Bible Characters from the Old and New Testaments

by Alexander Whyte

Passion and Patience, like Esau and Jacob, are twin-brothers. And their names, like their natures, spring up from the same root. 'Patience,' says Crabb in his English Synonyms, 'comes from the active participle to suffer; while passion comes from the passive participle of the same verb; and hence the difference between the two names. Patience signifies suffering from an active principle, a determination to suffer; while passion signifies what is suffered from want of power to prevent the suffering.

Genres: Reference

480 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1990

About the author

Alexander Whyte was a Scottish theologian, minister and Principal of New College, Edinburgh. He was Moderator of the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland in 1898.

Whyte studied divinity at the University of Aberdeen and then at New College, Edinburgh, graduating in 1866. He entered the ministry of the Free Church of Scotland and after serving as colleague in Free St. John's, Glasgow (1866 - 1870), moved to Edinburgh as colleague and successor to Rev. Dr. Robert Candlish at Free St. George's. In 1909 he succeeded Dr. Marcus Dods as Principal, and Professor of New Testament Literature, at New College, Edinburgh.