Insults

Expressions of an individual's hostility or contempt for God and his servants or fellow human beings. Believers are to follow Jesus Christ's example in not returning insults.

Insults to God

Insults to God coming from open unbelief

2 Kings 19:14–16, 2 Kings 19:20–23 parallels 2 Chronicles 32:16–19, Isaiah 37:14–17, Isaiah 37:21–24; Hebrews 10:29

Insults to God coming through the suffering of believers

Psalm 69:7–9 See also Jeremiah 20:7–8; Romans 15:3; Hebrews 13:12–13

For I have endured scorn for Your sake, and shame has covered my face. I have become a stranger to my brothers and a foreigner to my mother’s sons, because zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult You have fallen on me.

Insults to God lamented by the psalmist

Psalm 74:18, Psalm 74:22–23 See also Psalm 10:3

Remember how the enemy has mocked You, O LORD, how a foolish people has spurned Your name.

Rise up, O God; defend Your cause! Remember how the fool mocks You all day long. Do not disregard the clamor of Your adversaries, the uproar of Your enemies that ascends continually.

Jesus Christ insulted

Luke 18:31–33 parallels Matthew 20:17–19, Mark 10:32–34 See also Matthew 26:67–68 parallels Mark 14:65, Luke 22:63–65; Matthew 27:39–44 parallels Mark 15:29–32, Luke 23:35–39; John 8:48–49, John 18:22–23; 1 Peter 2:23

Then Jesus took the Twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything the prophets have written about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will flog Him and kill Him, and on the third day He will rise again.”

Israel insulted

Jeremiah 51:51 See also 1 Samuel 17:26; 2 Samuel 21:20–21 parallel 1 Chronicles 20:6–7; Ezekiel 21:28–32; Zephaniah 2:8–10

“We are ashamed because we have heard reproach; disgrace has covered our faces, because foreigners have entered the holy places of the LORD’s house.”

Kings, prophets and others insulted

1 Samuel 10:27, 1 Samuel 25:9–11, 1 Samuel 25:14; 2 Samuel 10:1–5 parallel 1 Chronicles 19:1–5; 2 Kings 2:23–24; Nehemiah 4:1–5; Ecclesiastes 10:20

The poor insulted

1 Corinthians 11:20–22; James 2:1–7

Christians insulted

Acts 18:6; 1 Peter 4:14 See also Acts 2:13, Acts 17:32, Acts 19:8–9; 1 Peter 4:4

But when they opposed and insulted him, he shook out his garments and told them, “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent of it. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

The pain of insult

Psalm 55:12–14 See also Psalm 22:6–8; Job 19:1–3, Job 20:2–3; Psalm 44:16, Psalm 55:3, Psalm 89:50–51, Psalm 109:21–25; Lamentations 3:55–63; 1 Thessalonians 2:2; Revelation 2:9

For it is not an enemy who insults me; that I could endure. It is not a foe who rises against me; from him I could hide. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion and close friend. We shared sweet fellowship together; we walked with the crowd into the house of God.

Dealing with insults

Avoiding insults

Proverbs 9:7, Proverbs 22:10

Not repaying insults

Proverbs 12:16 See also Matthew 5:39 parallel Luke 6:27–29; 1 Peter 3:9

A fool’s anger is known at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

Rejoicing in reproach for Jesus Christ's sake

Matthew 5:11–12 parallel Luke 6:22–23 See also Acts 5:41; 2 Corinthians 12:10; Hebrews 10:32–34; 1 Peter 4:13–14

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

Insult supposed but not intended

Luke 11:45; Acts 23:1–5