Easton's Bible Dictionary.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/eastons-bible-dictionary/goodness.html
in man is not a mere passive quality, but the deliberate preference of right to wrong, the firm and persistent resistance of all moral evil, and the choosing and following of all moral good.
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary.
http://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/good-goodness.html
Good, Goodness
The main Old Testament words for good/goodness come from the Hebrew word tob [b'f] while the most common New Testament words are kalos [kalov"], agathos [ajgaqov"], chrestos [crhstov"], and their cognates. These words often appear in a nonmoral sense; a "good" or "good-of-appearance" woman is beautiful ( Gen 6:2 ; 24:16 ; 26:7 ; 2 Sam 11:2 ; Est 1:11 ; Esther 2:2-3 Esther 2:7 ) and a "good" man is handsome ( 1 Sam 9:2 ).
2 That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. (Gen 6:2) (NKJV)
When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. (Gen 6:1-2) (NIV)
16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. (Genesis 24:16) (NKJV)
16 The woman was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever slept with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again (Genesis 24:16) (NIV)
7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon. (Genesis 26:7) (NKJV)
7 When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he said, “She is my sister,” because he was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “The men of this place might kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is beautiful.” (Genesis 26:7) (NIV)
2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. (2 Samuel 11:2) (NKJV)
2 One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful,3 and David sent someone to find out about her. The man said, “She is Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” (2 Samuel 11:2) (NIV)
11 To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on. (Esther 1:11) (NKJV)
10 On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona,Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar and Karkas— 11 to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. (Esther 1:10-11) (NIV)
2 Then the king’s personal attendants proposed, “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king. 3 Let the king appoint commissioners in every province of his realm to bring all these beautiful young women into the harem at the citadel of Susa. Let them be placed under the care of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; and let beauty treatments be given to them. (Esther 2:2-3) (NIV)
2 Then said the king's servants that ministered unto him, Let there be fair young virgins sought for the king:
3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom, that they may gather together all the fair young virgins unto Shushan the palace, to the house of the women, unto the custody of Hege the king's chamberlain, keeper of the women; and let their things for purification be given them: (Esther 2:2-3) (NKJV)
7 And he brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle's daughter: for she had neither father nor mother, and the maid was fair and beautiful; whom Mordecai, when her father and mother were dead, took for his own daughter. (Esther 2:7) (NKJV)
7 Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died. (Esther 2:7) (NIV)
2 And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly: and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people. (1 Samuel 9:2) (NKJV)
2 Kish had a son named Saul, as handsome a young man as could be found anywhere in Israel, and he was a head taller than anyone else. (1 Samuel 9:2) (NIV)
In the above verses, we could "good" or "goodness" in the Old Testament is used to describe beautiful, fair, lovely, and handsome.
A land may be good ( Deuteronomy 1:25 Deuteronomy 1:35 ) and so may gold ( 2 Chronicles 3:5 2 Chronicles 3:8 ), soil ( Luke 8:8 ), a tree ( Matt 7:17 ), wine ( John 2:10 ), or all of creation (seven times in Gen. 1). But the most theologically important uses of these words have to do with moral qualities.
25 And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the Lord our God doth give us. (Deuteronomy 1:25) (NKJV)
25 Taking with them some of the fruit of the land, they brought it down to us and reported, “It is a good land that the Lord our God is giving us." (Deuteronomy 1:25) (NIV)
35 Surely there shall not one of these men of this evil generation see that good land, which I sware to give unto your fathers. (Deuteronomy 1:35) (NKJV)
34 When the Lord heard what you said, he was angry and solemnly swore: 35 “No one from this evil generation shall see the good land I swore to give your ancestors, 36 except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it, and I will give him and his descendants the land he set his feet on, because he followed the Lord wholeheartedly.” (Deuteronomy 1:35) (NIV)
3 These are Solomon’s measurements[a] for building the house of God: the length, in cubits of the old standard, was sixty cubits, and the breadth twenty cubits. 4 The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, equal to the width of the house;[b] and its height was a hundred and twenty cubits. He overlaid it on the inside with pure gold. 5 The nave he lined with cypress, and covered it with fine gold, and made palms and chains on it. 6 He adorned the house with settings of precious stones. The gold was gold of Parva′im. 7 So he lined the house with gold—its beams, its thresholds, its walls, and its doors; and he carved cherubim on the walls.
8 And he made the most holy place; its length, corresponding to the breadth of the house, was twenty cubits, and its breadth was twenty cubits; he overlaid it with six hundred talents of fine gold. 9 The weight of the nails was one shekel[c] to fifty shekels of gold. And he overlaid the upper chambers with gold. (2 Chronicles 3:3-9) (RSV)
8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundrfold. Aednd when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Luke 8:8) (NKJV)
8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.” (Luke 8:8) (NIV)
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. (Matthew 7:17) (NKJV)
17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. (Matthew 7:17-18) (NIV)
10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. (John 2:10) (NKJV)
10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” (John 2:10) (NIV)
In the verses above, we can see the various of "good":
1) Good land/soil/ground - fertile land that bears fruit,
2) Good tree - good tree that produces good fruit,
3) Fine gold - high quality gold,
4) Good wine, choice win - high grade wine.
