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 References

The 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 Teachings

The 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 Church

The 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 Believers

For 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.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.

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 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5355.htm - 7k

4342. proskartereo -- to attend constantly
... and 2594 , "show steadfast strength," derived from 2904 , "prevailing strength") --
properly, to consistently showing strength which (in spite of difficulties ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4342.htm - 8k

2549. kakia -- wickedness
... ee'-ah) Short Definition: evil, wickedness, malice Definition: (a) evil (ie trouble,
labor, misfortune), (b) wickedness, (c) vicious disposition, malice, spite ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2549.htm - 7k

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 ...
/hebrew/637.htm - 6k

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 ...
/hebrew/1571.htm - 6k

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 ( ...
/hebrew/3707.htm - 6k

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 ...
/hebrew/5921.htm - 8k

Seeing, Then, Man's Own Reflections, Even in Spite of the ...
... Chapter XXIII. Seeing, then, man's own reflections, even in spite of the
sweetness of pleasure? Seeing, then, man's own reflections ...
/.../tertullian/the shows or de spectaculis/chapter xxiii seeing then mans.htm

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 " in spite of so ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 14 43-52 the arrest.htm

The City Without Walls
... The apparent failure of the promise carries the lesson for churches and individuals
to-day, that in spite of such glowing predictions, there may again sound ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the city without walls.htm

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, in spite of difficulties ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/hezekiah a pattern of devout.htm

The Three Tabernacles
... Ah, my friends, in spite of our trials, our weariness, our sad knowledge of men
and things; in spite of the declining years among which so many of us are ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chapin/the crown of thorns/the three tabernacles.htm

Tennessee and Missouri.
... And such was the case in spite of the fact that Tennessee at this time had practically
sloughed off the German language, while Missouri was thoroughly German ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bente/american lutheranism/tennessee and missouri.htm

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, in spite of all ...
//christianbookshelf.org/callan/the shepherd of my soul/iii the lord is my.htm

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 ...
/.../kingsley/all saints day and other sermons/sermon xxi father and child.htm

Letter i. --Aridity and Weakness.
... The attraction you feel to give yourself entirely to Him, and live a wholly interior
life in spite of the dissipation of your mind, and the rebellion of nature ...
/.../de caussade/abandonment to divine providence/letter i aridity and weakness.htm

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 in spite of ourselves ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xxxiii the notion of.htm

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). ...
/s/spite.htm - 14k

Despite (18 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (prep.) In spite of; notwithstanding; against,
or in defiance of; as, despite his prejudices. 2. (n ...
/d/despite.htm - 13k

For (102061 Occurrences)
... 8. (prep.) Indicating that instead of which something else controls in the performing
of an action, or that in spite of which anything is done, occurs, or is ...
/f/for.htm - 9k

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 ...
/d/despiteful.htm - 8k

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. ...
/s/spiteful.htm - 6k

Monthly (11 Occurrences)
... (2) It must also be remembered that the false prophets of the Old Testament
are called prophets in spite of their false prophecies. ...
/m/monthly.htm - 93k

Joy (422 Occurrences)
... There are many intimations that, in spite of the profound elements of grief and
tragedy in His life, His habitual demeanor was gladsome and joyous, certainly ...
/j/joy.htm - 48k

Borrowing (1 Occurrence)
... must be raised the third day." These references are too numerous to be overlooked,
and, in spite of difficulties of detail, they are, in any proper treatment ...
/b/borrowing.htm - 52k

Prophet (315 Occurrences)
... (2) It must also be remembered that the false prophets of the Old Testament
are called prophets in spite of their false prophecies. ...
/p/prophet.htm - 49k

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, in spite of the protest ...
/p/pontius.htm - 36k

Did Adam and Eve know what death was when God commanded them not to eat from the tree of knowledge? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean to endure hardship (2 Timothy 4:5)? | GotQuestions.org

Who was Cleopas in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Spite: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus