ddc101
02-24-2004, 11:14 AM
here is an article on this subject that is really good.I had an entire thread on this but cannot find it so I thought this would be a nice start
Lashon Hara
As is the case with most people, the things that we address in our articles are those very same things that have been cumbersome to us in our daily lives. Thus, I would like to address the topic of speaking evil of one another. What is the difference between "evil speaking" and speaking forth the truth? How does speaking emet [truth] become something evil?
There are many regulations to follow with regards to LaShon Hara, if we were following the teachings of Judaism, and a lot of them are NOT all bad, I might add! The full meaning of LaShon Hara is something that many Believers would profit from, and it would certainly alleviate the slaughter of their brothers and sisters, by the evil speech that proceeds from their mouths.
Let’s delve into God’s Word, and find out what He has to say about the phrase lashon hara, shall we?
Psalms 34:13 Keep thy tongue <03956> from evil <07451>, and thy lips from speaking guile.
According to Strong’s definition, the tongue in this Scripture is defined as:
03956 lashown {law-shone'} or lashon {law-shone'} also (in plural) feminine l@shonah {lesh-o-naw'}
The evil in this passage of Scripture is defined as:
07451 ra` {rah}
Thus, we have the phrase lashon hara [evil speaking]. Contrary to popular belief, lashon hara is NOT always a lie, or an untruth that is being uttered. In some instances, the exact truth can be spoken, and still be considered to be lashon hara. How, you ask? Let me give you an example that I encountered just recently, while on the job.
Quite some time ago, my boss had written a check for $1500 to Stroh’s Brewing Company. On a post-it note attached to the check copy, there was an instruction to give it to another employee, who is well known for having a drinking problem. As I was reviewing this file, I made light of the situation, and remarked that it must have been "some kind of party" that was thrown by the company, because it cost $1500. Then, as a side comment, I said that the check was certainly given to the person who would KNOW how to use it!!
The truth of this matter is that my boss had written the check for $1500 to the Stroh’s Brewing Company, as payment for some used equipment that he was purchasing from them. He had also instructed the other employee to deliver the check, and pick up the used equipment.
As a model of lashon hara, can you see from the above how simple it would have been for me to have gone out of the office and reiterated to everyone that my boss wrote a check to Stroh’s Brewing Company for $1500, and handed it over to the one person in the office who is KNOWN to have a drinking problem? Had I said that, it would have given the hearers the liberty to assume their own thoughts about the situation. Would the statement I made be true? Of course it would have been! I could have justified myself by maintaining the truthfulness of what I had said. Would I have committed lashon hara by making such a statement? Absolutely!! Why? Because I KNEW that what I was saying would formulate an incorrect picture of the truth of the situation, but I spoke it forth regardless. This is the full impact of lashon hara! I spoke the truth, albeit while painting a tainted picture. God finds no pleasure in this sort of tactic.
As you can see from the below definitions, evil [Strong’s #07451] takes on many nuances, when used all 663 times in Scripture:
evil 442, wickedness 59, wicked 25, mischief 21, hurt 20, bad 13, trouble 10, sore 9, affliction 6, ill 5, adversity 4, favoured 3, harm 3, naught 3, noisome 2, grievous 2, sad 2, misc 34; 663
If something we say about another brings about ANY of these end results expressed above, then it is nothing less than EVIL, and we need to repent, and ask forgiveness from God. Along with repentance and forgiveness, we need to do all that is humanly possible to correct the situation that we have promoted by evil speaking [lashon hara]. If we must humble ourselves and go to a brother or sister, then, so be it. If we need to correct statements that we’ve made to other members of the Body of Messiah, then by all means, let’s do it quickly, before it becomes a festering abscess within The Body.
If you have a good concordance, please take the time to look up the meaning of the adjective/adverb evil. You will notice that it takes on many characteristics and expressions, with some of the following ones being just a slight illustration of the full meaning:
disagreeable, malignant, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery), displeasing, bad (of value), worse than, worst (comparison), sad, unhappy, evil (hurtful), unkind (vicious in disposition), wicked (ethically)
As a noun, the following are some of the descriptive words that are attributed to the word evil:
deeds, actions, evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity, injury, wrong, evil (ethical)
Speaking true words with an ill design is always the earmark of lashon hara.
Let’s turn to the Brit Chadasha [New Covenant] to see what Sha’ul [Paul] has to say about this very same topic:
Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour , and evil speaking <988>, be put away from you, with all malice <2549>: [Emphasis added]
You will notice that we now have entered into a new understanding of evil speaking, and that is described appropriately as blasphemy:
988 blasphemia {blas-fay-me'-ah}
AV - blasphemy 16, railing 2, evil speaking 1; 19
1) slander, detraction, speech injurious, to another's good name
2) impious and reproachful speech injurious to divine majesty
We need to take notice that the full meaning of this word blasphemy, is attributable to humans AND to God! Yes, we can blaspheme our brothers and sisters, in addition to blaspheming God. This realization SHOULD put the fear of the Lord deep within our heart. If there is any doubt whatsoever exactly what God has to say about blasphemy, please do yourself a favor, and do an in-depth study of this word.
