Topical Encyclopedia
Spite, as understood in biblical terms, refers to a malicious desire to harm, annoy, or frustrate another person. It is an attitude that is contrary to the teachings of love, forgiveness, and kindness found throughout Scripture. The Bible consistently warns against harboring such negative emotions and encourages believers to pursue peace and reconciliation.
Old Testament ReferencesThe concept of spite can be seen in various narratives and teachings in the Old Testament. In
Genesis 37:4, the brothers of Joseph are described as hating him and being unable to speak peaceably to him due to their jealousy and spite over their father's favoritism. This animosity eventually leads them to sell Joseph into slavery, demonstrating how spite can lead to grievous sin.
Proverbs 24:29 advises against seeking revenge, a common manifestation of spite: "Do not say, 'I will do to him as he has done to me; I will repay the man according to his work.'" This wisdom literature emphasizes the importance of leaving vengeance to the Lord and not allowing spite to dictate one's actions.
New Testament TeachingsThe New Testament further develops the theme of overcoming spite with love and forgiveness. Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount directly address the issue of spiteful behavior. In
Matthew 5:44, Jesus instructs, "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." This radical call to love even those who harbor ill will towards us is a direct counter to the natural human inclination towards spite.
The Apostle Paul echoes this sentiment in
Romans 12:17-21, where he writes, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone... Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Paul encourages believers to rise above spiteful tendencies and to respond to wrongdoing with goodness and grace.
Spite in the Early ChurchThe early church faced numerous challenges, including persecution and internal conflicts, where spite could easily have taken root. In
Ephesians 4:31-32, Paul admonishes the church to "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you." This passage highlights the transformative power of forgiveness and kindness in overcoming spite.
Practical Implications for BelieversFor Christians, the call to reject spite is a call to embody the love and forgiveness of Christ in all relationships. The Bible encourages believers to examine their hearts and to root out any bitterness or malice that may lead to spiteful actions. By doing so, they reflect the character of Christ and promote unity and peace within the body of Christ and the broader community.
In summary, spite is a destructive force that the Bible consistently warns against. Through the teachings of both the Old and New Testaments, believers are called to rise above spiteful inclinations and to pursue a life marked by love, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) Ill-will or hatred toward another, accompanied with the disposition to irritate, annoy, or thwart; petty malice; grudge; rancor; despite.
2. (n.) Vexation; chagrin; mortification.
3. (v. t.) To be angry at; to hate.
4. (v. t.) To treat maliciously; to try to injure or thwart.
5. (v. t.) To fill with spite; to offend; to vex.
Greek
5355. phthonos -- envy... envy. Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: phthonos Phonetic Spelling:
(fthon'-os) Short Definition: envy, a grudge Definition: envy, a grudge,
spite...4342. proskartereo -- to attend constantly
... and 2594 , "show steadfast strength," derived from 2904 , "prevailing strength") --
properly, to consistently showing strength which (inspite of difficulties...
2549. kakia -- wickedness
... ee'-ah) Short Definition: evil, wickedness, malice Definition: (a) evil (ie trouble,
labor, misfortune), (b) wickedness, (c) vicious disposition, malice,spite...
Strong's Hebrew
637. aph -- also, yea... more (4), indeed (20), indeed* (2), less (2), more (1), more* (1), much more* (8),
much* (10), no (1), really (1), scarcely* (3), so (2),
spite* (1), surely (9
...1571. gam -- also, moreover, yea
... neither (1), nevertheless (1), nor (4), nor yet (1), nor* (4), now (3), now* (2),
only (1), or (4), part also (1), previously* (1), so (1),spite* (1), still (1...
3707. kaas -- to be vexed or angry
... the to anger (1), provoked to anger (1), provoking (7), provoking him to anger
(2), provoking me to anger (4), provoking the to anger (1),spite (2), trouble (...
5921. al -- upon, above, over
... 1), respect (1), responsibility (1), ruthlessly* (1), sake (4), sake* (1), sakes
(2), settled* (1), since* (1), so (1), so* (2), sorrow (1),spite (2), steward...
Library
Seeing, Then, Man's Own Reflections, Even inSpite of the...
... Chapter XXIII. Seeing, then, man's own reflections, even inspite of the
sweetness of pleasure? Seeing, then, man's own reflections...
The Arrest
... His eyes is the catastrophe which His death is confronted to avert " the death of
a soul, a chosen and richly dowered soul for ever lost " inspite of so...
The City Without Walls
... The apparent failure of the promise carries the lesson for churches and individuals
to-day, that inspite of such glowing predictions, there may again sound...
Hezekiah, a Pattern of Devout Life
... Moab and the two daughters-in-law, one sent back, not reluctantly, to her home;
and the other persisting in keeping by Naomi's side, inspite of difficulties...
The Three Tabernacles
... Ah, my friends, inspite of our trials, our weariness, our sad knowledge of men
and things; inspite of the declining years among which so many of us are...
Tennessee and Missouri.
... And such was the case inspite of the fact that Tennessee at this time had practically
sloughed off the German language, while Missouri was thoroughly German...
The Lord is My Shepherd, I Shall not Want.
... that life on earth is entirely made up of pain and sorrow, for the divine mercy
has mitigated even the stroke of sin, and has caused the world, inspite of all...
Father and Child
... By praising them:"by telling them that he trusts them and loves them, because in
spite of all their faults there is something in them worthy to be loved and...
Letter i. --Aridity and Weakness.
... The attraction you feel to give yourself entirely to Him, and live a wholly interior
life inspite of the dissipation of your mind, and the rebellion of nature...
The Notion of Inability.
... not of liberty; that is, that necessity is an attribute of these feelings, in such
a sense, that under the circumstances, they will exist inspite of ourselves...
Thesaurus
Spite (28 Occurrences)... 4. (vt) To treat maliciously; to try to injure or thwart. 5. (vt) To fill with
spite;
to offend; to vex. Multi-Version Concordance
Spite (28 Occurrences).
...Despite (18 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (prep.) Inspite of; notwithstanding; against,
or in defiance of; as, despite his prejudices. 2. (n...
For (102061 Occurrences)
... 8. (prep.) Indicating that instead of which something else controls in the performing
of an action, or that inspite of which anything is done, occurs, or is...
Despiteful (3 Occurrences)
... fool: "Despite" is from Latin despectus, "a looking down upon." As a noun (= "contempt")
it is now generally used in its shortened form, "spite," while the...
Spiteful (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.) Filled with, or showing,spite; having a desire to
vex, annoy, or injure; malignant; malicious; as, a spiteful person or act....
Monthly (11 Occurrences)
... (2) It must also be remembered that the false prophets of the Old Testament
are called prophets inspite of their false prophecies....
Joy (422 Occurrences)
... There are many intimations that, inspite of the profound elements of grief and
tragedy in His life, His habitual demeanor was gladsome and joyous, certainly...
Borrowing (1 Occurrence)
... must be raised the third day." These references are too numerous to be overlooked,
and, inspite of difficulties of detail, they are, in any proper treatment...
Prophet (315 Occurrences)
... (2) It must also be remembered that the false prophets of the Old Testament
are called prophets inspite of their false prophecies....
Pontius (4 Occurrences)
... nothing to the accusations of the chief priests; that Pilate tried to release Jesus
according to an ancient custom; that the multitude, inspite of the protest...
Resources
Did Adam and Eve know what death was when God commanded them not to eat from the tree of knowledge? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does it mean to endure hardship (2 Timothy 4:5)? | GotQuestions.orgWho was Cleopas in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgSpite: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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