What does it mean to “blaspheme”? Probably all of us have a rough idea in our own minds. It seems to be a concept that only arises in a religious context. It seems important, and it definitely seems bad. Might be a good idea to try to gain a better understanding of it.

In the Hebrew of the Old Testament, there are several different words that are rendered, in one translation or another, as blasphemy (noun), blaspheme (verb) or blasphemous (adjective). So right away we see “blasphemy” in English isn’t a single thing. Some translations avoid lumping them together, using different English words. One word sometimes translated blasphemy literally means to puncture or perforate. Another means to scorn or abhor. Another, which literally means to kneel, is used ironically to mean the opposite—to curse. Another literally means to hack or chop; when applied to hacking with words it means to revile. Yet another literally means to pull off a covering; when applied to words it is to defame.

So, quite a variety, but they share two things in common: They are strongly negative, and they are about what is said, spoken.

Moving to the Greek of the New Testament, the picture is a lot simpler. There’s just one family of words: blasphemos and its cognates. You can see right off that this is the origin of the English words. The root meaning is “hurtful saying”. It is translated: evil speaking, vilify, defame, slander, revile. In other words, it’s very like the variety pack of words we found in the OT. Strongly negative, and referring to what is said.

One other thing we might note. The way these words are used in the Bible, there is no particular limitation to a religious context. Yes, sometimes they are used about reviling God, or His Word, or even false gods, but they are also used of reviling other people. And the basic message is: Don’t! Don’t be a reviler. Period.

The culture I live in (North America) seems to have become a culture of reviling, and almost nothing else. Everyone seems to revile anybody who disagrees with them—vocally, harshly, contemptuously, intransigently. It is hard to imagine a culture more at odds with the teaching of scripture. And that’s a problem for us, because we have to exist in the culture and it can rub off on us.

Given the many uses of these words in the Bible, I guess we have to conclude that reviling isn’t an especially modern phenomenon. It’s something believers have always been warned against, over and over. Take this as one example, drawn from Paul’s counsel to is protégé Titus: “Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all.” (Titus 3:1-2) Speak evil of no one. Yep, that’s our word—blaspheme no one, he says.

When you say something nasty about someone, do you realize you are blaspheming?

Now, as we see in Paul’s own writings, sometimes it’s essential to point out that someone is doing wrong, to warn them and warn others. Our trouble is that we are all too prone to cross the line, to go beyond necessary correction and start exhibiting contempt, vilifying, reviling. Evil speaking.

The right way, described by Paul: Be ready to pitch in to do good. Speak evil of no one. Don’t quarrel. Be gentle. Be perfectly courteous to everyone. If we heed this teaching from the apostle, we are going to stick out, we’re going to be odd. We may find that others begin to speak evil of us. After all, if we won’t join in the reviling they engage in, they might figure we’re their opponents. That will be the time to bear in mind the final beatitude spoken by Jesus. “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” (Matthew 5:11) As it happens, “revile” here is a different word, but the idea is the same. If we are genuine followers of Jesus, we will get the same treatment he got. They reviled him, they uttered every sort of evil against him. But Peter says about that, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:21-23)

We are blessed, Jesus says, if we are lumped in with him. Well we wouldn’t argue with that! Blessed company indeed. But what it means to “follow in his steps” is, in part, that we will be reviled—and when we are, we do not revile in return.

Love, Paul