Love doesn’t rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out (1 Cor 13:5). It has no taste for the bitter, hateful, vengeful, or malicious comment. It won’t gloat or take hidden pleasure in another’s shame. Thiselton thinks this would rebuke anyone whose sense of moral superiority found pleasure in delivering a “prophetic” rebuke or threatening judgment. Love cannot rejoice over what makes another weep; it will only weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. Think of the psalmist weeping over lawbreaking Israel (Ps 119:136), Jeremiah weeping over Israel’s captivity (Jer 9:1), and Jesus weeping for Jerusalem (Luke 19:41–42). Or think of the foreigner Jethro rejoicing over the favor God had showed Israel in leading them out of slavery (Exod 18:9).
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