22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

In the Old Testament, joy is closely related to victory over one’s enemies.

In the New Testament, “joy” is still used for victory, as shown by the disciples returning with joy since even the evil spirits listened to them (Luke 10:17). However, the victory focuses more on salvation (Luke 15:7)—the presence of Christ, the bridegroom, gives reason for joy (John 3:29). In the New Testament letters, joy is a desired attribute of Christians. Paul expressed frequently the joy he had regarding the salvation of those he was writing to and prayed that they might be full of joy.

Joy. Happiness over an unanticipated or present good. In the Old Testament joy (Heb. śāmâ) covers a wide range of human experiences—from sexual love (Song of Sol. 1:4), to marriage (Prov. 5:18), the birth of children (Ps. 113:9), the gathering of the harvest, military victory (Isa. 9:3), and drinking wine (Ps. 104:15). On the spiritual level it refers to the extreme happiness with which the believer contemplates salvation and the bliss of the afterlife. Unexpected benefits from God are expressed in terms of common experiences. The psalms express the joyous mood of believers as they encounter God. Believers rejoice because God has surrounded them with his steadfast love (32:11) and brought them to salvation (40:16; 64:10). David rejoices that God has delivered him from the hand of his enemies (63:11). Joy is a response to God’s word (Ps. 119:14) and his reward to believers (Isa. 65:14) and their strength (Neh. 8:10).

Fundamental to the Old Testament understanding of joy are God’s acts in history, the most important of which is Israel’s deliverance from Egypt (Exod. 18:9–11). Israel’s return from the Babylonian exile (Jer. 31:1–19) to Jerusalem is above the highest joy (Ps. 137:6). The restoration of Israel will be an occasion for joy (Ps. 14:7) in which nature shares (Ps. 98:4–6). Joy characterizes Israel’s corporate worship life (Deut. 16:13–15; 2 Chron. 30:21–22) in which the individual participates: “I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go the house of the LORD’ ” (Ps. 122:1). Whereas for the believer the secular joys common to human existence are distinguished from spiritual ones, they are not separated. Spiritual joys are expressed by the metaphors of feasting, marriage, victory in military endeavors, and successful financial undertakings. The joy of the harvest is used to describe the believer’s final victory over his adversaries (Ps. 126:5–6). Christ’s coming is described by the joy of the harvest and dividing up captured military booty (Isa. 9:2–7). In turn, spiritual joys elevate the secular happiness of believers. Secular successes are regarded as unexpected benefits from God.

Old Testament imagery for joy is carried over into the New. Jesus joins the joys of marriage and spiritual ones by describing John the Baptist’s reaction to his coming as the joy (chara) of the friend of the bridegroom (John 3:29–30). This is accentuated by this pericope’s proximity to the Cana wedding miracle where the water changed to a superior wine relieves an embarrassed host (John 2:1–11). Wine, a source of joy, anticipates eschatological joy of which Christ is an endless source (Ps. 104:15). Joy is associated with the nativity. The birth of John the Baptist as the forerunner of the Messiah is an occasion of joy for his father and others (Luke 1:14). The angel’s greeting (chaire) to Mary followed by “highly favored,” a word of the same family in Greek, may be taken as a command to rejoice as the Redeemer’s mother (Luke 1:28). Shepherds hear that news of the birth of Christ is an occasion for great joy for all people (Luke 2:10). Luke’s cycle is completed with the disciples returning with great joy after Jesus’ ascension (24:52). The Magi, upon finding the infant Jesus, are “overjoyed” (Matt. 2:10).

Joy belongs also to the realm of the supernatural. Angels rejoice at an unbeliever’s conversion (Luke 10:20). Luke places three parables together in which God, in two instances with the angels, rejoices at the redemption. Upon finding the lost sheep, the shepherd rejoices (15:3–7). The woman rejoices upon finding the lost coin (15:8–10). The prodigal son’s return brings rejoicing (15:11–32). The parable of the man who liquifies his assets to purchase the treasure hidden in the field teaches us that God has joy in bringing about the atonement (Matt. 13:44). This parallels Jesus who with joy “endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Heb. 12:2). Also for believers, trials and persecution are occasions for joy (James 1:2). Peter and John found their scourging an occasion for “rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41). Suffering brings joy as believers are united with Christ in his suffering (1 Peter 4:13–14). Paul speaks of his joy in the midst of affliction (2 Cor. 7:4–16). It is a part of faith (Phil. 1:25). Joy expresses the relationship between the apostle and his congregations and an opportunity for thanksgiving (Rom. 15:32; Phil. 2:28), with each rejoicing in the other. God’s kingdom is described as “righteousness, peace and joy” (Rom. 14:17). Certainty of salvation is a cause for joy, as the disciples are commanded to “rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). Fellowship with Jesus brings continuous joy (John 15–17).

DAVID P. SCAER