About Jesus - Steve Sweetman

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Happy/Joy

I still think that our modern day definition of happy differs from what the first century church thought of when they used their equivalent word. 

Their word for happy seemed to mean "one who is blessed". Then I guess you would have to know what "blessed" means.  That's why the KJV uses the word "blessed is the man..." in the beatitudes.  Blessed is not the same as our modern word happy, although the Good News For Modern Man uses "happy" (not blessed) if I remember correctly.

Joy on the other hand is from a word meaning exaltation. So if someone is joyful, they are exalted, maybe emotionally or in whatever since you could use the word. The person has been exalted or lifted to a higher position in spirit, emotion...

This is a brief distinction between the 2 words - happy and joy.

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