Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Nature:Corruption, in a biblical context, refers to the moral decay and degradation that results from sin and disobedience to God's commandments. It encompasses both the internal corruption of the heart and the external manifestations of sinful behavior. The Bible frequently addresses corruption as a fundamental issue affecting individuals, societies, and even creation itself.
Biblical References:1.
Human Nature and Sin: The Bible teaches that corruption entered the world through sin. In
Genesis 6:12, it is written, "God looked upon the earth and saw that it was corrupt; for all living creatures on the earth had corrupted their ways." This passage highlights the pervasive nature of corruption that affected humanity before the flood.
2.
Moral and Spiritual Corruption: Corruption is often linked with moral and spiritual decay. In
Romans 1:21-23, the Apostle Paul describes how humanity, although knowing God, "did not glorify Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles." This passage illustrates the spiritual corruption that results from idolatry and turning away from God.
3.
Corruption in Leadership and Society: The Bible frequently warns against corruption in leadership. In
Exodus 23:8, it is commanded, "Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds those who see and twists the words of the righteous." This highlights the corrupting influence of bribery and the importance of integrity in leadership.
4.
Consequences of Corruption: Corruption leads to judgment and destruction. In
Galatians 6:8, Paul warns, "The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." This principle underscores the inevitable consequences of living a corrupt life.
5.
Redemption from Corruption: The Bible offers hope for redemption from corruption through Jesus Christ. In
2 Peter 1:4, believers are encouraged by the promise that "through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires." This passage emphasizes the transformative power of God's promises and the possibility of escaping corruption through divine intervention.
Theological Implications:Corruption is a manifestation of the fallen state of humanity and the world. It is a reminder of the need for divine grace and redemption. The Bible consistently calls believers to live lives of holiness and integrity, resisting the corrupting influences of the world. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christians are empowered to overcome corruption and live in accordance with God's will, reflecting His righteousness and purity in a fallen world.
Topical Bible Verses
2 Peter 1:4Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
Topicalbible.orgRomans 8:21
Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
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Galatians 6:8
For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
Topicalbible.org
2 Peter 2:19
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
Topicalbible.org
Acts 2:27
Because you will not leave my soul in hell, neither will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption.
Topicalbible.org
Psalm 16:10
For you will not leave my soul in hell; neither will you suffer your Holy One to see corruption.
Topicalbible.org
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) Loss of integrity, virtue, or moral principle; as, a corruption of morals; the state of being corrupted or debased; loss of purity or integrity; depravity; wickedness; impurity; bribery.
2. (n.) The act of corrupting or making putrid, or state of being corrupt or putrid; decomposition or disorganization, in the process of putrefaction; putrefaction; deterioration.
3. (n.) The product of corruption; putrid matter.
4. (n.) The act of changing, or of being changed, for the worse; departure from what is pure, simple, or correct; as, a corruption of style; corruption in language.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
CORRUPTIONko-rup'-shun: The Hebrew words mishchath, mashchath, mashchith, and their Greek equivalents, phthora, and diaphthora, with numerous derivatives and cognate verbs, imply primarily physical degeneration and decay (Job 17:14Acts 2:27, etc.). The term shachath, which the King James Version translates with "corruption" inJonah 2:6, ought to be rendered "pit,". as inPsalm 30:9;Psalm 35:7 et passim, while shachath beli inIsaiah 38:17 means the "pit of nothingness," i.e. of destruction.
Figurative: At an early time we find the above-given words in a non-literal sense denoting moral depravity and corruption (Genesis 6:11Exodus 32:7Hosea 9:9Galatians 6:8, etc.), which ends in utter moral ruin and hopelessness, the second death. The question has been raised whether the meaning of these words might be extended so as to include the idea of final destruction and annihilation of the spirit. Upon careful examination, however, this question must be denied both from the standpoint of the Old Testament and of the New Testament. Apart from other considerations we see this from the metaphors used in the Scriptures to illustrate the condition of "corruption," such as the "unquenchable fire," the "worm" which "dieth not" (Mark 9:43, 18; compareIsaiah 66:24), and "sleep" (Daniel 12:2), where a careful distinction is made between the blissful state after death of the righteous and the everlasting disgrace of the godless. The later Jewish theology is also fully agreed on this point. The meaning of the words cannot therefore extend beyond the idea of utter moral degradation and depravity.
H. L. E. Luering
CORRUPTION, MOUNT OF
(har ha-mashchith; to oros tou Mosoath): The hill on the right hand of which Solomon built high places for Ashtoreth, Chemosh and Milcom (2 Kings 23:13). The mountain referred to is no doubt the Mount of Olives. The high places would, therefore, be on the southern height called in later Christian writings the "Mount of Offence," and now, by the Arabs, Baten el-Hawa. Har ha-mashchith is probably only a perversion of har ha-mishchah, "Mount of Anointing," a later name of the Mount of Olives.
W. Ewing
MOUNT OF CORRUPTION
SeeOLIVES, MOUNT OF.
Greek
5356. phthora -- destruction,corruption... destruction,
corruption. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: phthora
Phonetic Spelling: (fthor-ah') Short Definition:
corruption, destruction, decay
...1312. diaphthora -- destruction,corruption
... destruction,corruption. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: diaphthora
Phonetic Spelling: (dee-af-thor-ah') Short Definition: destruction, decay...
3582. xestes -- a sextarius (about a pint), a pitcher (of wood or...
... As if from xeo (properly, to smooth; by implication, (of friction) to boil or heat);
a vessel (as fashioned or for cooking) (or perhaps bycorruption from the...
