WORD OF THE WEEK = "CHESED": Understanding God's Steadfast Love
- Thad DeBuhr
- Jun 25
- 7 min read
Imagine trying to explain the color "blue" to someone who has only ever seen black and white. That's a bit like the challenge translators face when bringing the richness of the Hebrew word chesed into English. It's not just a word; it's a theological concept, a divine attribute, and a relational dynamic all rolled into one. You'll find it translated as "mercy," "love," "loving-kindness," "steadfast love," "faithful love," or even "unfailing love." Each translation captures a facet, but none fully encompass its profound depth.
Setting the stage: Unpacking CHESED
In ancient Israel, the concept of a god's character often revolved around power, majesty, and justice. While the God of Israel certainly embodies these, what truly sets Him apart, then and now, is His chesed. As one description beautifully puts it, "The great surprise of the Hebrew Bible is not that God is awesome or holy. These characteristics we would expect from God. The great surprise is that he is kind, that he is a God of hesed. This is what fundamentally makes him unlike any other god then or now.”
Consider the moment in Exodus 34:6 when God reveals His character to Moses: “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love (chesed) and faithfulness." This isn't just a casual introduction; it's a foundational declaration of who God is. It follows the dramatic events of the golden calf, a moment of profound betrayal by the Israelites. Yet, in the face of their unfaithfulness, God reiterates His chesed. This wasn't merely a promise of love for the deserving; it was a demonstration of a love that persists despite human failing, a loyalty that endures beyond broken covenants. This is the steadfast, covenantal, and active love that chesed represents. It’s not a passive feeling but an outpouring of divine care and commitment. It’s what drives Him to forgive, to restore, and to pursue a relationship with humanity, even when we offer Him nothing in return.
Beyond God's character, chesed is also seen in human relationships that mirror divine loyalty and selflessness. Think of Ruth's unwavering commitment to her mother-in-law Naomi. In Ruth 1:8 and 3:10, Naomi and Boaz both acknowledge Ruth's chesed – her active, loyal, and sacrificial love that went far beyond what was expected. Ruth, a Moabite, had every "right" to return to her own people, yet her chesed bound her to Naomi, demonstrating a profound covenant loyalty.
Similarly, King David's faithfulness to Jonathan's house exemplifies chesed. In 2 Samuel 9:1 and 7, David seeks out Mephibosheth, Jonathan's disabled son, asking, "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness (chesed) for Jonathan's sake?" David's subsequent actions—bringing Mephibosheth into his own household and restoring his land—were astonishing acts of chesed, fulfilling a covenant of friendship with loyalty and generosity even in the absence of Jonathan himself.
Word of the week: Chesed in the New Testament: A Continuing Revelation
The profound concept of chesed doesn't disappear in the New Testament; rather, its meaning is carried forward and deepened through various Greek words that capture its essence. While no single Greek word perfectly translates chesed, the primary ones used are:
Eleos (ἔλεος): Mercy, pity, compassion. This highlights God's active compassion towards the undeserving.
Charis (χάρις): Grace, favor, undeserved kindness. This emphasizes God's unmerited favor and generosity.
Agape (ἀγάπη): Unconditional love. This is the highest form of love, often describing God's self-sacrificial and intentional love for humanity, embodying the ultimate expression of steadfast, faithful love.
The apostles, rooted in the Old Testament, infused these Greek terms with the rich understanding of chesed:
God's Mercy and Grace (Eleos and Charis) in Salvation: Passages like Ephesians 2:4-5, "But God, being rich in mercy (eleos), because of the great love (agape) with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace (charis) you have been saved," beautifully illustrate the intertwining of these concepts. This is the essence of chesed – God's persistent, loyal, and unmerited favor leading to salvation. Paul even echoes Exodus in Romans 9:15-16, emphasizing God's sovereign choice to show mercy (eleos), directly reflecting His Old Testament chesed.
Agape: Chesed Embodied in Christ: Perhaps the most powerful way chesed is carried forward is through agape love, perfectly revealed in Jesus Christ. John 3:16, "For God so loved (agape) the world, that he gave his only Son...", describes an ultimate act of self-sacrifice that is the fullest demonstration of God's enduring, covenantal chesed. Romans 5:8 further emphasizes this: "But God shows his love (agape) for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." This is chesed in its purest form – an undeserved and active love extended to us when we least deserved it.
There's more to this WORD OF THE WEEK STUDY GUIDE
BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN FURTHER FOR:
Questions to chew on and discuss (or for your journal)
A Journey Group Discussion Starter (use in your small group time)
Modern Day Application Ideas
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Questions for You to Chew On and Discuss
How does understanding chesed as a "steadfast" or "unfailing" love, seen in both God's character and human examples like Ruth and David, change your perception of God's character and human loyalty?
Can you think of a time in your own life when you experienced God's chesed (His mercy, grace, or agape love) in a way that felt undeserved or surprising? How did that impact your faith?
Given that chesed is an active, covenantal love that continues into the New Testament through concepts like agape, what are some practical ways we can demonstrate this kind of love to others in our daily lives, reflecting both God's love for us and His example?
Journey Group Discussion Starter
In what specific ways does God's chesed, as described in Exodus 34:6 and demonstrated in Christ's agape, challenge our human notions of fairness and justice, particularly when we consider His dealings with us and His call for us to love others?
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Modern-Day Application: Go from "reading Revelation" to applying the lessons and principles:
For the modern-day Christian, the concept of chesed (and its New Testament echoes) is not merely a theological abstract; it's a living principle.
Firstly, it should profoundly shape our worship. When we understand the depth of God's unmerited favor and unwavering commitment, our praise becomes less about what we can gain and more about who He is.
Secondly, chesed ought to be the bedrock of our relationships. Just as God extends chesed to us despite our flaws, we are called to extend faithful, enduring love to our families, friends, and even strangers. This means choosing forgiveness over resentment, patience over frustration, and active compassion over passive indifference.
Thirdly, chesed fuels our mission. Knowing that God delights in showing kindness and offering salvation to those who have no right to expect it should ignite in us a similar passion to share His unfailing love with a world that desperately needs it. It reminds us that our evangelism isn't about judgment, but about sharing the radical, surprising kindness of God.
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GROW AS A CHRISTIAN
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