Texts in Conversation
Amos urges his audience to hate evil, love good, and uphold justice at the city gate, connecting it with community well-being. Paul in Romans echoes this language, demanding hatred of what is unrighteous and maintaining devotion to what is good.
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Amos 5:15
Hebrew Bible
13 For this reason whoever is smart keeps quiet in such a time, for it is an evil time. 14 Seek good and not evil so you can live! Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies just might be with you, as you claim he is. 15 Hate what is wrong, love what is right. Promote justice at the city gate. Maybe the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will have mercy on those who are left from Joseph. 16 Because of Israel’s sins this is what the Lord, the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, says: “In all the squares there will be wailing; in all the streets they will mourn the dead. They will tell the field workers to lament and the professional mourners to wail. 17 In all the vineyards there will be wailing, for I will pass through your midst,” says the Lord.
Date: 6th Century B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Romans 12:9
New Testament
7 If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; 8 if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness. 9 Love must be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another. 11 Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord.
Date: 55-58 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
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Notes and References
"... 'hating the evil, devoted to the good.' ἀποστυγέω is a strong word, "hate violently, abhor". Hence it is no accident that Paul chooses πονηρός (the only time in Romans) as the antithesis to ἀγαθός, instead of the usual since πονηρός is the stronger word ("wicked, evil") as against the less forceful ("bad"). κολλάω is equivalently strong on the other side-'join closely together, unite." In the passive, with the dative, as here, it has the force of 'cling to, enter into a close relation with' (Psalm 119 [LXX 118]:31; Testament of Issachar 6:1; Testament of Dan. 6:10; Testament of Gad 5:2; Testament of Asher 3:1; Testament of Benjamin 8:1; Didache 5:2; and Barnabas 20:2 echo this passage; BGD; Schlier refers also to 1QS 1:4-5). ἀγαθός is the more regular member of the antithesis (2:7,10; 3:8; etc.). Although the form of the contrast is distinctive, the contrast itself is not untypical (e.g., Psalm 34:14; 37:27; Amos 5:15; 1QS 1.4-5); see further on 2:10. The parallel with 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 is particularly worth noting ..."
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