The Oxford Dictionary defines patience as the “capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset.” And the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines being patient as “bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint.”
Both definitions imply suffering, and as a result, patience is probably not a popular word. Most of us do not like to wait or suffer and tend to voice our annoyance when we must do it. And now that technology has made almost everything faster and easier, cultivating patience is becoming a lost art in our culture today.
But it isn’t so for a Christian. God desires His children to be patient, and the Bible teaches extensively about it. However, there’s a bit more to patience in the Bible because it has two distinct definitions.
For further understanding of biblical patience, lets’ look at the original Hebrew and Greek words.
Patience in Hebrew
The word patience doesn’t appear much in the Old Testament, and it varies by translation. It occurs only twice in the NKJV: Nehemiah 9:30 NKJV and Jeremiah 15:15 NKJV. In the ESV version, it occurs only in Proverbs 25:15, while the NASB features it three times: Ecclesiastes 7:8 NASB, Isaiah 7:13 NASB, and Jeremiah 15:15 NASB. None of the words used in these verses are the same. Moreover, they are translated differently in other verses as slow, drag, and long.
Patience in Greek
Patience occurs several times in the New Testament, but it varies by translation because there are two Greek words sometimes translated as patience and other times, a different word.
Makrothumia
Makrothumia comes from the root word makros, which means long; and thumos, which means passion, anger, or temper. It literally means long passion or long temper, and it’s sometimes translated as longsuffering. A person with makrothumia can “burn for a long time,” which means, can endure for a while without giving in to anger. It’s the opposite of short-tempered, which we often use in our language.
Makrothumia occurs 14 times in the New Testament, and it first appears is in Matthew 18:26 “so the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’”
Hupomeno
Hupomeno comes from the root word hupo, which means under, and meno, which means remain or endure. It literally means to stay under, and it’s sometimes translated as endurance, steadfast, or perseverance. It’s the quality of enduring or remaining under challenges and difficult circumstances.
Hupomeno occurs 32 times in the New Testament, and its first occurrence is in Luke 8:15; “as for the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart and bear fruit with patience.”
Putting all together
Although both Greek words have similar characteristics and are often used interchangeably, they have a subtle difference in their biblical usage.
Patience, as in longsuffering, is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22); it’s most often used in the Bible to refer to patience towards others. While patience as in endurance is a quality, we get by going through trials (James 1:3), and it’s often used in that regard.
Both endurance and longsuffering are attributes of God and come from Him. He is the one who gives us the ability to suffer long and deal with others without getting angered easily. And He is also the one who gives us the strength to endure trials and remain under it until His appointed time.
A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.
Proverbs 15:18
The biblical attribute of patience
The Bible has a lot to say about patience. Some of them are:
1. Patience originates from God
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Romans 2:4
But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.
1 Timothy 1: 16
May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,
Romans 15:5
2. Longsuffering is a fruit of the Spirit
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Galatians 5:22
3. Suffering produces endurance
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
Romans 5:3
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
James 1:3-4
4. Endurance builds character
and endurance produces character, and character produces hope
Romans 5:4
And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:4
5. We should be patient towards one another
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love
Ephesians 4:2
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive
Colossians 3:12-13
6. Longsuffering is part of love
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant
1 Corinthians 13:4
7. Patience is a command, not a suggestion
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Romans 12:12
You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.
James 5:8
Patience is a virtue, and it’s something God wants us to pursue. It honors God when we go through suffering and difficult circumstances patiently and without complaining or getting angry.
Jesus demonstrated patience for us when He endured His ordeals; He never complained or spoke rudely to those who condemned Him (Isaiah 53:7). If we say call ourselves His followers, we ought to be patient like Him (1 John 2:6).
In a world where people get offended and lose patience quickly, we can truly be light when we show Christlike patience towards one another.
