Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  8000 The life of the believer  »  8700 Threats to the life of faith  »  8773 jealousy

A strong feeling of possessiveness, often caused by the possibility that something which belongs, or ought to belong, to one is about to be taken away. The word can be used in a positive sense (e.g., the jealousy of God), meaning a passionate commitment to something which rightly belongs to one. It can also be used in a negative sense (e.g., human jealousy), to mean a self-destructive human emotion similar to envy.

God's jealousy for his people

God's jealousy demands an exclusive response from his people

Exodus 20:4-6 See also Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 32:16,21

God pictured as a jealous husband with an unfaithful wife

Ezekiel 16:1-63

God is jealously protective of his people

Joel 2:18 See also Isaiah 26:11; Zechariah 1:14-15; Zechariah 8:2

God possessiveness expresses itself in judgment on his people's unfaithfulness

Deuteronomy 4:24 See also Deuteronomy 6:15; Deuteronomy 29:20; Joshua 24:19; 1 Kings 14:22; Ezekiel 23:25; Ezekiel 36:6; Nahum 1:2; Zephaniah 1:18; Zephaniah 3:8

Human jealousy is potentially destructive

Human jealousy arises from sin

Mark 7:21-23 pp Matthew 15:19-20

Human jealousy can be destructive

Proverbs 14:30 See also Job 5:2; Proverbs 27:4; Ecclesiastes 9:5-6

Human jealousy is criticised by Scripture

Galatians 5:19-21 See also Psalm 37:1-2; Proverbs 23:17; Romans 13:13; 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Titus 3:3-5; James 3:14-16

Examples of jealousy

In the OT

Genesis 4:3-5 Cain and Abel; Genesis 27:41 Esau and Jacob; Genesis 30:1 Rachel and Leah

Joseph's brothers:

Genesis 37:4; Acts 7:9 1 Samuel 18:6-9 Saul and David; Isaiah 11:13 Ephraim and Judah

In the early church

Acts 5:17; Acts 13:45; Acts 17:5; 1 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 12:20

See also

1185  God, zeal of
5762  attitudes, God to people
5765  attitudes to people
5789  anger
6133  coveting
8733  envy
8787  opposition to God
8827  selfishness
8830  suspicion