Pleasure
Summary
Pleasure in Scripture refers to both the delight arising from enjoyment of good things and the dangerous pursuit of worldly gratification that can choke spiritual life.
☩Biblical Terminology
Various Hebrew and Greek words express different aspects of pleasure. The Hebrew 'chephets' denotes inclination and delight, as in 'What pleasure has he in his house?' The term 'ratson' conveys acceptance and good will. In the New Testament, 'eudokia' expresses good thought or good pleasure, as in 'It is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.' The word 'hedone' (from which 'hedonism' derives) refers to the lower, sensual pleasures that Scripture warns against.
☩Legitimate Pleasure
Neither desire nor its gratification is necessarily sinful, for they are essential to complete life. The Psalmist speaks of delighting in the Lord and in His law. Scripture sanctions and sanctifies appropriate enjoyment—Jesus himself 'came eating and drinking' in contrast to the ascetic John the Baptist. Extreme asceticism that forbids what God has created is itself unchristian. Pleasure becomes sin only when accompanying desire becomes lust, overpowers the will, and enslaves the personality.
☩Worldly Pleasure and Its Dangers
Scripture repeatedly warns against the pursuit of worldly pleasures that choke the word and make it unfruitful. The rich fool accumulated means for pleasure only to lose his soul. Moses chose 'rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.' Paul warns of those who are 'lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.' The pursuit of pleasure instead of following Christ constitutes spiritual treason, for no earthly pleasure compensates for what is lost in such pursuit.
Related Verses77 mentions
References
- 1.James Orr (ed.), "Pleasure," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. IV (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 2.Philip Schaff and Johann Herzog (ed.), "Pleasure," in The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, vol. IX (Funk and Wagnalls, 1908–1914).
- 3.James Hastings (ed.), "Pleasure," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. II (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).