Spurn
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Definition and Meaning:
The term "spurn" generally means to reject with disdain or contempt. In a biblical context, it often refers to the act of rejecting or refusing God's commandments, wisdom, or authority. This rejection is not merely passive but is characterized by an active disdain or contempt for what is being offered or commanded.

Biblical Usage:
The concept of spurning is frequently addressed in the Bible, often in relation to God's laws, wisdom, and the call to righteousness. It is depicted as a serious offense, reflecting a hardened heart and a rebellious spirit.

Old Testament References:
In the Old Testament, spurning is often associated with Israel's rejection of God's commandments and their turning to idolatry. For example, in Proverbs 1:30, wisdom is personified and laments, "They would not accept my counsel; they spurned all my reproof." This verse highlights the consequences of rejecting divine wisdom, which leads to calamity and distress.

The prophets frequently warned Israel about the dangers of spurning God's word. In Isaiah 5:24, the prophet declares, "Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes the stubble and as dry grass sinks down in the flames, so their root will decay and their blossom will blow away like dust; for they have rejected the law of the LORD of Hosts and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel." Here, spurning God's law is equated with a moral and spiritual decay that leads to judgment.

New Testament References:
In the New Testament, the concept of spurning is often linked to the rejection of Jesus Christ and His message. In Luke 10:16, Jesus tells His disciples, "Whoever listens to you listens to Me; whoever rejects you rejects Me; and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me." This underscores the gravity of spurning the message of the Gospel, as it is tantamount to rejecting God Himself.

The author of Hebrews warns against spurning the grace of God, emphasizing the severe consequences of such an action. Hebrews 10:29 states, "How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace?" This passage highlights the seriousness of rejecting the sacrifice of Christ and the grace offered through Him.

Theological Implications:
Spurning God's word and commandments is seen as a manifestation of pride and rebellion. It reflects a heart that is resistant to divine authority and unwilling to submit to God's will. The Bible consistently portrays spurning as leading to spiritual ruin and separation from God.

The act of spurning is not limited to outright rejection but can also include neglecting or trivializing God's commands. It serves as a warning to believers to remain humble and receptive to God's guidance, recognizing the authority and wisdom inherent in His word.

Practical Application:
Believers are encouraged to examine their hearts and attitudes towards God's word and commandments. The call is to embrace God's wisdom and authority with humility and obedience, avoiding the pitfalls of pride and rebellion that lead to spurning His guidance. By doing so, believers align themselves with God's will and experience the blessings of a life lived in accordance with His purposes.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (v. t.) To drive back or away, as with the foot; to kick.

2. (v. t.) To reject with disdain; to scorn to receive or accept; to treat with contempt.

3. (v. i.) To kick or toss up the heels.

4. (v. i.) To manifest disdain in rejecting anything; to make contemptuous opposition or resistance.

5. (n.) A kick; a blow with the foot.

6. (n.) Disdainful rejection; contemptuous treatment.

7. (n.) A body of coal left to sustain an overhanging mass.

Greek
1609. ekptuo -- to spit out, to spurn
... to spit out, to spurn. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: ekptuo Phonetic Spelling:
(ek-ptoo'-o) Short Definition: I spit upon, disdain, reject, loathe ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1609.htm - 7k

2662. katapateo -- to tread down
... and met.), spurn. Word Origin from kata and pateo Definition to tread down NASB
Word Usage stepping (1), trample...under (1), trampled under foot (3). ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2662.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew
5006. naats -- to spurn, treat with contempt
... 5005, 5006. naats. 5007 . to spurn, treat with contempt. Transliteration: naats
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-ats') Short Definition: spurned. Word Origin a prim ...
/hebrew/5006.htm - 6k

2186a. zanach -- to reject, spurn
... 2186, 2186a. zanach. 2186b . to reject, spurn. Transliteration: zanach Short
Definition: rejected. Word Origin a prim. root Definition ...
/hebrew/2186a.htm - 5k

5010. naar -- probably to abhor, spurn
... 5009, 5010. naar. 5011 . probably to abhor, spurn. Transliteration: naar Phonetic
Spelling: (naw-ar') Short Definition: abandoned. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/5010.htm - 5k

2186. zanach -- to reject, spurn
... zanach. 2186a . to reject, spurn. Transliteration: zanach Phonetic Spelling:
(zaw-nakh') Short Definition: reject. cast away off, remove far away off ...
/hebrew/2186.htm - 5k

3988. ma'ac -- to reject
... A primitive root; to spurn; also (intransitively) to disappear -- abhor, cast away
(off), contemn, despise, disdain, (become) loathe(some), melt away, refuse ...
/hebrew/3988.htm - 5k

Library

The Immutability of Christ
... faith I ventured to approach the Saviour's feet. I thought he would spurn
me from him. "Sure," said my heart, "if thou shouldst ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the immutability of christ.htm

Five Books in Reply to Marcion.
... Of dreadful magic's renegadoes led,. Wondering at a mass of feigned lore; 20 And
he impelled them headlong to spurn life,. Sunk in a criminal insanity; ...
/.../fathers of the third century tertullian appendix/5 five books in reply.htm

The Death of a Husband is God's Call to the Widow to Continence ...
... Why should you restore what God has put an end to? Why do you, by repeating the
servitude of matrimony, spurn the liberty which is offered you? ...
//christianbookshelf.org/tertullian/to his wife/chapter vii the death of a.htm

Letter xi. Dionysius to Apollophanes, Philosopher.
... For, even the very things which formerly you delighted to spurn, you now delight
to affirm; and the things that you used to reject with scorn, you now delight ...
/.../letters of dionysius the areopagite/letter xi dionysius to apollophanes.htm

