Have You Reviled Any of These People? (Reviling - Part 2)

 Last time, in part 1 of this series on reviling, we saw that our own tongues can keep us out of God’s Kingdom. As Jesus told us, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Mat. 12:36). More specifically, we saw that reviling other people puts us in danger of the lake of fire if we do not stop.

In the New Testament, the Greek word for reviling describes verbally abusing, railing against, or cursing someone. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word describes making light of or diminishing someone. Speaking to or of that person with contempt.

Who We Should NOT Revile

So who, exactly, should we not revile? Yeshua/Jesus specifically forbade the reviling of brothers, that is, fellow believers: “And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire” (Mat. 5:22). The apostle Paul declared that revilers in general won’t be in God’s Kingdom: “Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

Elsewhere, the Bible singles out specific groups of people to forbid reviling them. Here in part 2 of this series, let’s take a look at who we should take extra care not to revile.

The first is authorities. As God’s people, we are commanded not to revile authorities, but to show them proper respect. 

Now, I’ve never been in the military, but those who have can attest that not every superior officer is respectable, yet he must be respected and saluted just the same. As Maj. Winters reminded Capt. Sobel in the TV series Band of Brothers, “We salute the rank, not the man.”

And so it is with us. All legitimate authority comes through our heavenly Father, who is the supreme authority. “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Rom. 13:1). As such, dishonoring the legitimate authorities is also dishonoring our Creator.

Spirit beings

Chief among these authorities are those in the spiritual realm. And yes, that includes Satan and his demons. Though they are our enemies and we are at war with them, we must never revile, curse, or speak of them with contempt. We must resist them (Jam. 4:7) and we can rebuke them in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we must not revile.

The apostle Peter sternly rebuked “those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord” (2 Pet. 2:10-11; NASB).

Similarly, we find in the Book of Jude,

8 Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties.

9 But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

10 But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed. (Jude 1:8-10; NASB).

In both passages, the word translated as “revile” isn’t the Greek word loidoros (Strong’s # G3060), which Paul used in 1 Cor. 6:10, but rather blasphemeo (Strong’s # G987), from which we get our English word “blaspheme.” Thayer’s Greek Lexicon defines it as “to speak reproachfully, rail at, revile, calumniate.” It most commonly applies to speaking evil of or slandering the spiritual realm, though there are exceptions.

Parents

The next authorities whom we should not revile, belittle, or otherwise dishonor with our words are our parents. As we read in Deut. 27:16, “Cursed is he who is making light of his father and his mother” (YLT). And the Book of Proverbs warns, “The eye that mocks his father, and scorns obedience to his mother, the ravens of the valley will pick it out, and the young eagles will eat it” (Prov. 30:17).

Elsewhere, the Word of God declares that such an offense is worthy of death. “And he who is reviling his father or his mother is certainly put to death” (Ex. 21:17; YLT). “For any man who revileth his father and his mother is certainly put to death; his father and his mother he hath reviled: his blood is on him” (Lev. 20:9; YLT).

Not all parents are godly, and not all parents are even honorable. Some are downright evil. And yet they should still be shown proper respect, not for their character or because they deserve it, but simply because they are your parents and you would not be alive without them. No matter how long we live or what we accomplish in life, and though our parents pass away, they will remain our parents and we must not curse, revile, or belittle them.

Rulers

Nor should we revile other human rulers. Not kings, not presidents or prime ministers, not judges, not governors, not senators or congressmen. Solomon exhorted, “Do not curse the king, even in your thought; do not curse the rich, even in your bedroom; for a bird of the air may carry your voice, and a bird in flight may tell the matter” (Eccl. 10:20). And in Ex. 22:28, we’re plainly commanded, “God thou dost not revile, and a prince among thy people thou dost not curse” (YLT).

Reviling or cursing God, of course, deserves the death penalty, as anyone ought to know, and we also find such an example in Scripture (Lev. 24:10-16). “Whoever blasphemes the name of the LORD shall surely be put to death” (Lev. 24:16).

But what about someone who curses or reviles a ruler? The Bible gives us an example of a man who did so, in the account of Shimei and David.

As King David fled from Jerusalem with his followers during his son Absalom’s rebellion, a man named Shimei began verbally abusing him and throwing stones and dirt at him: “And thus said Shimei in his reviling, ‘Go out, go out, O man of blood, and man of worthlessness!’” (2 Sam. 16:7; YLT). He further accused David of being a bloodthirsty and evil man, accusations which were obviously false.

