Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy [nave]
HYPOCRISY.Job 8:13-15; Job 13:16; Job 15:31, 33, 34; Job 17:8; Job 20:4, 5 vs. 6-18.; Job 27:8-10 vs. 13-18.; Job 31:33, 34; Job 34:30; Job 36:13, 14; Psa. 5:9; Psa. 50:16, 17; Psa. 52:4; Psa. 55:12-14, 20, 21, 23; Psa. 78:34-37; Psa. 101:7; Prov. 7:10-21; Prov. 11:9; Prov. 14:8; Prov. 15:8; Prov. 20:14; Prov. 21:27; Prov. 23:6-8; Prov. 25:19; Prov. 26:18, 19, 23-26; Isa. 1:13, 15 vs. 11-14.; Isa. 66:3-5. Isa. 9:17; Isa. 10:6; Isa. 29:13 [Matt. 15:8.] Isa. 29:15, 16; Isa. 32:5, 6; Isa. 33:14; Isa. 48:1, 2; Isa. 58:2-5; Isa. 61:8; Isa. 65:5; Jer. 3:10 v. 11.; Jer. 5:2; Jer. 6:20; Jer. 7:4, 8-10; Jer. 9:4, 8; Jer. 12:2; Jer. 17:9; Jer. 42:20 vs. 21,22.; Lam. 1:2; Ezek. 14:7, 8 v. 4.; Ezek. 20:39 Ezek. 5:11; Hos. 8:13; 9:4. Ezek. 33:30-32; Hos. 6:4; Hos. 7:14, 16; Hos. 8:2, 3; Hos. 10:1, 4; Hos. 11:12; Amos 5:21, 23, 24 vs. 22,25-27.; Obad. 7; Mic. 3:11; Mic. 7:5; Zech. 7:5, 6; Zech. 13:6; Mal. 1:6-8, 13, 14 vs. 9-12.; Mal. 2:13; Mal. 3:14; Matt. 3:7, 8; Matt. 6:1, 2, 5, 16, 24; Matt. 7:5, 15, 21-23 Luke 13:26, 27. Matt. 9:13; Matt. 15:7, 8 [Mark 7:6.] Matt. 15:9; Matt. 16:3 Luke 12:54-56. Matt. 21:28-32; Matt. 22:12, 13, 18; Matt. 23:2-33; Matt. 24:50, 51; Matt. 25:3, 41-45; Mark 7:7, 8 Matt. 15:7-9. Mark 12:38-40; Luke 6:46; Luke 8:18; Luke 11:39, 42, 44, 52 vs. 39-52.; Luke 12:1, 2 Matt. 16:6, 12; Mark 8:15. Luke 13:13-17; Luke 14:34 v. 35;; Mark 9:50. Luke 16:13, 15; Luke 18:11, 12; Luke 20:46, 47 Matt. 23:14; Mark 12:38-40. Luke 21:16; John 6:26, 70; John 7:19; John 15:2, 6; Rom. 1:18; Rom. 2:1, 3, 17-29; Rom. 9:6, 7; Rom. 16:18; 1 Cor. 13:1; 2 Cor. 4:2; 2 Cor. 5:12; Gal. 6:3; Phil. 3:2, 18, 19; 1 Tim. 4:2; 2 Tim. 3:5, 13; Tit. 1:16; Jas. 1:8 [Jas. 4:8.] Jas. 1:22-24, 26; Jas. 2:14-26; Jas. 3:17; 1 Pet. 2:1, 16; 2 Pet. 2:1-3, 17, 19; 1 John 1:6, 10; 1 John 2:4, 9, 19; 1 John 4:20; Jude 12, 13; Rev. 2:9 Rev. 3:9. Rev. 3:1 See: Deceit; Deception.
Instances of
Jacob, in impersonating Esau and deceiving his father, Gen. 27.
Jacob's sons, in deception of their father concerning Joseph, Gen. 37:29-35.
Joseph's deception of his brethren, Gen. 42-44.
Pharaoh, Ex. 8:15, 28, 29, 32; 9:27-35; 10:8-29.
Balaam, Jude 11, with Num. 22-24.
Delilah, the wife of Samson, Judg. 16.
Jael, Judg. 4:8-21.
Ehud, Judg. 3:15-25.
Rabshakeh, 2 Kin. 18:17-37.
