Topical Encyclopedia
In the biblical context, a quarrel refers to a dispute or conflict between individuals, often characterized by anger, disagreement, or contention. The Bible addresses the nature, causes, and consequences of quarrels, providing guidance on how believers should handle such situations.
Old Testament ReferencesThe Old Testament frequently addresses the issue of quarrels, often highlighting the destructive nature of strife and the wisdom in avoiding unnecessary disputes. Proverbs, a book known for its practical wisdom, offers several insights:
·
Proverbs 17:14 states, "Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out." This verse emphasizes the importance of avoiding the initiation of conflict, as it can lead to greater destruction.
·
Proverbs 20:3 advises, "It is honorable for a man to resolve a dispute, but any fool will quarrel." Here, the text underscores the virtue of seeking peace and resolution rather than engaging in foolish arguments.
The account of Cain and Abel in
Genesis 4 illustrates the tragic consequences of unresolved anger and jealousy, leading to the first murder. This narrative serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of allowing quarrels to escalate unchecked.
New Testament TeachingsThe New Testament continues to address the issue of quarrels, particularly within the context of Christian community and relationships. The teachings of Jesus and the apostles emphasize reconciliation, forgiveness, and love as antidotes to conflict.
· In
Matthew 5:23-24 , Jesus instructs, "Therefore if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift." This passage highlights the priority of reconciliation over religious rituals, stressing the importance of resolving conflicts promptly.
· The Apostle Paul, in his letters, frequently addresses the issue of quarrels within the early church. In
1 Corinthians 1:10 , he appeals to the believers, "I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree together, so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be united in mind and conviction." Paul’s exhortation underscores the need for unity and harmony among Christians.
·
James 4:1-2 provides insight into the root causes of quarrels: "What causes conflicts and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? You crave what you do not have; you kill and covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel and fight." This passage points to internal desires and selfishness as the source of many disputes.
Practical GuidanceThe Bible offers practical guidance for dealing with quarrels, emphasizing the virtues of patience, humility, and love:
·
Ephesians 4:2-3 encourages believers to "be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." This instruction calls for a spirit of gentleness and a commitment to maintaining peace within the community.
·
Colossians 3:13 advises, "Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Forgiveness is presented as a crucial element in resolving disputes and preventing ongoing conflict.
In summary, the biblical perspective on quarrels emphasizes the importance of avoiding unnecessary disputes, seeking reconciliation, and fostering a spirit of unity and love among believers. Through the teachings of both the Old and New Testaments, the Bible provides a framework for understanding and addressing conflicts in a manner that honors God and promotes peace.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) An arrow for a crossbow; -- so named because it commonly had a square head.
2. (n.) Any small square or quadrangular member
3. (n.) A square of glass, esp. when set diagonally.
4. (n.) A small opening in window tracery, of which the cusps, etc., make the form nearly square.
5. (n.) A square or lozenge-shaped paving tile.
6. (n.) A glazier's diamond.
7. (n.) A four-sided cutting tool or chisel having a diamond-shaped end.
8. (n.) A breach of concord, amity, or obligation; a falling out; a difference; a disagreement; an antagonism in opinion, feeling, or conduct; esp., an angry dispute, contest, or strife; a brawl; an altercation; as, he had a quarrel with his father about expenses.
9. (n.) Ground of objection, dislike, difference, or hostility; cause of dispute or contest; occasion of altercation.
10. (n.) Earnest desire or longing.
11. (v. i.) To violate concord or agreement; to have a difference; to fall out; to be or become antagonistic.
12. (v. i.) To dispute angrily, or violently; to wrangle; to scold; to altercate; to contend; to fight.
13. (v. i.) To find fault; to cavil; as, to quarrel with one's lot.
14. (v. t.) To quarrel with.
15. (v. t.) To compel by a quarrel; as, to quarrel a man out of his estate or rights.
16. (n.) One who quarrels or wrangles; one who is quarrelsome.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
QUARRELkwor'-el: Originally (1) "a complaint" (compare "querulous"), or (2) "a cause of complaint," and so (3) "a contention."
(1) In the King James VersionMark 6:19 (the Revised Version (British and American) "set herself"; the colloquial "had it in for him" is an exact translation) andColossians 3:13 (momphe, "complaint"; so the Revised Version (British and American)).
