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Coping with Life 34 – Insolence
Coping with Life 34 – Insolence
Mike Willis
The Hebrew word zādôn is used several times in Psalms to describe wicked people who “transgress God’s commandments and disregard the words of the prophets: ‘presumptuous men’ who claim in their arrogance the ability to defy God himself” (TDOT, 4.48). The ESV uses “insolent” to translate the noun hubristēs twice (Rom. 1:30; 1 Tim. 1:13). Hubristēs is from the etymological roots of the English word “hubris.” The BDAG defines it as “a violent, insolent person” (1022); Louw-Nida translates the word as “one who insults in an arrogant manner—‘one who insults, insulter” (432). The English word “hubris” is defined as “exaggerated pride or self-confidence.” We think of such a person as being “full of himself,” having “an inflated ego.”
An insolent disposition shows itself in a number of ways. First, it is prideful, meaning that this person thinks he is better than others, so that he speaks down to other people, showing arrogance and contempt toward them. Second, this person thinks so highly of his own opinion that he cannot take advice from wise men—men who have traveled down this road before and learned from their mistakes. Third, his pride makes him refuse to listen to God. He will raise his fist in the face of his Creator and say, “NO! I refuse to do what you command!”
Insolent people commit deeds with premeditation. The Bible speaks of the insolent striking the innocent (Job 16:10); speaking insolently (Psa. 13:18); treating others with insolence (Psa. 55:12); being ruthless (Psa. 86:14); lying about people (Psa. 119:69, 78); plotting harm to others (Psa. 119:85); oppressing people (Psa. 119:122); creating strife (Psa. 13:10); disrespecting their elders (Isa. 3:5). They think and plan what they are going to do: rob a bank, commit fornication, assault someone at whom they are angry, murder. There is religious aspect in insolence—a defiant attitude against submitting oneself to God’s divine ordinances.
The good news is that one can get over insolence. The second use of “insolent” in the New Testament (ESV) is when Paul was writing about his former self. He wrote, “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and INSOLENT opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus” (1 Tim. 1:12-14).
The opposite of insolence is humility. Jesus offers salvation to the humble of heart: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt. 23:12). What is your attitude toward God’s word?