Ahaz, Isa. 7:12 with vs. 17-25. Johanan, Jer. 42:1-12, 20, 22.
Ishmael, Jer. 41:6, 7.
The false prophets, Ezek. 13:1-23.
Herod, Matt. 2:8.
Judas, Matt. 26:25, 48; John 12:5, 6.
Pilate, Matt. 27:24.
Pharisees, Matt. 15:1-9; 22:18; Mark 12:13, 14; John 8:4-9; 9:24; 19:15.
The ruler, Luke 13:14-17.
Spies sent to entrap Jesus, Luke 20:21.
Priests and Levites, Luke 10:31, 32.
Chief priests, John 18:28.
Ananias and Sapphira, Acts 5:1-10.
Simon Magus, Acts 8:18-23.
Peter and other Christians at Antioch, Gal. 2:11-14.
Judaizing Christians in Galatia, Gal. 6:13.
False teachers at Ephesus, Rev. 2:2.
See: Conspiracy; Treachery.
HYPOCRISY; HYPROCRITE [isbe]
HYPOCRISY; HYPROCRITE - hi-pok'-ri-si, hip'-o-krit (choneph, chaneph; hupokrisis, hupokrites):(1) "Hypocrisy" occurs only once in the Old Testament as the translation of choneph (Isa 32:6, the Revised Version (British and American) "profaneness"); chaneph, from which it is derived, means properly "to cover," "to hide," or "becloud," hence, to pollute, to be polluted or defiled, to make profane, to seduce; as a substantive it is translated "hypocrite" (Job 8:13; 13:16; 15:34; 17:8; 20:5; 27:8; 34:30; 36:13, in all which instances the Revised Version (British and American) has "godless man," "godless men," "godless"; Prov 11:9, the Revised Version (British and American) "the godless man"; Isa 9:17, the Revised Version (British and American) "profane"; Isa 33:14, the Revised Version (British and American) "the godless ones"); it is rendered "hypocritical," in Ps 35:16; Isa 10:6, the Revised Version (British and American) "profane."
(2) "Hypocrisy," "hypocrite" are frequent in the New Testament, chiefly in Christ's discourses in the Gospels. The word hupokrisis (primarily, "an answer," "response") meant generally, in classical Greek, stageplaying, acting, the histrionic art; hence, it came to mean acting a part in life, etc. We find hupokrisis in this sense in 2 Macc 6:25, the Revised Version (British and American) "dissimulation," and hupokrinomai, "to pretend," "to feign," etc. Ecclesiasticus 1:29; 32:15; 33:2, translated "hypocrite"; 2 Macc 5:25, "pretending peace," the Revised Version (British and American) "playing the man of peace"; 6:21, the Revised Version (British and American) "to make as if." Hupokrites (literally, "an actor") is the Septuagint for chaneph (Job 34:30; 36:13), equivalent to bad, wicked, godless, which is perhaps included in some of our Lord's uses of the words, e.g. Mt 23:27 f, "full of hypocrisy and iniquity" (compare 23:29 f; 24:51); but, in general, the meaning is acting a part, false, deceptive and deceived, formally and outwardly religious and good, but inwardly insincere and unrighteous; the hypocrite may come to deceive himself as well as others, but "the hypocrite's hope shall perish" (Job 8:13 the King James Version). On no class did our Lord pronounce such severe condemnation as on the hypocrites of His day.
"Hypocrisy" (hupokrisis) occurs in Mt 23:28; Mk 12:15; Lk 12:1; 1 Tim 4:2; 1 Pet 2:1 (in Gal 2:13 it is rendered "dissimulation"); "hypocrite" (hupokrites), Mt 6:2,5,16; 7:5; 15:7; 22:18; 23:13,15,23,25 ff,29; 24:51; Mk 7:6; Lk 12:56; 13:15; in Jas 3:17, anupokritos is "without hypocrisy," so the Revised Version (British and American), Rom 12:9 ("unfeigned," 2 Cor 6:6; 1 Tim 1:5; 2 Tim 1:5; 1 Pet 1:22).
W. L. Walker
Hypocrisy [baker]
[N]Although no distinct Hebrew word for hypocrisy occurs in the Old Testament, the concept does—primarily in terms of insincere worship. The Lord rejects sacrificial offerings and temple attendance (Jer 7:4-11) when worshipers have no intimate knowledge of him or genuine love (Isa 1:11-17; Hosea 6:4-6; Amos 4:4-5; 5:21-24). Hypocrisy manifests itself in an inconsistency between external religious activity and religious profession (Isa 1:10-17).