(2) In2 Kings 5:7 ('anah, "be opportune," the Revised Version margin "an occasion").
(3) In the King James VersionLeviticus 26:25 (loose translation of naqam, "vengeance"; so the Revised Version (British and American)).
Compare Sirach 31:29 the King James Version (the Revised Version (British and American) "conflict") andProverbs 20:3 the Revised Version (British and American) (the King James Version, "meddling").
Greek
2054. eris -- strife... 2054 (a primitive word, dictionary) -- literally
quarrel, strife; properly, a
readiness to
quarrel (having a spirit), affection for dispute.
...1758. enecho -- to hold in or upon, ie to ensnare, by impl. to...
... to keep a grudge NASB Word Usage grudge against (1), had a grudge against (1),
hostile (1), subject (1). have aquarrel against, hold a grudge....
3163. mache -- a fight
... a fight. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: mache Phonetic Spelling:
(makh'-ay) Short Definition: strife, contention,quarrel Definition: (earlier...
3437. momphe -- blame
...quarrel, blame, fault. From memphomai; blame, ie (by implication), a fault --quarrel.
see GREEK memphomai. (momphen) -- 1 Occurrence. 3436, 3437....
3164. machomai -- to fight
... fight, strive. Middle voice of an apparently primary verb; to war, ie (figuratively)
toquarrel, dispute -- fight, strive. (emachonto) -- 1 Occurrence....
2051. erizo -- to wrangle, strive
... See 2054 (). Word Origin from eris Definition to wrangle, strive NASB Word Usage
quarrel (1). strive. From eris; to wrangle -- strive. see GREEK eris....
5380. philoneikos -- fond of strife
... contentious. From philos and neikos (aquarrel; probably akin to nikos); fond of
strife, ie Disputatious -- contentious. see GREEK philos. see GREEK nikos....
4170. polemeo -- to make war
... Word Origin from polemos Definition to make war NASB Word Usage make war (1),
quarrel (1), wage war (2), waged (1), wages war (1), waging (1)....
Strong's Hebrew
1481b. gur -- to stir up strife,quarrel... 1481a, 1481b. gur. 1481c . to stir up strife,
quarrel. Transliteration:
gur Short Definition: assails. Word Origin a prim. root
...4695. matstsuth -- strife, contention
... 4694, 4695. matstsuth. 4696 . strife, contention. Transliteration: matstsuth
Phonetic Spelling: (mats-tsooth') Short Definition:quarrel....quarrel....
579. anah -- to be opportune, to meet, encounter opportunely
... root Definition to be opportune, to meet, encounter opportunely NASB Word Usage
befall (1), befalls (1), let him fall (1), seeking aquarrel (1)....
5359. naqam -- vengeance
... Word Origin from naqam Definition vengeance NASB Word Usage vengeance (16). avenged,
quarrel, vengeance. From naqam; revenge -- + avenged,quarrel, vengeance....
7378. rib -- to strive, contend
... Usage argue (2), complain (2), contend (22), contended (9), contends (1), dispute
(1), ever strive (1), filed (1), find fault (1), have aquarrel (1), judge (1...
4808. meribah -- strife, contention
... Word Origin from rib Definition strife, contention NASB Word Usage strife (2).
provocation, strife. From riyb;quarrel -- provocation, strife. see HEBREW riyb....
4066. madon -- strife, contention
... brawling, contention, discord, strife. From diyn; a contest orquarrel -- brawling,
contention(-ous), discord, strife. Compare midyan, mdan. see HEBREW diyn....
6586. pasha -- to rebel, transgress
... A primitive root (identical with pasa' through the idea of expansion); to break
away (from just authority), ie Trespass, apostatize,quarrel -- offend, rebel...
7379. rib -- strife, dispute
... contention (1), contentions (3), controversy (1), dispute (11), disputes (1),
indictment (1), lawsuit (1), plea (1), plead his case (1),quarrel (2), strife (...
7264. ragaz -- to be agitated, quiver, quake, be excited...
... come trembling (1), deeply moved (1), disturbed (2), enraged (1), excited (1), moved
(1), provoke (1), quake (1), quaked (2), quakes (2),quarrel (1), rages (1...