The Bible
... great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing." But see how,
when he observes the sin of man, he does not dash him away and spurn him with ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the bible.htm

Chapter xxiii.
... hence, moreover, the sermon before us took as its starting-point the lowly and meek
in heart): and this easy yoke and light burden which many spurn, few submit ...
/.../augustine/our lords sermon on the mount/chapter xxiii 2.htm

On the Reception of the Lapsed to Penitence.
... and calls him back when he flees from Him, and is at pains to take him up on His
shoulders when He has found him, we, on the contrary, harshly spurn such a one ...
/.../dionysius/the works of dionysius/vii on the reception of the.htm

The Christian Idea of the Position of Hades; the Blessedness of ...
... [1803] These persons, who are "servants above their Lord, and disciples above their
Master," [1804] would no doubt spurn to receive the comfort of the ...
/.../tertullian/a treatise on the soul/chapter lv the christian idea of.htm

On Receiving this Epistle, Archelaus was Astonished at the Man's ...
... for the child who has been nourished on milk at first, after he has grown to be
capable of receiving stronger meats, then injuriously to spurn the breasts of ...
/.../41 on receiving this epistle.htm

Under the Trials of this Life.
... Thy crown, thy jewel, thy good name Is cover'd by the world with shame. For he who
can't dissembler play, The world as fool will spurn away. 'Tis true, alas! ...
/.../gerhardt/paul gerhardts spiritual songs/under the trials of this.htm

Thesaurus
Spurn (13 Occurrences)
...Spurn (13 Occurrences). ... But since you spurn it and judge yourselves to be unworthy
of the Life of the Ages--well, we turn to the Gentiles. (WEY). ...
/s/spurn.htm - 10k

Spurned (16 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Spurn. Multi-Version Concordance Spurned
(16 Occurrences). Acts 7:39 "Our forefathers, however ...
/s/spurned.htm - 10k

Kick (8 Occurrences)
... Hence, figuratively: To show ugly resistance, opposition, or hostility; to
spurn. 3. (vi) To recoil; -- said of a musket, cannon, etc. ...
/k/kick.htm - 10k

Insult (25 Occurrences)
... Luke 6:22 "Blessed are you when men shall hate you and exclude you from their society
and insult you, and spurn your very names as evil things, for the Son of ...
/i/insult.htm - 13k

Foot (193 Occurrences)
... 12. (vi) To walk; -- opposed to ride or fly. 13. (vt) To kick with the foot;
to spurn. 14. (vt) To set on foot; to establish; to land. 15. ...
/f/foot.htm - 48k

Throwing (29 Occurrences)
... first. But since you spurn it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of the
Life of the Ages--well, we turn to the Gentiles. (WEY). ...
/t/throwing.htm - 14k

Talkative (5 Occurrences)
... Titus 1:10 For there are many that spurn authority--idle, talkative and deceitful
persons, who, for the most part, are adherents of the Circumcision. (WEY). ...
/t/talkative.htm - 7k

Reserve (15 Occurrences)
... first. But since you spurn it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of the
Life of the Ages--well, we turn to the Gentiles. (WEY). ...
/r/reserve.htm - 11k

Deceitful (46 Occurrences)
... Titus 1:10 For there are many that spurn authority--idle, talkative and deceitful
persons, who, for the most part, are adherents of the Circumcision. (WEY). ...
/d/deceitful.htm - 18k

Spurious

/s/spurious.htm - 7k

Resources
What is New Monasticism? | GotQuestions.org

What are some reasons for the animosity between Christians and Muslims? | GotQuestions.org

What should Christians learn from the Mosaic Law? | GotQuestions.org

Spurn: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Spurn (13 Occurrences)

Luke 6:22
"Blessed are you when men shall hate you and exclude you from their society and insult you, and spurn your very names as evil things, for the Son of Man's sake.
(WEY)

Acts 13:46
Then, throwing off all reserve, Paul and Barnabas said, "We were bound to proclaim God's Message to you first. But since you spurn it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of the Life of the Ages--well, we turn to the Gentiles.
(WEY)

Titus 1:10
For there are many that spurn authority--idle, talkative and deceitful persons, who, for the most part, are adherents of the Circumcision.
(WEY)

Leviticus 26:15
and if you shall reject my statutes, and if your soul abhors my ordinances, so that you will not do all my commandments, but break my covenant;
(See RSV)

Leviticus 26:44
Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them; for I am Yahweh their God;
(See RSV)

Numbers 14:11
Yahweh said to Moses, "How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have worked among them?
(See NAS)

Deuteronomy 31:20
For when I shall have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey, and they shall have eaten and filled themselves, and grown fat; then will they turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant.
(See NAS)

Job 10:3
Is it good to you that you should oppress, that you should despise the work of your hands, and smile on the counsel of the wicked?
(See NIV)

Psalms 74:10
How long, God, shall the adversary reproach? Shall the enemy blaspheme your name forever?
(See NAS)

Psalms 77:7
"Will the Lord reject us forever? Will he be favorable no more?
(See RSV)

Psalms 119:118
You have overcome all those who are wandering from your rules; for all their thoughts are false.
(See RSV)

Proverbs 3:11
My son, despise not the chastening of Jehovah; Neither be weary of his reproof:
(See JPS)

Jeremiah 14:21
For thy name's sake, do not spurn us, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.
(DBY RSV)

Subtopics

Spurn

Related Terms

Spurn (13 Occurrences)

Forefathers (135 Occurrences)

Submit (36 Occurrences)

Spurns (5 Occurrences)

Reject (56 Occurrences)

Book (211 Occurrences)

Baruch (24 Occurrences)

Rejected (96 Occurrences)

Woman (4043 Occurrences)

Authority (326 Occurrences)

Spurious
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