The root idea in the Old Testament may be that the hypocrite has a godless heart (Job 36:13 — LXX hypocrites for Heb. hanep [En'j], "godless, profane" ) that rebels against God's laws (Jer 7:21-24; Hosea 7:13-16; 8:1-2; cf. Jer 6:19-20) and generates wrongful Acts, including injustice and oppression (Isa 1:10-17; 58:2-7; 59:2-4, 13-15; Jer 7:5). In contrast, the true worshiper must come before the Lord with a pure heart (Psalm 15:2; 24:4). The hypocrite is also an ungodly rebel who flatters and deceives with his or her tongue (Psalm 5:9-10; 12:2-4; 78:36-37; Dan 11:21, 27; cf. Psalm 55:20-21) to promote godlessness (Dan 11:32,34).
The New Testament seems to combine the Old Testament concept of the godless rebel and the Attic Greek hypokrisis [uJpovkrisi"], "stage-playing or acting." The Greek idea of "play-acting" seems para mount in Matthew 6:2, 5, 16, where Jesus warns against religious performance to impress men (vv. 5,16,18 cf. Matt 23:5). Hypocrites make an outward show of religion, whether in giving alms, praying, or fasting. The English concept of hypocrisy as failing to practice what one preaches is rarely found (Matt 23:3).
The hypocrite is self-deluded by his or her own pretension, which fools no one else (Matt 7:5; Luke 6:42). Hypocrisy may involve a failure to discern spiritual truth (Luke 12:54-56; 13:15; cf. Matt 12:7; 23:23) or even a willful blindness to spiritual matters (Matt 23:17,19,23-24,26).
The hypocrite pretends goodness, but beneath a religious veneer is a malicious or deceitful heart (Matt 22:15-18; cf. 1 Peter 2:1). Though hypocrites justify their religious activity, their hearts are not true to God (Matt 15:7-9, 18-19; cf. Isa 29:13-14). As in the Old Testament a discrepancy exists between outward conformity to religious ritual and the true state of their hearts (Matt 23:25-30; contrast 5:8). Thus, the term "hypocrite" (Matt 24:51) can occur as a synonym for "unfaithful/unbeliever." Such "hypocrites" hinder others from coming to Christ and even make converts to their godless lifestyle (Matt 23:13, 15; cf. Dan 11:32, 34). Or they deceive others into doctrinal error (1 Tim 4:1-2). Thus hypocrisy is implied as one of the evidences of earthly or demonic wisdom (James 3:13-17).
The absence of hypocrisy (genuine faith and sincere love from a pure heart) is a mark of godly character (1 Tim 1:5; 2:5, 7; cf. Psalm 15:2-5; 24:3-5; 2 Col 6:6-7).
Greg W. Parsons
Bibliography. U. Becker and H.-G. Link, NIDNTT, 2:467-74; H. L. Ellison, New Bible Dictionary, p. 502; D. A. Hubbard, EDT, p. 539.
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[N] indicates this entry was also found in Nave's Topical Bible
HYPOCRISY [bridgeway]
Jesus repeatedly condemned the Jewish religious leaders of his time as hypocrites, because though they were outwardly religious, inwardly they were ungodly (Matt 22:18; 23:25; Mark 7:6-8; 12:15). They had no knowledge of God and his teaching, and could not see their own sin. They thought that their show of religion would impress people and please God, but it brought instead condemnation from Jesus (Matt 6:2-5; 23:13-36; Luke 12:56). While pretending to be sincere, they had evil motives (Luke 20:19-20; cf. 1 Tim 4:2). Their hypocrisy was, in fact, malice (cf. Mark 12:15 with Matt 22:18; see MALICE).God’s people must constantly beware of the dangers of hypocrisy. It shows itself in many ways, as, for example, when people accuse others of what they are guilty of themselves (Matt 7:5; Luke 13:15; Rom 2:1-3,19-24). It shows itself also when people flatter others, or when they change their stated opinions solely to please others (Ps 12:3-4; Gal 2:13). All insincerity, whether in speech or actions, is hypocrisy (1 Peter 2:1). Christians can learn to overcome it through practising genuine love and developing a sensitive conscience (Rom 12:9; 14:13; 1 Tim 1:5).
