How do I study a modern word/concept in the Bible?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
W

wwjd_kilden

Guest
#21
I have to disagree that name- calling isn't abuse

Sure if someone shouts something to me on the street I don't care.
...but I did care that people called me ugly every schoolday for most of my time at school
Long- lasting, repeated bullying is abuse, even if it is "only" words.

[h=6]עָלַל[/h]The KJV translates Strong's H5953 in the following manner: glean (4x), done (3x), abuse (3x), mock (2x), affecteth (1x), children (1x), do (1x), defiled (1x), practise (1x), throughly (1x), wrought wonderfully (1x), wrought (1x).


Outline of Biblical Usage [?]

  1. to act severely, deal with severely, make a fool of someone
    1. (Poel) to act severely
    2. (Poal) to be severely dealt with
    3. (Hithpael) to busy oneself, divert oneself, deal wantonly, deal ruthlessly, abuse (by thrusting through)
    4. (Hithpoel) to practise practices, thrust forth (in wickedness)
  2. (Poel) to glean
  3. (Poel) to act or play the child
  4. (Poel) to insert, thrust, thrust in, thrust upon


 

notbythesword

Senior Member
Apr 28, 2015
305
5
0
#22
What I'd like to learn is what God considers "abuse" as opposed to what 21st century Christianity consider abuse. The word is in the Bible only three times. Twice, it's part of a story about something King Saul asked his standard-bearer to do to him. Once it was something Paul didn't want to do with God's truth. So that didn't help me much.

I remember reading in the Law that is was okay to punch a slave anywhere but in the face, and not so hard that he/she couldn't work the next day. And bone-breaking required restitution. These laws certainly don't fit 21st century though.

According to 21st century Christianity, abuse is spiritual, mental, emotional, or physical. All four grounds are reasons to divorce. Addiction has become "abuse," and somehow the addict has become the abuser. Name-calling is "abuse." I don't know about you, but, frankly, if someone calls me a viper or a painted tombstone, I'm thinking that's name-calling. So, even Jesus was abusive.

Something has gone weird on the word "abuse." So, I really would like to study the concept biblically, but have no idea what words to look up, what ideas to look up, or how to go about doing this.

And, no, copy/pasting your go-to verse(s) really won't help me, because we only remember verses that fit our opinion anyway. I would like an unbiased study on the concept, but could use some help on how to go about doing that. Got any?
If you look at verbal abuse within the context, you will see what other sins it is being compared with.

“Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or anyone practicing homosexuality, no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

The Greek word “loidoros” means: reproach (reviling); used of injuring another's reputation by denigrating, abusive insults
 

Desertsrose

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2016
2,824
207
63
#24
I didn't know abused and reviled were the same words.And, although this site isn't biblical, it gave me the foothold to know what to look for in the Bible.Thank you.
Your welcome Lynn! :)


Thayer's Greek Lexicon says this:


Thayer's Greek Lexicon
STRONGS NT 3058: λοιδορέω


λοιδορέω, λοιδόρω; 1 aorist ἐλοιδόρησα; present passive participle λοιδορούμενος; (λοίδορος); to reproach, rail at, revile, heap abuse upon: τινα, John 9:28; Acts 23:4; passive, 1 Corinthians 4:12; 1 Peter 2:23. (From Pindar and Aeschylus down; the Sept. several times for רִיב.) (Compare: ἀντιλοιδορέω.)
 

Zen

Senior Member
Sep 11, 2015
752
16
18
#25
So why is it considered abuse when guys (and women) do it?? Even Jesus wanted to kick butt sometimes, I'm sure..
When God told people (like Pharisees) what will happen to them, it's not abusive. These people are clearly described many times in the bible as people who perverted judgement, murdered and promoted idolatry (which God literally calls wickedness). They abused the temple of God by buying and selling doves in there, and using it as a currency exchange. God punished them (and lightly). Out of all the punishments that Lord Jesus could have put on those people, He chose to make a whip and chase them out. Read Numbers 16. Anyone with a brain cell would gladly take a hurtful word over hurtful punishment or a whip over instead of a fiery grave.

Abuse means misuse, ab means away from, so a deviation from its intended use. Word Root Of The Day: ab | Membean

If you chasten someone, it's out of love. If you do it harshly and deviate from its intention, it's abuse. You should use chastening on children to drive the foolishness from them, but if you beat them to a pulp because you want to hurt them, it's abuse.

Proverbs 13:24
He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.

What comes to mind when I say chasten your children? I bet it's an angry abusive man with a clenched fist punching a child who has black eyes. God's enemy doesn't want biblical Christians, it wants easy-to-stumble Babylonian Christians, friends of the world. God's children accepting stupid worldly garbage makes it easier to spread its corrupting influence. Unfortunately many Christians, have all been looking at life through the lens of the world/enemy.

Anyone can call someone abusive these days, if they don't like what they do. "Arrest my husband, officer. He raised his voice at me". "Arrest this misogynist for hate crimes, he is promoting abuse of women by saying that chastisement is biblical" (these women exist here).
 

Desertsrose

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2016
2,824
207
63
#27
So why is it considered abuse when guys (and women) do it?? Even Jesus wanted to kick butt sometimes, I'm sure..

Hi Blue,

The wrath of God is very violent, but it's just and righteous. All of us deserve God's wrath, but in His great kindness and mercy He has called a people to come out of the world as a part of the world system and to join Him in His Kingdom........to the whosoever wills. :)

Everyone has the opportunity to leave their life of sin, to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, but most men love their evil ways and will not accept God, but will reject Him totally.

Consider the OT.

If certain crimes were committed, the death penalty ensued. Who carried out the death penalty? The Israelites did. They even stoned their own family members if necessary.

However, as violent as it may be, they were not carrying out personal abuse towards others. They were acting on God's command and God's will executing judgment upon the Israelites. Gods ways are just and righteous, man's ways are not. For the wages of sin is death and for certain sins, death was immediate.

By God's grace, people's sins today and the punishments for them are postponed to a day when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

God's punishment is justice, it's righteous - mans isn't unless acting in obedience to God.