Name-Calling
in the Bible
In our study this week, we hear Jesus say:
"I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother or sister
will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to one's brother or
sister, "Raqa," will be answerable to the Sanhedrin,
and whoever says, "You fool," will be liable to fiery
Gehenna" (Mt 5:22). In this verse Jesus uses two terms,
"raqa," which is an Aramaic word some say means
"blockhead" or "empty headed." The other
term is "fool," or as others translate it, "rebel
(against God)." Jesus is speaking about a kind of name-calling
which is insulting and derogatory. This article will review
instances in the Bible of name-calling and also listen to appeals
that such use of language against people be avoided.
Jesus himself engages in name-calling, however,
when he denounces the Scribes and the Pharisees in chapter 23 of
Matthew. In verse 15 he calls them "hypocrites"
and implies that they are a "child of hell." In
verse 16 he pins the name "blind guides" on them, and
in verse 17 calls them "fools" (moroi) the same
word he condemns the use of in verse 22.
Jesus goes on to call them "whitened
sepulchers" in verse 27 and continues with the expression of
"full of iniquity" in verse 28. In verse 33, Jesus
hurls the names "serpents" and "generation of vipers"
at the Scribes and Pharisees. He finishes with the name "murderers"
in verse 34.
The important consideration commentators
point out is that Jesus here is dealing with the truth about the
scribes and Pharisees, that his purpose is not to insult them but
to tell them what they are, that is, people who teach the Law and
the prophets but don't practice what they teach.
There are instances of name-calling in the
OT. "Listen, for God speaks: 'Children have I reared
and brought up, but they have revolted against me. An ox knows
its owner, and a donkey its master's manger, but Israel does not
know, and my people do not understand. Alas, sinful nation,
people weighed down with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, you who
act corruptly!'" (Is 1:2-4); "How she has become a prostitute,
the faithful city, so upright! Justice used to lodge within
her, but now, murderers" (Is 1:21).
There are other instances of name-calling
in the NT. "When (John the Baptist) saw many
of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to
them, 'You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the
coming wrath?'" (Mt 3:7). Jesus also criticizes them
with a label: "You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of
you, when he said: 'This people honors me with their lips, but their
heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines
the commandments of human beings' (Is 29:13)" (Mt 15:7-9).
There are OT verses that speak
against name-calling, the purpose of which is to insult, and the
OT calls for the opposite: "Fine speech is not becoming
to a fool; still less is false speech to a prince" (Prv 17:7);
"A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up
anger" (Prv 15:1); "Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil" (Ps 37:8); "The
vexation of a fool is known at once, but the prudent ignores an
insult" (Prv 12:16); "Rash words are like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing" (Prv 12:18).
God undoes the name-calling done to Israel
by her enemies: "No more shall you be called 'Forsaken,' nor
your land called 'Desolate.' But you shall be called 'My Delight
is in her,' and your land 'Espoused.' For the Lord delights in you"
(Is 62:4). God promises to have Israel called other good names:
"All those who despised you, shall bow low at your feet.
They shall call you 'City of the Lord,' 'Zion of the Holy One of
Israel'" (Is 60:14).
The NT as well urges Christians
not so speak against their fellow human beings in an insulting manner.
First Peter offers this advice: "Do not return evil
for evil, or insult for insult; but, on the contrary, a blessing,
because to this you were called, that you might inherit a blessing"
(1Pt 3:9); "If you are insulted for the name
of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests
upon you" (1Pt 4:14).
James is similarly concerned: "Know
this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let every person be quick
to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of a human
being does not produce the righteousness of God" (Jm 1:19-20);
"If you think you are religious and do not bridle your tongue
but deceive your heart, your religion is worthless" (Jm 1:26);
"Do not speak evil against one another, brothers and sisters.
The one who speaks against a brother or judges his sister, speaks
evil against the law and judges the law" (Jm 4:11).
Paul engages in name-calling and then retracts
his words: "The high priest Ananias ordered his attendants
to strike Paul's mouth. Then Paul said to him, 'God will strike
you, you whitewashed wall. Do you indeed sit in judgment upon me
according to the law and yet in violation of the law order me to
be struck?' The attendants said, 'Would you revile God's high
priest?' Paul answered, 'Brothers, I did not realize he was
the high priest. For it is written, "You shall not curse
a ruler of your people" (Eccl 10:20)'" (Act 23:2-5).
Paul challenges his readers to avoid name-calling
in these words: "You must put away all anger, wrath, malice,
slander, and obscene talk from your mouth" (Col 3:8); "Therefore,
having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with
his neighbor, for we are members one of another. . . . Be kind to
one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ
forgave you" (Eph 4:25, 32); "Put on then, as God's chosen
ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility,
meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has
a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has
forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put
on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony"
(Col 3:12-14).
Paul speaks against one cause of name-calling,
vengeance: "Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to
do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so
far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved,
never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God"
(Rom 12:17-19).
Paul sums it up in his exhortation to have
the right inner attitude leading to good name-calling: "Complete
my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in
full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit,
but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let
each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the
interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which
is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God,
did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped at" (Phl
2:2-8).
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| Text:
Matthew 5:21-26
21 "You have heard that it was
said to your ancestors, 'You shall not kill; and whoever kills will
be liable to judgment.'
22 But I say to you, whoever is angry
with his brother will be liable to judgment, and whoever says to
his brother, 'Raqa,' will be answerable to the Sanhedrin, and whoever
says, 'You fool,' will be liable to fiery Gehenna.
23 Therefore, if you bring your gift
to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against
you,
24 leave your gift there at the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and
offer your gift.
25 Settle with your opponent quickly
while on the way to court with him. Otherwise your opponent will
hand you over to the judge, and the judge will hand you over to
the guard, and you will be thrown into prison.
26 Amen, I say to you, you will not
be released until you have paid the last penny.
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