Comments | kerravonsen: Pondering

kerravonsen

Pondering

Jun 20, 2016 07:44

The difference between envy and jealousy is this: with envy, you see something that someone else has, and you want to have it as well; with jealousy, you see something that someone else has, and you want to take it away from them ( Read more... )

thoughts, godstuff

Comments 4

rj_anderson June 19 2016, 22:13:14 UTC

Hm, I think I'd define jealousy and envy rather differently than you suggest here, as I'm thinking about the OT references to God as "a jealous God" and also Paul saying he was jealous for the Corinthians, wanting them to be pure and wholly devoted to Christ. So Biblically speaking it sounds as though that jealousy can be a legimate and even good thing (at least in its proper context), whereas envy is always presented as bad and sinful ( ... )

kerravonsen June 19 2016, 22:51:37 UTC

(argh!) I think one reason it's difficult to discuss the difference between "envy" and "jealousy" is that they are so often used synonymously!

as I'm thinking about the OT references to God as "a jealous God"I was actually thinking of that too, and I think it still fits, if one can consider that there are two forms of jealousy: one where one has the right to feel it, and one where one does not have the right to feel it; that is "righteous/unrighteous" or "legitimate/not-legitimate". God is righteously jealous of our worship; it is not enough that we give our worship to him, we also need to have our worship of other things taken away. That is, righteous jealousy is "the desire to keep exclusive possession of something that you consider belongs rightfully to you", and unrighteous jealousy is the desire to keep exclusive possession of something that doesn't belong to you at all ( ... )

dreamflower02 June 20 2016, 02:25:38 UTC

This is the explanation our pastor gave in her sermon on "Envy" last week.

The thing is both words are often used in ways that don't reflect their Biblical meanings, and so they naturally get confused.

But Envy often leads to covetousness, and Jealousy frequently leads to wrath.

kerravonsen June 20 2016, 04:45:34 UTC

But Envy often leads to covetousness, and Jealousy frequently leads to wrath.

Now that's worth pondering. Hmmmm.