Malice
Summary
A disposition of ill will toward others, desiring or delighting in their harm, repeatedly condemned throughout Scripture.
☩Old Testament Teaching
The Law forbade malice: 'Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind' (Leviticus 19:14). 'Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart... Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge' (Leviticus 19:17-18). Moses pronounced a curse on those who would 'smite his neighbour secretly' or 'maketh the blind to wander out of the way' (Deuteronomy 27:17-18).
☩Wisdom Literature
Job declared his innocence of malice: 'If I rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him: neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul' (Job 31:29-30). Proverbs warns: 'Do not devise evil against your neighbor, seeing he dwelleth securely by thee' (Proverbs 3:29). 'Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him' (Proverbs 26:27).
☩New Testament Commands
Paul commands: 'Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice' (Ephesians 4:31). Peter echoes: 'Laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings' (1 Peter 2:1). The contrast is love: 'Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you' (Ephesians 4:32).
☩Biblical Examples
Cain's murder of Abel stemmed from malice (Genesis 4:5-8). Esau hated Jacob for receiving the blessing (Genesis 27:41). Joseph's brothers sold him from envy (Genesis 37:4-28). Saul pursued David out of malice (1 Samuel 18:8-11). Haman plotted the genocide of the Jews (Esther 3:5-6). The Pharisees sought to destroy Jesus (Matthew 12:14).
