Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, January 21st, 2025
the Second Week after Epiphany
the Second Week after Epiphany
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Bible Dictionaries
Envy
Holman Bible Dictionary
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Envy is sometimes a motive for doing good. The Preacher was disillusioned that hard work and skill were the result of envying another (Ecclesiastes 4:4 ). Paul was, however, able to rejoice that the gospel was preached even if the motive were envy (Philippians 1:15 ).
The KJV rightly understood the difficult text in James 4:5 , recognizing that it is a characteristic of the human spirit that it “lusteth to envy”. Contrary to modern translations, the Greek word used for envy here (phthonos ) is always used in a negative sense, never in the positive sense of God's jealousy (Greek zealos ). God's response to the sinful longings of the human heart is to give more grace (James 4:6 ). See Jealousy .
Copyright Statement
These dictionary topics are from the Holman Bible Dictionary, published by Broadman & Holman, 1991. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Broadman & Holman.
These dictionary topics are from the Holman Bible Dictionary, published by Broadman & Holman, 1991. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Broadman & Holman.
Bibliography Information
Butler, Trent C. Editor. Entry for 'Envy'. Holman Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​hbd/​e/envy.html. 1991.
Butler, Trent C. Editor. Entry for 'Envy'. Holman Bible Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​hbd/​e/envy.html. 1991.