Lashon Hara
As is the case with most people, the things that we address in our articles are those very same things that have been cumbersome to us in our daily lives. Thus, I would like to address the topic of speaking evil of one another. What is the difference between "evil speaking" and speaking forth the truth? How does speaking emet [truth] become something evil?
There are many regulations to follow with regards to LaShon Hara, if we were following the teachings of Judaism, and a lot of them are NOT all bad, I might add! The full meaning of LaShon Hara is something that many Believers would profit from, and it would certainly alleviate the slaughter of their brothers and sisters, by the evil speech that proceeds from their mouths.
Let’s delve into God’s Word, and find out what He has to say about the phrase lashon hara, shall we?
Psalms 34:13 Keep thy tongue <03956> from evil <07451>, and thy lips from speaking guile.
According to Strong’s definition, the tongue in this Scripture is defined as:
03956 lashown {law-shone'} or lashon {law-shone'} also (in plural) feminine l@shonah {lesh-o-naw'}
The evil in this passage of Scripture is defined as:
07451 ra` {rah}
Thus, we have the phrase lashon hara [evil speaking]. Contrary to popular belief, lashon hara is NOT always a lie, or an untruth that is being uttered. In some instances, the exact truth can be spoken, and still be considered to be lashon hara. How, you ask? Let me give you an example that I encountered just recently, while on the job.
Quite some time ago, my boss had written a check for $1500 to Stroh’s Brewing Company. On a post-it note attached to the check copy, there was an instruction to give it to another employee, who is well known for having a drinking problem. As I was reviewing this file, I made light of the situation, and remarked that it must have been "some kind of party" that was thrown by the company, because it cost $1500. Then, as a side comment, I said that the check was certainly given to the person who would KNOW how to use it!!
The truth of this matter is that my boss had written the check for $1500 to the Stroh’s Brewing Company, as payment for some used equipment that he was purchasing from them. He had also instructed the other employee to deliver the check, and pick up the used equipment.
As a model of lashon hara, can you see from the above how simple it would have been for me to have gone out of the office and reiterated to everyone that my boss wrote a check to Stroh’s Brewing Company for $1500, and handed it over to the one person in the office who is KNOWN to have a drinking problem? Had I said that, it would have given the hearers the liberty to assume their own thoughts about the situation. Would the statement I made be true? Of course it would have been! I could have justified myself by maintaining the truthfulness of what I had said. Would I have committed lashon hara by making such a statement? Absolutely!! Why? Because I KNEW that what I was saying would formulate an incorrect picture of the truth of the situation, but I spoke it forth regardless. This is the full impact of lashon hara! I spoke the truth, albeit while painting a tainted picture. God finds no pleasure in this sort of tactic.
As you can see from the below definitions, evil [Strong’s #07451] takes on many nuances, when used all 663 times in Scripture:
evil 442, wickedness 59, wicked 25, mischief 21, hurt 20, bad 13, trouble 10, sore 9, affliction 6, ill 5, adversity 4, favoured 3, harm 3, naught 3, noisome 2, grievous 2, sad 2, misc 34; 663
If something we say about another brings about ANY of these end results expressed above, then it is nothing less than EVIL, and we need to repent, and ask forgiveness from God. Along with repentance and forgiveness, we need to do all that is humanly possible to correct the situation that we have promoted by evil speaking [lashon hara]. If we must humble ourselves and go to a brother or sister, then, so be it. If we need to correct statements that we’ve made to other members of the Body of Messiah, then by all means, let’s do it quickly, before it becomes a festering abscess within The Body.
If you have a good concordance, please take the time to look up the meaning of the adjective/adverb evil. You will notice that it takes on many characteristics and expressions, with some of the following ones being just a slight illustration of the full meaning:
disagreeable, malignant, unpleasant, evil (giving pain, unhappiness, misery), displeasing, bad (of value), worse than, worst (comparison), sad, unhappy, evil (hurtful), unkind (vicious in disposition), wicked (ethically)
As a noun, the following are some of the descriptive words that are attributed to the word evil:
deeds, actions, evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity, injury, wrong, evil (ethical)
Speaking true words with an ill design is always the earmark of lashon hara.
Let’s turn to the Brit Chadasha [New Covenant] to see what Sha’ul [Paul] has to say about this very same topic:
Ephesians 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour , and evil speaking <988>, be put away from you, with all malice <2549>: [Emphasis added]
You will notice that we now have entered into a new understanding of evil speaking, and that is described appropriately as blasphemy:
988 blasphemia {blas-fay-me'-ah}
AV - blasphemy 16, railing 2, evil speaking 1; 19
1) slander, detraction, speech injurious, to another's good name
2) impious and reproachful speech injurious to divine majesty
We need to take notice that the full meaning of this word blasphemy, is attributable to humans AND to God! Yes, we can blaspheme our brothers and sisters, in addition to blaspheming God. This realization SHOULD put the fear of the Lord deep within our heart. If there is any doubt whatsoever exactly what God has to say about blasphemy, please do yourself a favor, and do an in-depth study of this word.