861. aphtharsia -- incorruptibility
... Cognate: 861 -- properly, no-corruption (unable to experience deterioration); (not
perishable), ie lacking the to decay or break down. See 862a ()....
Strong's Hebrew
4893. mishchath --corruption (ceremonial)... mishchath. 4893a .
corruption (ceremonial). Transliteration: mishchath Phonetic
Spelling: (mish-khawth') Short Definition:
corruption.
corruption, marred
...4893a. moshchath --corruption (ceremonial)
... 4893, 4893a. moshchath. 4893b .corruption (ceremonial). Transliteration:
moshchath Short Definition:corruption. Word Origin from...
4889. mashchith -- ruin, destruction
... utterly (1).corruption, to destroying, destruction, trap, utterly. From
shachath; destructive, ie (as noun) destruction, literally...
7844. shechath -- to corrupt
... 7843, 7844. shechath. 7845 . to corrupt. Transliteration: shechath Phonetic
Spelling: (shekh-ath') Short Definition:corruption....
1097. beli -- a wearing out
...corruption, ignorantly, for lack of, where no....corruption, ig(norantly), for lack
of, where no...is, so that no, none, not, un(awares), without....
7845. shachath -- a pit
...corruption, destruction, ditch, grave, pit. From shuwach; a pit (especially as a
trap); figuratively, destruction --corruption, destruction, ditch, grave, pit....
210. Uphaz -- a region where gold is found
... Uphaz. Perhaps acorruption of 'Owphiyr; Uphaz, a famous gold region -- Uphaz. see
HEBREW 'Owphiyr. 209, 210. Uphaz. 211 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
The Causes of theCorruption of the Traditional Text
The Causes of theCorruption of the Traditional Text. <. The Causes of
theCorruption of the Traditional Text John William Burgon....
WhatCorruption Affects and what it Is.
... On the Morals of the Manich??ans. Chapter 6. "WhatCorruption Affects and
What It is. 8. What further does the Catholic light say?...
GeneralCorruption.
The Causes of theCorruption of the Traditional Text. <.... THE CAUSES OF
THECORRUPTION OF THE TRADITIONAL TEXT OF THE HOLY GOSPELS....
Evil Alone isCorruption.Corruption is not Nature, but Contrary...
... Chapter 35. "Evil Alone isCorruption.Corruption is Not Nature, But Contrary
to Nature.Corruption Implies Previous Good. 39....
From theCorruption and Destruction of Inferior Things is the...
... Concerning the Nature of Good, Against the Manich??ans. Chapter 8. "From theCorruption
and Destruction of Inferior Things is the Beauty of the Universe....
ConcerningCorruption and Destruction.
... Book III. Chapter XXVIII."ConcerningCorruption and Destruction. The word
corruption [2239] has two meanings [2240] . For it signifies...
Of theCorruption of Nature and the Efficacy of Divine Grace
... THE THIRD BOOK. ON INWARD CONSOLATION CHAPTER LV Of thecorruption of Nature
and the efficacy of Divine Grace. O Lord my God, who...
TheCorruption of Rational Spirits is on the one Hand Voluntary...
... Concerning the Nature of Good, Against the Manich??ans. Chapter 7. "TheCorruption
of Rational Spirits is on the One Hand Voluntary, on the Other Penal....
Of theCorruption of Angels, and the Two Kinds of Demons.
... the divine institutes. Book II. Of the Origin of Error. Chap. XV."Of the
Corruption of Angels, and the Two Kinds of Demons. When...
Accidental Causes ofCorruption.
The Causes of theCorruption of the Traditional Text. <.... THE CAUSES OF THE
CORRUPTION OF THE TRADITIONAL TEXT OF THE HOLY GOSPELS. CHAPTER III....
Thesaurus
Corruption (37 Occurrences)... 1. (n.) Loss of integrity, virtue, or moral principle; as, a
corruption of morals;
the state of being corrupted or debased; loss of purity or integrity
...Sin (782 Occurrences)
... Because of Adam's first sin all his posterity came into the world in a state of
sin and condemnation, ie, (1) a state of moralcorruption, and (2) of guilt, as...
Leaven (24 Occurrences)
... A natural reason for the prohibition, like that of the similar exclusion of honey,
is sought on the ground that fermentation implied a process ofcorruption....
Incorruption (6 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The condition or quality of being incorrupt or
incorruptible; absence of, or exemption from,corruption. Int....
Incorruptibility (7 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The quality of being incorruptible; incapability
ofcorruption.... It is sown incorruption, it is raised in incorruptibility....
Decay (18 Occurrences)
... strength, soundness, prosperity, or of any species of excellence or perfection;
tendency toward dissolution or extinction;corruption; rottenness; decline...
Corruptly (20 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (adv.) In a corrupt manner; by means ofcorruption
or corrupting influences; wrongfully. Multi-Version Concordance...
Olives (30 Occurrences)
... mishchah, "Mount of Oil"; this occurs in some manuscripts in 2 Kings 23:13, and
the common reading har ha-mashchith, "Mount ofCorruption," margin "destruction...
Corrupt (59 Occurrences)
... 2 Peter 2:19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of
corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him....
Judicial (2 Occurrences)
... was of such frequent occurrence as to require special mention (23:1-3, 6-8). In
fact the Old Testament abounds with allusions to thecorruption and venality of...
Resources
What does the Bible say about corruption? | GotQuestions.orgIs it true that the bodies of some saints are incorruptible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the human soul? | GotQuestions.orgCorruption: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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