians 1:11; Philippians 2:2; 1 John 1:4; 2 John 1:12; opposed to κατήφεια, James 4:9; opposed to λύπη, John 16:20; 2 Corinthians 2:3; Hebrews 12:11; ὑμῶν, i. e. the joy received from you, 2 Corinthians 1:24 (opposed to the 'sorrow' which Paul on returning to Corinth would both experience and give, 2 Corinthians 2:1-3); χαρά τῆς πίστεως, springing from faith, Philippians 1:25; χαίρειν χαράν μέγαν Matthew 2:10 (Winers Grammar, § 32, 2; Buttmann, 131, 5); ἀγαλλίασθαι χαρά, 1 Peter 1:8; χαράν (Rec.st χάριν) πολλήν ἐήξειν ἐπί with a dative of the thing, Philemon 1:7; πληροῦν τινα χαρᾶς, Romans 15:13; πληροῦσθαι χαρᾶς, Acts 13:52; 2 Timothy 1:4; ποιεῖν τίνι χαράν μεγάλην, Acts 15:3; ἀπό τῆς χαρᾶς, for joy, Matthew 13:44; Luke 24:41; Acts 12:14; ἐν χαρά (ἔρχεσθαι), Romans 15:32; μετά χαρᾶς, with joy, Matthew 13:20; Matthew 28:8; Mark 4:16; Luke 8:13; Luke 10:17; Luke 24:52; Acts 20:24 Rec.; Philippians 1:4; Philippians 2:29; Hebrews 10:34; Hebrews 13:17 (Polybius 11, 33, 7; 22, 17, 12; Xenophon, Hiero 1, 25); with πνεύματος ἁγίου added, joy wrought by the Holy Spirit, 1 Thessalonians 1:6; χαρά ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ, joyousness caused by (cf. ἐν, I. 6 (p. 211{b} bottom) and Buttmann, § 133, 23) the Holy Spirit, Romans 14:17; χαρά ἐπί τίνι, 2 Corinthians 7:4; χαίρειν χαρά διά τί, John 3:29 (cf. χαίρω, a.); also διά τινα (a relative pronoun intervening), 1 Thessalonians 3:9; ἡ χαρά ὅτι, John 16:21; χαρά ἵνα (see ἵνα, II. 2 d.), 3 John 1:4. b. by metonymy, the cause or occasion of joy: Luke 2:10; James 1:2; (so 2 Corinthians 1:15 WH text Tr marginal reading (others, χάρις, which see 3 b.)); of persons who are one's 'joy': 1 Thessalonians 2:19; Philippians 4:1; of a joyful condition or state: ἀντί ... χαρᾶς, to attain to blessedness at the right hand of God in heaven, Hebrews 12:2; the same idea is expressed in the parable by the words, ἡ χαρά τοῦ κυρίου, the blessedness which the Lord enjoys, Matthew 25:21, 23. Joy in the New Testament is more than emotion; it is the settled, Spirit-given delight that arises from the redemptive acts and abiding presence of God. It is rooted in divine initiative, experienced in the believer, and expressed both now and in the age to come. Old Testament Roots and Messianic Fulfilment The Septuagint often renders Hebrew words for rejoicing with χαρά, setting the stage for New Testament usage. Prophetic promises of messianic deliverance (for example Isaiah 61:10) overflow into the Gospels: “I bring you good news of great joy” (Luke 2:10). The birth, ministry, and resurrection of Jesus Christ are portrayed as the climactic fulfilment of that anticipated joy. Joy in the Life and Teaching of Jesus • Joy attends Christ’s advent (Matthew 2:10; Luke 1:14). Joy in the Early Church (Acts) The Spirit’s arrival produces visible gladness (Acts 8:8). Congregations rejoice when the gospel crosses barriers (Acts 15:3). Even persecution cannot extinguish it: “The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:52). Pauline Perspective 1. Kingdom Reality—Joy is a defining characteristic of life under Christ’s reign: “For the kingdom of God is … righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). Petrine and Johannine Accents Peter speaks of believers who, though not having seen Christ, “rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8). John writes “so that our joy may be complete” (1 John 1:4), linking joy to apostolic testimony and fellowship with the Father and the Son. Joy amid Trials • James summons believers: “Count it all joy when you encounter various trials” (James 1:2). Corporate and Ministerial Joy Church leaders watch over souls “so that they may do this with joy and not with grief” (Hebrews 13:17). Pastoral care, evangelism, and mutual service are meant to be energized by joy, not merely duty. Eschatological Consummation The parable of the talents culminates with the invitation, “Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21, 23). Final salvation is portrayed as participation in God’s own gladness, the ultimate realization of χαρά. Practical Implications for Believers Today • Cultivate joy through Scripture, prayer, and worship where the Spirit applies gospel truth to the heart. In sum, χαρά permeates the New Testament as the hallmark of God’s saving presence, the strength of the church’s witness, and the foretaste of eternal blessedness. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 2:10 N-AFSGRK: ἀστέρα ἐχάρησαν χαρὰν μεγάλην σφόδρα NAS: exceedingly with great joy. KJV: with exceeding great joy. INT: star they rejoiced [with] joy great exceedingly Matthew 13:20 N-GFS Matthew 13:44 N-GFS Matthew 25:21 N-AFS Matthew 25:23 N-AFS Matthew 28:8 N-GFS Mark 4:16 N-GFS Luke 1:14 N-NFS Luke 2:10 N-AFS Luke 8:13 N-GFS Luke 10:17 N-GFS Luke 15:7 N-NFS Luke 15:10 N-NFS Luke 24:41 N-GFS Luke 24:52 N-GFS John 3:29 N-DFS John 3:29 N-NFS John 15:11 N-NFS John 15:11 N-NFS John 16:20 N-AFS John 16:21 N-AFS John 16:22 N-AFS John 16:24 N-NFS John 17:13 N-AFS Acts 8:8 N-NFS Strong's Greek 5479 |
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