God has seemingly forsaken his people, others conclude that he is not protecting or blessing them and so they heap reproach upon them. (Ps. 31:9-11; 42:10; 74:10, 11; 79:4, 5; 102:8, 9; Joel 2:17-19) But eventually Jehovah demonstrates his saving acts and thereby silences those who reproach.—Neh. 1:3; 2:17; 4:4; 6:16.

BEARING REPROACH FOR SAKE OF CHRIST

Also, in carrying out their commission, Jehovah’s servants have been reproached by those to whom they were sent. This was the experience of Jeremiah (Jer. 6:10; 15:15-18; 20:8) and of Christ Jesus (Matt. 27:44; Mark 15:32; Rom. 15:3) and his followers. (Heb. 10:33) For an individual to be reproached for the sake of Christ gives him reason for rejoicing, as it leads to a great reward in the heavens (Matt. 5:11; Luke 6:22, 23) and constitutes a proof of his having God’s spirit. (1 Pet. 4:14) Therefore, reproach should not be feared. To those knowing righteousness, Jehovah said: “Do not be afraid of the reproach of mortal men, and do not be struck with terror just because of their abusive words.’”—Isa. 51:7.

Although knowing the great reproach that would come upon him, Jesus voluntarily submitted to the doing of his Father’s will to the point of dying a shameful death on a torture stake. (Isa. 53:3-7; John 10:17, 18; Heb. 12:2; 13:12, 13) To render good to others, he did not seek to please himself but was willing to take reproach from persons who by word and deed reproached Jehovah God. The apostle Paul pointed to this when highlighting the right attitude toward spiritually weak ones: “We, though, who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those not strong, and not to be pleasing ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor in what is good for his upbuilding. For even Christ did not please himself; but just as it is written: ‘The reproaches of those who were reproaching you have fallen upon me.’” (Rom. 15:1-3) In the previous chapter (14), Paul had discussed the weaknesses of some who had conscientious scruples regarding certain foods or the observance of a certain day; he had shown the need to avoid being a cause for stumbling such ones, and the need to build them up. This would likely mean that those strong in understanding, faith and conscience would have to restrict themselves in the exercise of their rights, and this might be somewhat unpleasant to them. Nevertheless, they must “bear” (the verb here allowing both the sense of “carry” and “put up with or endure” [compare Galatians 6:2; Revelation 2:2]) whatever burdens such weaknesses might cause them, imitating Christ. (Compare Matthew 17:17-20; also Moses’ expression at Numbers 11:10-15.) Also, they should not simply forge ahead in their own pursuit of God’s favor, blessings and rewards, while shunting aside as an encumberment these spiritually weak ones or allowing them to be lopped off by the adversary due to lack of consideration and help from these strong ones.—Compare 1 Corinthians 9:19-23; 10:23-33.

AVOID BRINGING REPROACH BY WRONGDOING

While expecting reproach for righteousness’ sake, a Christian should never “suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a busybody in other people’s matters.” (1 Pet. 4:15, 16) One of the qualifications for an overseer in the Christian congregation is that he “have a fine testimony from people on the outside, in order that he might not fall into reproach.” This would prevent bringing dishonor to the position and would avoid the spread of unfavorable talk about true Christians because of the conduct of one of the prominent members of the congregation.—1 Tim. 3:7.

REPTILES

A reptile is a cold-blooded, vertebrate, air-breathing animal. The Hebrew verb za·hhalʹ means “to glide away,” “to crawl away.” From this root is drawn the word designating reptiles generally. (The same verb was used at Job 32:6 by Elihu when he spoke of ‘drawing back.’) As stated at Deuteronomy 32:24, among the things bringing trouble upon idolatrous Israel was to be “the venom of reptiles of the dust,” evidently referring there to poisonous snakes. (Compare Jeremiah 8:17.) At Micah 7:17, the nations that are overwhelmed by God’s power are spoken of as coming out of their defensive positions like excited reptiles.

In addition to serpents, other reptiles mentioned in the Bible are the chameleon, the gecko and other lizards, and the newt, which see under their individual names.

REPURCHASE, REPURCHASER

The Hebrew word go·ʼelʹ, appearing first in Genesis 48:16 (“the [one] . . . recovering”), in time took on the meaning of “kinsman with the right to repurchase (or redeem)”; that is, to recover, redeem or buy back the person, property or inheritance of the next of kin; and was given an application to a blood avenger. The next of kin having the obligation of being a repurchaser evidently fell in this order: (1) brother, (2) uncle, (3) son of an uncle, (4) any other male blood relative of the family.—Lev. 25:48, 49; compare the order in Numbers 27:5-11; see AVENGER OF BLOOD.

Under the Mosaic law, if an Israelite, because of economic circumstances, had sold himself into slavery, the repurchaser could buy him back out of slavery. (Lev. 25:47-54) Or, if he had sold his land inheritance, his repurchaser could buy back the property, and he could return to his possession. (Lev. 25:25-27) However, no thing “devoted,” “devoted to destruction,” not even a man’s life, could be repurchased.—Lev. 27:21, 28, 29; see DEVOTE.

An example of the transaction of repurchase by a go·ʼelʹ is found in the book of Ruth. When Ruth reported that she had gleaned in the field of Boaz, her mother-in-law Naomi exclaimed: “The man is related to us. He is one of our repurchasers.” (Ruth 2:20) Boaz accepted this obligation and concluded a covenant of repurchase before judges and witnesses, but only after another relative more closely related than Boaz had turned down this privilege.—Ruth 3:9, 12, 13; 4:1-17.

JEHOVAH AS REPURCHASER

By the sacrifice of his only-begotten Son, Jehovah as Repurchaser provided for the recovery of mankind from sin and death and the power of the grave. This Son had to come to earth, becoming “like his ‘brothers’ in all respects,” partaking of blood and flesh, thereby being a near relative of mankind. (Heb. 2:11-17) The apostle Paul writes to Christians: “By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one.”—Eph. 1:7; compare Revelation 5:9; 14:3, 4; see RANSOM

RESEN

(Reʹsen).

A city in Assyria built by Nimrod between Nineveh and Calah. Its location is otherwise unknown.—Gen. 10:10-12.

RESHEPH

(Reʹsheph) [flame, blazing].

An Ephraimite; one of Joshua’s ancestors.—1 Chron. 7:22-27.

RESINOUS TREE

[Heb., goʹpher].

This tree from the wood of which the ark was constructed by Noah cannot be identified with any degree of certainty. (Gen. 6:14) The Authorized Version simply transliterates the Hebrew name. On the basis of the similarity between the Hebrew name and the Hebrew term for “tar” (“pitch,” AV; Heb., koʹpher) some have related it to the resinous trees of the pine family, particularly to the cypress, which is a very durable tree, extremely resistant to decay.—See CYPRESS.

RESPECT

The giving of particular attention or deference to one judged worthy of esteem; a recognition and due regard for a thing or, especially, another person, his qualities, achievements, or his office, position or authority. To manifest respect is to