There were many things wrong with Shimei’s actions. Not only did he revile a ruler directly appointed by God and anointed by a prophet of God, but he also made false accusations against one of God’s servants, against a man after God’s own heart. He described David as a worthless, bloodthirsty, and evil man, and further attacked him with stones and dirt.

But David didn’t return evil for evil, telling his officers, “See how my son who came from my own body seeks my life. How much more now may this Benjamite? Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the LORD has ordered him. It may be that the LORD will look on my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing this day” (2 Sam. 16:10-11).

And when David returned after Absalom’s rebellion had been crushed, Shimei rushed to meet him with a plea for mercy (2 Sam. 19:19-23). But Shimei wasn’t repentant; he simply hoped to avoid the death penalty for his actions. Though he admitted he’d sinned, he didn’t acknowledge the severity of what he’d done, nor did he seek forgiveness from God or from David for his sin. Instead, he tried to downplay it. He asked David to simply forget about it (2 Sam. 19:19-20). So Abishai, one of David’s chief officers, spoke up and said, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?” (2 Sam. 19:21). But David refused. He wanted peace and reconciliation with his people, not vengeance, so he promised Shimei that he would spare him (2 Sam. 19:23).

Nevertheless, on his deathbed, David gave his son Solomon some final instructions: 

8 “And see, you have with you Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a malicious curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the LORD, saying, ‘I will not put you to death with the sword.’

9 “Now therefore, do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him; but bring his gray hair down to the grave with blood.” (1 Kings 2:8-9.)

This wasn’t about revenge, it was about justice. It was about punishing an unrepentant and evil man with a punishment that fit his crime. “For you are a wise man and know what you ought to do to him.”

That’s how serious reviling a ruler is! It carries the same penalty as reviling God or reviling one’s parents: death.

Note that David himself, though he was unjustly persecuted by King Saul, never reviled him. After all the evil that Saul had done to him, David continued to show him proper honor, speaking of him as “the Lord’s anointed” (1 Sam. 24:6, 10; 26:9, 11, 16, 23). Even when he confronted Saul about his wickedness, David did not revile him or curse him, but said, “Let the LORD judge between you and me, and let the LORD avenge me on you” (1 Sam. 24:12). David lived by the saying, “We salute the rank, not the man.”

Like King Saul and most of the other kings of ancient Israel, the rulers of our land are ungodly and many of them are downright evil. We do not have to like them or approve of their actions, nor should we, but we must show respect for the office that God has permitted them to occupy.

Spouses

So what about spouses? Is it okay for you to berate, belittle, and verbally abuse your spouse? Most would quickly say “no,” and yet it’s all too common! How often do people behave rudely toward their own spouses, and yet treat their friends and coworkers with respect and dignity?

God commanded both husbands and wives to honor and respect one another. To build each other up, not tear each other down. “Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband” (Eph. 5:33; KJV). “Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as [being] heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Pet. 3:7).

Yes, husbands and wives get frustrated with each other sometimes. They get on each other’s nerves sometimes. But this is no excuse for mocking, belittling, or berating each other! It is no excuse for disobeying our Creator’s commands.

Remember that God will hold you accountable for every idle word! Jesus said, “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment” (Mat. 12:36).

Remember, too, that you're both on the same team. A house divided cannot stand. Do not tear down your own house! “But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said to them: ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will not stand’” (Mat. 12:25).

“The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands” (Prov. 14:1). O wife, if you’re belittling or tearing down your husband, then you’re a fool. O husband, if you’re belittling or tearing down your wife, then you’re a fool. There’s one who accuses us all the time, and his name is Satan the Devil. Do not be like him!

If you tear down or belittle your spouse, you will not be in the Kingdom of God! If you shout at, quarrel with, and verbally abuse your spouse, you will not be in the Kingdom of God. This is evil behavior, and no reviler will be in God’s Kingdom.

One of the most striking examples in the Bible of one spouse reviling another is the story of David and Michal. When he brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, King David was overcome with joy and “danced before the LORD with all his might. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.” (2 Sam. 6:14-15).

But David’s wife Michal evidently didn’t share his joy. Instead, she “looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart” (2 Sam. 6:16).

When David returned to the palace, Michal greeted him with sarcasm, derision, and contempt. “And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, ‘How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!’” (2 Sam. 6:20).

Now, we’re not told that David had truly exposed himself or done anything improper, but she accused him of it regardless. She further likened him to “one of the base fellows,” or, in Hebrew, a reyk (Strong’s # H7386). An empty or worthless man. As we saw last time, this is the same as the word “raca” that Yeshua/Jesus commanded His followers not to use toward one another: “Whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council” (Mat. 5:22).

