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medium of intercourse in the Roman Empire, Greek and Gentile became more or less
interchangeable terms. For this term the
RV
always adheres to the word “Greeks,” e.g.,
John 7:35; Rom. 2:9, 10; 3:9; 1 Cor. 10:32, where the local church is distinguished from
Jews and Gentiles; 12:13.
B. Adjective.
(
#
, 1482) is used as noun, and translated “Gentiles” in the
RV
of Matt.
5:47; 6:7; “the Gentile” in 18:17 (
KJV
, “an heathen man”); “the Gentiles” in 3 John 7,
KJV
and
RV
.¶
C. Adverb.
(
#
, 1483), “in Gentile fashion, in the manner of Gentiles,” is used in
Gal. 2:14, “as do the Gentiles,”
RV
.¶
Notes:
(1) For the synonymous word
, “a people,” see
PEOPLE
. (2) When, under
the new order of things introduced by the gospel the mystery of the church was made
known, the word
was often used in contrast to the local church, 1 Cor. 5:1; 10:20;
12:2; 1 Thess. 4:5; 1 Pet. 2:12.
GENTLE, GENTLENESS, GENTLY
A. Adjectives.
1.
(
#
)
, 1933), from , “unto,” and
, “likely,” denotes “seemly,
fitting”; hence, “equitable, fair, moderate, forbearing, not insisting on the letter of the
law”; it expresses that considerateness that looks “humanely and reasonably at the facts
of a case”; it is rendered “gentle” in 1 Tim. 3:3,
RV
(
KJV
, “patient”), in contrast to
contentiousness; in Titus 3:2, “gentle,” in association with meekness, in Jas. 3:17, as a
quality of the wisdom from above, in 1 Pet. 2:18, in association with the good; for the
RV
rendering “forbearance” in Phil. 4:5,
RV
, see
FORBEARANCE
. Cf. B. See
PATIENT
.¶ In the
Sept., Esth. 8:13; Ps. 86:5.¶
2.
(
@
, 2261), “mild, gentle,” was frequently used by Greek writers as
characterizing a nurse with trying children or a teacher with refractory scholars, or of
parents toward their children. In 1 Thess. 2:7, the apostle uses it of the conduct of himself
and his fellow missionaries towards the converts at Thessalonica (cf. 2 Cor. 11:13, 20); in
2 Tim. 2:24, of the conduct requisite for a servant of the Lord.¶
B. Noun.
(
# &
, 1932), or
, denotes “fairness, moderation, gentleness,”
“sweet reasonableness” (Matthew Arnold); it is said of Christ, 2 Cor. 10:1, where it is
coupled with
$
, “meekness”; for its meaning in Acts 24:4, see
CLEMENCY
.¶. Trench
(
- !
Sec.xlviii) considers that the ideas of equity and justice which are essential to the
meaning, do not adequately express it in English. In contrast with
$
(“meekness”),
which is more especially a temperament or habit of mind,
expresses an active
dealing with others.
Note:
(1) For
, “kindness, goodness of heart,” rendered “gentleness” in Gal.
5:22,
KJV
, see
KINDNESS
. The corresponding adjective
is translated “good,”
“kind,” “easy,” “gracious.”