Scripture abounds with references to joy and rejoicing: natural joy (contentment, contentment, satisfaction, merriment, joviality); moral joy (peace, serenity); spiritual joy (joy of faith, rejoicing in hope).
In the OT there are ten different terms to express the idea of the mind’s delight in good. Kaufman Kohler (JewEnc, crazy) states that no other language has as many words for joy and rejoicing as Hebrew. The most common is śimḥāh (“happy”, “joy”); after gûl either gîl (“to be joyful”), more (“joy”, “rejoice”), and śāmēaḥ (“to shine”, “to be joyful”). Contrary to paganism, joy is linked to moral rectitude. Pure joy is joy in God as its source and object. God is the God of joy (Ps. 104:31); the joy of the Lord is strength (Neh. 8:10); in his presence there is fullness of joy (Ps. 16:11). The highest expressions of joy in the OT are found in the Psalms.
In the NT, chara (“joy”) and chairō (“rejoice”) are the most common. Agalliasis (“exultation”), eufraino (“make joyous”, “pleased”) and eufrosunē (“joy”, “joy”), and kauchomai (“glorify”) are also used.
The NT sees joy as a divine gift: it is the soul’s proper response to the Gospel (Luke 2:10); closely related to the work of the Holy Spirit in Acts and the Epistles; and is placed as one of the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22); and it has eschatological aspects as a feature of the world to come (eg, “the joy of your Lord” in Mt. 25:21, 23; and “my joy” in Jn. 15:11; 17:13).
As a gift from God, the world knows no joy (1 Cor. 2:14); but, paradoxically, the believer can rejoice in afflictions and sufferings with inexplicable joy and full of glory (Acts 5:41; 2 Cor. 6:10; 1 Pet. 1:6, 8; 4:13). Joy is not “joy without darkness but the victory of faith” (DM Edwards, ISBEinsane).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
CB: K. Kohler, JewEnc.; DM Edwards, ISBE.
Westlake T. Purkiser
JewEnc Jewish Encyclopaedia
ISBE International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia
CB Companion to the BibleJJ Von Allmen, ed.
Harrison, EF, Bromiley, GW, & Henry, CFH (2006). Dictionary of Theology (282). Grand Rapids, MI: Challenge Books.
Source: Dictionary of Theology