10 and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” (John 2:10) (NIV)
In the verses above, we can see the various of "good":
1) Good land/soil/ground - fertile land that bears fruit,
2) Good tree - good tree that produces good fruit,
3) Fine gold - high quality gold,
4) Good wine, choice win - high grade wine.
God's goodness is a bedrock truth of Scripture. His goodness is praised in the psalms ( 25:8 ; 34:8 ; 86:5 ;100:5 ; 118:1 ; 136:1 ; 145:9 ). Jesus affirms the Father's goodness when speaking to the rich young ruler ( Matt 19:17 ; Mark 10:18 ; Luke 18:19 ). In 1 Peter 2:3 Peter echoes the language of Psalm 34:8: "Taste and see that the Lord is good!"'
8 Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way. (Psalms 25:8)(NKJV)
8 O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. (Psalms 34:8) (NKJV)
5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. (Psalms 86:5) (NKJV)
5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. (Psalms 100:5) (NKJV)
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalms 118:1) (NKJV)
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalms 136:1) (NKJV)
9 The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. (Psalms 145:9) (NKJV)
17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. (Matthew 19:17) (NKJV)
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” (Matthew 19:16-17) (NIV)
17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God. (Mark 10:17-18) (NKJV)
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. (Mark 10:17-18) (NIV)
18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. (Luke 18:18-19) (NKJV)
18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. (Luke 18:18-19) (NIV)
Although we might discuss God's goodness in some abstract philosophical sense, in Scripture his goodness appears most clearly in his dealings with people. He is not only good in general, but he is goodt o us ( Psalm 23:6 ; 68:10 ; 73:1 ; 119:65 ; 145:9 ; Lam 3:25 ; Luke 6:35 ; Rom 2:4 ; 11:22 ; Eph 2:7 ;Titus 3:4 ).
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. (Psalms 23:6) (NIV)
to those who are pure in heart. (Psalms 73:1) (NIV)
according to your word, Lord. (Psalms 119:65) (NIV)
22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. (Romans 11:22) (NKJV)
7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:7) (NKJV)
Human goodness is modeled on divine goodness ( Matt 5:48 ). For human beings goodness involves right behavior, expresses itself in kindness and other praiseworthy qualities, includes avoiding evil, and springs from the inner person.
It is nearly impossible to think about goodness in the abstract. In Scripture goodness always involves particular ways of behaving. Because God is good, he is good to his people; when people are good they behave decently toward each other, based on God's goodness to them. Moses' invitation to Hobab expresses this emphasis: "Come with us and we will treat you well, for the Lord has promised good things to Israel" ( Num 10:29 ). The general biblical words for "good/ goodness" include this idea of right behavior, although the idea is often expressed by means of a more specific term like "upright/uprightness" or "righteous/righteousness."
The goodness God's people exhibit shows itself in various moral qualities, notably kindness; hesed [d,s,j], translated "goodness" or "kindness, " serves as one of the major synonyms of tob [b'f], "good, " in the Old Testament.
In the New Testament many words describe the specific characteristics and behaviors of good people, including "just/justice, " "righteous/ righteousness, " "holy/holiness, " "pure/ purity, " "gentle/gentleness, " and "kind/kindness." If "goodness" is the general term, these other specific terms show what goodness means in daily living.
In the New Testament many words describe the specific characteristics and behaviors of good people, including "just/justice, " "righteous/ righteousness, " "holy/holiness, " "pure/ purity, " "gentle/gentleness, " and "kind/kindness." If "goodness" is the general term, these other specific terms show what goodness means in daily living.
Goodness involves not only right behavior but also avoiding its opposite, evil. The choice between good and evil has lain before people since the garden of Eden when Adam and Eve ate fruit from the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" ( Gen 2:9 ). Since then God's curse has fallen on "those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter" ( Isa 5:20 ). A wise ruler like Solomon, or indeed anyone who wants to obey God, needs the wisdom to tell good from evil ( 1 Kings 3:9 ; Heb 5:14 ). Those who serve God will "seek good, not evil, hate evil, love good" ( Amos 5:14-15 ).
For the Christian or the faithful Israelite, goodness has never been a matter of outward behavior alone; it comes from within. An evil person is evil within ( Gen 6:5 ; Mark 7:14-23 ; and parallels). In the same way a good person's good behavior shows a good heart ( Matt 12:33-35 ).
In the Old Testament God's goodness to his people and their goodness in response is based on the covenant between them. God's appeal to his people to return to the covenant relationship finds expression in a call to simple goodness ( Mic 6:6-8 ). In the New Testament goodness is a fruit of the Spirit ( Gal 5:22), while moral excellence is one of the steps on the "ladder of virtue" ( 2 Peter 1:5 ).
Sunday, Feb 2, 2014.
Michael Yeap.
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