What Does Benevolence Mean In The Bible?
If you are wondering what benevolence means in a Biblical context, you’ve come to the right place. In short, benevolence refers to the quality of being well-meaning, kind, and generous. But there’s much more to this important Christian virtue than meets the eye.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the full meaning of benevolence according to the Bible. We’ll look at how it is exemplified throughout Scripture, what its key characteristics are, and why it is so vital for Christians to cultivate benevolence in their own lives.
The Definition and Meaning of Benevolence
Goodwill Towards Others
Benevolence in the Bible refers to having goodwill, kindness, and charitableness towards others (Romans 12:10). It encompasses compassion, generosity, and a sincere desire to do good to all people, even enemies.
As Matthew 5:43-48 states, Jesus commands his followers to “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This benevolence stems from godly love.
Biblical benevolence goes beyond surface niceties. It is an unselfish, sacrificial concern for the well-being of others, even at personal cost (Philippians 2:1-4). Christ himself provided the ultimate act of benevolence by willingly dying on the cross out of love for humanity (Romans 5:8).
As Christians, we are called to reflect God’s goodness through open-hearted benevolence in our deeds and relationships.
Generosity and Charitable Giving
A key aspect of biblical benevolence is generosity and charitable giving. 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 encourages bountifully meeting the needs of the poor, stating “whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
“ Similarly, 1 John 3:17-18 condemns selfishness that shuts one’s heart against a brother in need. Scripture praises widows who gave their last coins (Luke 21:1-4), highlighting sacrificial benevolence.
The early Jerusalem church showed immense generosity and care for marginalized believers (Acts 4:32-37). Biblical benevolence compels Christians to be conduits of God’s gracious provision today through funding ministry, disaster relief, community service, and meeting individual needs as they arise.
With over 785 million people living below the poverty line globally in 2022, the bible’s call to benevolent giving remains profoundly relevant.
Compassion and Mercy
At its core, the biblical meaning of benevolence encompasses showing heartfelt compassion and mercy towards others (Colossians 3:12), regardless of background. This compassion reflects God’s unconditional love and surpasses human divisions.
Jesus exemplified this in the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), highlighting one marginalized man’s benevolence to a wounded stranger despite ethnic-religious animosity of that day. Biblical benevolence also entails advocating for social justice and liberation of the oppressed (Isaiah 1:17).
Followers of Jesus are exhorted to break cycles of injustice through compassionate words and deeds.
Ultimately, benevolence in the Bible is a countercultural expression of Christ’s gospel made tangible through goodwill, generosity, compassion and mercy. It ushers glimpses of God’s kingdom while meeting pressing human needs.
Benevolence in the Old Testament
God’s Benevolence and Mercy
Throughout the Old Testament, God is portrayed as exceedingly benevolent and merciful. He cares deeply for His people and desires to show them grace and compassion. This is evident in numerous passages that highlight God’s patience, love, and willingness to forgive sin (Exodus 34:6-7; Psalm 103:8-14).
Though the Israelites often rebelled, God continued to provide and protect them, demonstrating His loyalty and generosity time and again.
Laws Encouraging Generosity
In addition to exemplifying benevolence Himself, God put laws and guidelines in place to promote generosity and care for others among the Israelite community. Regulations about leaving grain in the fields for the poor to glean (Leviticus 19:9-10), the year of Jubilee to relieve debt (Leviticus 25), and exhortations to be open-handed toward the needy (Deuteronomy 15:7-8) are just a few examples.
Upholding these standards enabled provision for widows, orphans, immigrants, and the destitute. As God generously gave to His people, He expected them to reflect His beneficent spirit in their treatment of others.
Ruth’s Kindness
One of the most moving stories of benevolence in the Old Testament centers on Ruth, a Moabite widow who left her homeland out of loyalty to her Israelite mother-in-law Naomi. Despite having no obligation to Naomi, Ruth vowed, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay” (Ruth 1:16).
This commitment later led Ruth to the fields of Boaz, who showed favor to her because he had “been told all about what she had done for her mother-in-law” (Ruth 2:11). In a beautiful picture of compassion and care, both Ruth and Boaz demonstrated praiseworthy benevolence.
