PRAUTES

Do you like words?

I do.


Do you know what that word is?

I just looked it up.


Prautes is the Greek word translated "meekness" in some translations of the Bible.


And I just have to share.

It's so good.



MEEK, MEEKNESS


...In its use in Scripture...it consists not in a person's "outward behavior only; nor yet in his relations to his fellow-men; as little in his mere natural disposition.  Rather it is an inwrought grace of the soul; and the exercises of it are first and chiefly towards God.  It is that temper of spirit in which we accept His dealings with us as good, and therefore without disputing or resisting; it is closely linked with the word [humility]...it is only the humble heart which is also the meek, and which, as such, does not fight against God and more or less struggle and contend with Him.  This meekness, however, being first of all a meekness before God, is also such in the face of men, even of evil men, out of a sense that these, with the insults and injuries which they may inflict are permitted and employed by Him for the chastening and purifying of His elect."  ...In Galatians 5:23 it is associated with,..."self-control."


The meaning..."is not readily expressed in English, for the terms meekness, mildness, commonly used, suggest weakness and pusillanimity to a greater or less extent, whereas prautes does nothing of the kind.  Nevertheless, it is difficult to find a rendering less open to objection than 'meeknes'; 'getleness' has been suggested, but as prautes describes a condition of mind and heart, and as 'gentleness' is appropriate rather to actions, this word is no better than that used in both English Versions.  It must be clearly understood, therefore, that the meekness manifested by the Lord and commended to the believer is the fruit of power.  The common assumption is that when a man is meek it is because he cannot help himself; but the Lord was 'meek' because he had the infinite resources of God at His command.  Described negatively, meekness is the opposite to self-assertiveness and self-interest;  it is equanimity of spirit that is neither elated nor cast down, simply because it is not occupied with self at all....






Quotations from Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words.  This essential Bible study tool is available online at no charge, and you can find it here.   Highlighting is mine.