Bits of Torah Truths – #Torah Concept in the NT: Put On Longsuffering – Episode 689
Colossians 3:12
לָכֵן אַתֶּם, כִּבְחִירֵי אֱלֹהִים קְדוֹשִׁים וַאֲהוּבִים, לִבְשׁוּ חֶמְלָה וְרַחֲמִים וּנְדִיבוּת לֵב, נְמִיכוּת רוּחַ וַעֲנָוָה וְאֹרֶךְ אַפַּיִם.
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Colossians 3:12
3:12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; (NASB)
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When Paul tells believers to “put on… longsuffering” (Col 3:12), he is not inventing a new virtue. He is drawing directly from the Torah’s portrayal of God’s own character, and the covenantal ethic Israel was commanded to imitate.
– TORAH PARALLELS TO “PUT ON LONGSUFFERING” (Col. 3:12) –
Longsuffering = covenantal patience, restraint, and endurance modeled after God Himself.
- The Foundational Torah Source: God’s Own Longsuffering Nature Exodus 34:6 “slow to anger” This phrase is the Hebrew equivalent of longsuffering.
- Torah Commands That Require Longsuffering Toward Others Leviticus 19:17–18 “Do not hate your brother in your heart.” “Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.” “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
- Forgiving repeated offenses Genesis 50:17 Joseph forgives his brothers. Joseph’s entire narrative is a Torah model of longsuffering: enduring injustice, refusing vengeance, maintaining covenantal loyalty.
- Patience with the weak or immature Numbers 14:18 (quoting Exodus 34:6) God is longsuffering with Israel’s repeated failures.
- Torah Narratives That Embody Longsuffering Exodus 32–34 Moses intercedes for Israel after the golden calf, Numbers 12 Moses endures Miriam and Aaron’s criticism, Numbers 14 Moses pleads for mercy after Israel’s rebellion.
– Torah’s Covenant Framework for Longsuffering –
Longsuffering in the Torah is tied to: covenant loyalty (ḥesed), slow anger (’erek ’appayim), forgiveness (nasa’ avon), and bearing with the community. Paul’s ethic in Colossians 3 is a direct continuation of this covenantal framework.
– CONTEXT SYNTHESIS –
- Paul’s “Put On Longsuffering” and Torah Parallels. Longsuffering (makrothymia) ExodUS 34:6 God is “slow to anger”; the root of all biblical patience.
- Bearing with one another Lev 19:17–18 Patience, restraint, and love toward a neighbor.
- Forgiving others Gen 50:17 Joseph’s longsuffering forgiveness.
- Enduring provocation Num 12 Moses endures criticism without retaliation.
- Patience with repeated failure Num 14:18 God’s longsuffering toward Israel’s rebellion.
- Covenant loyalty expressed as patience ExodUS 34:6–7 Longsuffering is part of God’s covenant character.
Paul is calling believers to embody the same covenantal patience that God showed Israel in the Torah. This is how Paul taught Torah in the NT, the Torah has not passed away!
Visual Summary of Concepts the Torah in the NT