The theme of benevolence clearly permeates the Old Testament narrative. From God’s abounding grace and mercy in the face of Israel’s brokenness, to guidelines promoting generosity, to Ruth’s story of devotion, kindness toward others is held up as noble, virtuous, and pleasing to God.
Far from superficial sentiment, biblical benevolence requires sacrifice and springs from a heart of love. It was a foundational concept God used to shape His people.
References:
- https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2034%3A6-7&version=NIV
- https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20103%3A8-14&version=NIV
- https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%2019%3A9-10&version=NIV
Benevolence in the New Testament
Jesus as the Ultimate Example
Jesus embodied compassion and benevolence throughout his ministry. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and brought hope to the marginalized. His teachings emphasized caring for those in need, as in Matthew 25 where Jesus equates serving “the least of these” with serving him.
Jesus exemplified selfless generosity through moments like washing his disciples’ feet and instructing them to love one another. His ultimate act of benevolence was willingly sacrificing himself on the cross out of love for humanity.
Jesus set the pattern for benevolence through both his words and actions.
Paul’s Exhortations to Give Generously
The apostle Paul frequently encourages benevolence and generosity in his letters. For example, in 2 Corinthians 8-9, Paul urges the Corinthian church to give an offering to poor believers in Jerusalem.
He tells them that Jesus became poor so believers could become rich and that God loves a cheerful giver. Paul inspires them to excel in grace and generosity. He teaches the principle of sowing and reaping – as they sow generously, they will reap generously.
Paul also arranges for churches to give regularly each week so needs can be consistently met (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). For Paul, benevolence and giving back is a natural response to God’s grace.
The Early Church’s Compassion
The early Christians responded to Paul’s instructions by showing abundant compassion. In Acts 2-4, believers shared everything in common, and there were no needy persons among them. Acts 6 details how the church instituted an organized daily distribution to Greek-Jewish widows who were being overlooked.
Other examples of the early church’s benevolence include Barnabas selling property and giving it to the apostles to distribute (Acts 4:32-37), relief sent to Judean churches during a famine (Acts 11:27-30), and Paul collecting offerings on his missionary journeys to take back to Jerusalem (Romans 15:25-27).
Their generosity reflected Christ’s generous love.
Cultivating Benevolence in Christian Life
Seeing Others as God Sees Them
Christians are called to see others through the eyes of God’s love and compassion (1 John 4:7-8). This means acknowledging that every person is made in the image of God and has inherent value and dignity.
When we truly see people as God sees them, it becomes much easier to treat them with benevolence.
One way to cultivate this mindset is to regularly pray for the ability to see others as God does. We can ask Him to give us His heart of compassion and to help us look beyond surface-level traits to the inner person.
As we grow in loving people as image-bearers of God, benevolence will start to flow more naturally.
Giving Selflessly and Cheerfully
The Bible calls us not only to meet needs, but to do so with eagerness and joy. For example, 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Giving benevolently means being others-focused rather than self-focused.
We can grow in this by assessing our motivations and attitudes. Are we giving just to get praise or because we think we should? Or are we genuinely excited to bless others without expecting anything in return?
As we realign our hearts with God’s generosity, our benevolence will become more selfless and cheerful.
Showing Mercy and Forgiveness
Since we have received abundant mercy and forgiveness from God (Ephesians 2:4-5), we are called to extend the same grace to others. This could mean forgiving an offense instead of holding a grudge or showing compassion to someone in need rather than judgment.
We can ask God to give us the strength and grace to reflect His mercy and forgiveness. As we let go of bitterness and demonstrate compassion even when it’s difficult, we will grow in benevolence. We are called to forgive “just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
Conclusion
In summary, benevolence is a cornerstone of Christian virtue. Throughout Scripture, we see God and Christ-followers exemplifying goodwill, generosity, and compassion towards others. As Christians seeking to become more Christ-like, we must make every effort to cultivate benevolence in our own lives.
This allows us to reflect God’s loving kindness to the world and be a blessing to those around us.