And because Michal mocked and reviled her husband, she had no children for as long as she lived. “Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death” (2 Sam. 6:23). Nitpicking, tearing down, and belittling your spouse isn’t a minor thing. It’s evil!

Children

So what about children? It is the sacred duty of parents to correct and discipline their children as needed: “He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly” (Prov. 13:24). God desires that parents rear up godly offspring (Mal. 2:15), and this cannot be done without correction.

Nevertheless, the Bible also gives us some warnings. “And the fathers! Provoke not your children, but nourish them in the instruction and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4; YLT). Again, “The fathers! Vex not your children, lest they be discouraged” (Col. 3:21; YLT).

There are several ways one might provoke or vex one’s children, to make them discouraged, and one of those is by reviling and belittling them. “A harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1). There have been parents who continually tore their children down and spoke as if nothing they did was good enough, or ever could be good enough. This, too, is evil!

Children must be reared with love and taught to love our Creator and His ways. Even discipline, though it must be firm and stern enough to get the point across, should be motivated by love and concern for the child’s ultimate good. Likewise, our heavenly Father disciplines and corrects us out of love and concern for our ultimate good: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor detest His correction; for whom the LORD loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights” (Prov. 3:11-12).

Fellow brethren

As we observed last time, Jesus warned most strongly against reviling a brother, that is, a fellow believer: “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire” (Mat. 5:21-22).

Likewise, James, the Lord’s brother (Gal. 1:19), warned, “Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it” (Jam. 4:11; NASB). And again, “Do not grumble against one another, brethren, lest you be condemned. Behold, the Judge is standing at the door!” (Jam. 5:9).

Anyone

Now we’ve seen so far that, as God’s people, we should not revile spirit beings, parents, rulers, spouses, children, or fellow brethren. But more than this, we should not revile anyone.

This, of course, includes the disabled: “You shall not curse [revile] the deaf, nor put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the LORD” (Lev. 19:14). Like all other people, those who have physical infirmities must be treated with honor and respect.

The apostle Peter instructed us, “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king” (1 Pet. 2:17). Paul, too, instructed, “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men” (Tit. 3:1-2).

In this latter passage, “speak evil” is translated from the Greek blasphemeo (Strong’s # G987), which we discussed briefly in the section on reviling spirit beings. It usually applies to reviling or slandering the spiritual realm, though there are exceptions, and this is one of them.

Love Your Neighbor As Yourself

Everything we’ve covered so far can be summed up in the second of the two greatest commandments: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Lev. 19:18; Mat. 22:39). Everything in God’s law that pertains to human relationships can be distilled down to that. As the apostle Paul observed, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Gal. 5:14).

Concerning our relationships with other brethren, the apostle John put it more strongly: “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:20-21).

It scarcely needs to be said, but reviling other people is not loving them as oneself. Would any of us want to be called names? Accused falsely and have our motives impugned? Chewed out or berated anytime we do something someone else doesn’t like? Of course not. So let us not do these things to others! This is very simple.

Reviling is one of the calling cards of narcissistic, self-centered behavior. Self-centered people do not view others as human beings or potential members of the family of God, but only as objects to be used. They will quarrel, shout, harangue, threaten, nag, call names, and anything else they can think of to try to badger someone into doing what they want.

But these are the works of the flesh described in Gal. 5:19-21, not the fruits of God’s Spirit. The true followers of Jesus Christ do not behave this way. In 1 Cor. 13:4-7, we read, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Jesus Christ told us, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

In a world where spouses fight and quarrel, a happy, peaceful marriage will stand out and the world will know that you are Jesus’ disciples.

In a world where children disobey and dishonor their parents, children who love, honor, and obey their parents will stand out as Jesus’ disciples.

In a world where parents allow their children to run wild or resort to yelling at and arguing with them because they haven’t properly trained or disciplined them, parents who can speak and be obeyed will stand out as Jesus’ disciples.

To Be Continued…

Nevertheless, Jesus Himself reviled the scribes and Pharisees with the very word He warned His followers not to use toward one another: moros or fool! Twice in short order, He denounced them as “fools and blind” (Mat. 23:17, 19). In the whole New Testament, this is the only example of denouncing anyone with that word. One might argue that Jesus aimed it at a group rather than a specific person, and it might also be pointed out that Jesus was God in the flesh and we ourselves are not.

Still, the Bible shows multiple examples of God’s people denouncing the wicked — reviling them even! So what makes these examples different from the rules we’ve seen here? Next time, we’ll find out!