GRACE means unmerited favour. It is the free gift of God to humankind. In Christianity, grace is the expression of the infinite love, mercy, favor, and goodwill of God shown to humankind.
To better appreciate the meaning of the word grace as we Christians use it, it is useful to understand the Greek and Hebrew words behind it. In the Old Testament, the English word ‘grace’ is often translated from the Hebrew word hen. Hen is derived from the Hebrew root word hanan, which means “to favor, to bestow, to show or grant mercy.” The Hebrew name “Hannah” is derived from this root. Hen implies “favor, pity, good-will, compassion, mercy, kindness, a favorable inclination towards another.” The word study in the Dictionary of New Testament Theology explains that hen “denotes the stronger coming to the help of the weaker who stands in need of help by reason of his circumstances or natural weakness.”
The predominant usage of the Hebrew word hen in the Old Testament has to do with one individual finding a favorable inclination from another individual. Examples include Lot finding favor from the authorities in Sodom (Gen. 19:19); Jacob finding favor from Esau (Gen. 32:5); Joseph finding favor from Potiphar (Gen. 39:4); Jacob finding favor from Joseph (Gen. 47:29); Ruth finding favor from Boaz (Ruth 2:10); David finding favor from Jonathon (I Sam. 20:3); Esther finding favor from King Ahasuerus (Esther 2:17).
The major Old Testament word that describes God’s grace is chesed (or hesed) – (Psalm 107: 43, Exodus 34: 6 – 7, Psalm 33: 5). Of the 246 times hesed appears in the Old Testament, the great majority refer to the vertical plane of God’s relationship with people. This word speaks of deliverance from enemies, affliction, or adversity. It also denotes enablement, daily guidance, forgiveness, and preservation.
The New Testament word for grace is charis. Whereas chesed focuses on deliverance, charis focuses on the provision of salvation. In secular Greek, charis was related to chairo, “to rejoice.” Its oldest meaning was “sweetness” or “attractiveness.” It later came to signify “favor,” “goodwill,” and “lovingkindness” — especially the type granted by a superior to an inferior.
Theologically, there is therefore a difference between the use in the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, the word ‘grace’ can be used to designate kindness and graciousness in general, with no particular tie or personal relationship between the individuals involved, and generally shown by a superior to an inferior when there is no obligation to do so. It is also used to signify a specific kindness that gives pleasure to both giver and receiver, thereby implying some sort of special relationship between them. On the other hand, in the New Testament, grace indicates quite specifically God’s redemptive love, which is always active to save undeserving people and to keep them in relationship with God. For this reason, the most popular definition of grace among Christians is that grace is “unmerited favour”.
To be continued
READ ALSO: Bishop Olowokure: Tribute to an epitome of grace and virtue