Library
The End of theQuarrel
... The Church and the Empire CHAPTER III THE END OF THEQUARREL. [Sidenote:
A momentary peace.]... [Sidenote: Its effect on thequarrel.]....
In theQuarrel Earlier Alluded to Between the Energetic...
... Chapter 44 In thequarrel earlier alluded to between the energetic Progressive
and the obstinate Conservative or? In thequarrel...
They thatQuarrel at the Manner of God's Revealing Himself are...
... THE SECOND CENTURY 19 They thatquarrel at the manner of God's revealing
Himself are troubled because He is invisible. They that...
How There Happened aQuarrel Between the Jews and the Samaritans...
... CHAPTER 6. How There Happened AQuarrel Between The Jews And The Samaritans;
And How Claudius Put An End To Their Differences. 1...
How Upon theQuarrel Between Antiochus Grypus and Antiochus...
... How Upon TheQuarrel Between Antiochus Grypus And Antiochus Cyzicenus About The
Kingdom Hyrcanus Tooksamaria, And Utterly Demolished It; And How Hyrcaus Joined...
Whether Strife is a Daughter of Anger?
... Objection 2: Further, it is written (Prov.28:25): "He that boasteth and puffeth
up himself, stirreth up quarrels." Now strife is apparently the same asquarrel...
We Say Then that the Female Holds up with Two Strong Arms These...
... Now I know the question that will be abruptly and automatically asked by all that
know the dull tricks and turns of the modern sexualquarrel....
Still Another Triplet
... As if they meant: Be peaceable as far as you can; but if it be impossible, then
quarrel.... Don't youquarrel with them even if they willquarrel with you....
Knox in the English Puritan Troubles at Frankfort: 1554-1555
... Thequarrel between Knox and them definitely marks the beginning of the rupture
between the fathers of the Church of England and the fathers of Puritanism...
Happiness and goodness, according to canting moralists, stand in...
... Revenge, says Bacon, is a kind of wild justice; its judgments at least are delivered
by an insane judge; and in our ownquarrel we can see nothing truly and do...
Thesaurus
Quarrel (22 Occurrences)... disagreement; an antagonism in opinion, feeling, or conduct; esp., an angry dispute,
contest, or strife; a brawl; an altercation; as, he had a
quarrel with his
...Quarreled (8 Occurrences)
... & pp) ofQuarrel.... Exodus 17:2 Therefore the people quarreled with Moses, and said,
"Give us water to drink." Moses said to them, "Why do youquarrel with me?...
Wrangle (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (vi) To dispute angrily; toquarrel peevishly and noisily; to brawl; to altercate.
3. (vt) To involve in aquarrel or dispute; to embroil....
Quarreling (17 Occurrences)
... & vb. n.) ofQuarrel. 2. (a.) Engaged in aquarrel; apt or disposed toquarrel;
as, quarreling factions; a quarreling mood. Multi-Version Concordance...
Square (94 Occurrences)
... 16. (n.) The act of squaring, or quarreling; aquarrel.... (vi) To go to opposite sides;
to take an attitude of offense or defense, or of defiance; toquarrel....
Demetrius (3 Occurrences)
... as king. In the meantime, aquarrel had arisen between Ptolemy Philometor
and Euergetes Physkon (Livy Epit. 46; Diod. Sic. fr xi...
Quarantined (1 Occurrence)
Quarrelsome (9 Occurrences)
... 2 Timothy 2:24 and a bondservant of the Lord must notquarrel, but must be inoffensive
towards all men, a skilful teacher, and patient under wrongs....
Variance (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (n.) Change of condition; variation. 2. (n.) Difference that produce dispute
or controversy; disagreement; dissension; discord; dispute;quarrel....
Killed (352 Occurrences)
... altar. (WEB). Mark 6:19 Therefore Herodias had aquarrel against him, and
would have killed him; but she could not: (KJV WBS). Mark...
Resources
What is the meaning of “you have not because you ask not” in James 4:2? | GotQuestions.orgDid Moses copy the Law from the Code of Hammurabi? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about dealing with difficult people? | GotQuestions.orgQuarrel: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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