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They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in … malicious talk…

Summary: In this passage, Paul puts his finger on something that hurts families and churches alike.   

The translation for our passage above is the New International Version. Their choice of words is interesting! What does “malicious talk” mean to you? 

The Greek word Paul used is ”blasphēmia.” “Blasphēmia,” of course, is where we get our English word, blasphemy, from. 

Normally, the word “blasphemy” is used to describe insults aimed at God, but we can also blaspheme each other. For example, look at how some other versions of the Bible translate blasphēmia:

“Verbal abuse” (AMP)

“Slander” (ESV)

“Railings” (KJV)

“Insulting” (WEB)

If you hear that someone was in a meeting at church and they “verbally abused” someone else at the meeting, what do you think happened? 

What if I told you that Person A insulted Person B? Is that better or worse than verbally abusing someone? 

You probably get the point: “malicious talk” actually means using words to make a personal attack on someone.

Is that a Christian thing to do? 

Maybe not, but it is a human thing to do. That doesn’t mean we can excuse it, but it helps us understand it. Frustration and anger are very personal emotions. When people don’t agree with us, we can feel like we are being attacked. 

Did you catch what just happened? 

Person A disagrees with Person B. That is not an attack; it is expressing a point of view. Person B feels frustration. The frustration has nothing to do with Person A either. The frustration is the result of expecting others to agree because Person B feels like they are right. They have to be right because their point of view is the only one they have. Right?

Except that Person A has a different point of view. 

When Person A expresses their opinion, Person B feels frustration. 

What happens next is a result of putting self above others: Frustration leads to anger, and anger, of course, is the trigger for malicious talk. That is when things start to get heated and get personal. 

How does the Great Commandment help us with this situation? 

When we love God above all else, we don’t want to do anything to hurt God. If our neighbor hurts us (Even Person A!), then we “turn the other cheek” (Matthew 5:39) and take a deep breath. Eventually, we might even begin to see the other person’s point of view. 

Application: Love God above all else.  

Food for Thought: What are some good strategies for dealing with our own emotional responses to frustration?

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