By Rollin Grams, Bible and Mission. (Photo: Marija Zaric/Unsplash)
Introduction
The USA has developed and continues to develop an international reputation for offensive public speech from its politicians, whether running for office or in the halls of congress or even White House, and public figures. Swearing, repulsive speech, and vulgarity are normal in movies. The media, street rioters, and comedians eagerly participate in rancorous, untruthful, explosive rhetoric to fan the emotions of an audience into flames. Extreme claims about opponents (such as calling Republicans Nazis or fascists) normalise calumny in a caustic culture. In the USA, such rhetoric has been cashed in for repeated violence in the streets and by actual assassins.
The speech of the alleys and gutters of culture is becoming mainstream dialogue. This, as we shall note, was spoken against by philosophers in antiquity. The gentleman must carry himself well. The speech of all Christians, we shall also see, must also be holy and pure. Jesus set the example for believers, as Peter says: ‘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 2.23).[1] And Jesus Himself said to His disciples, ‘Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!’ (Luke 6.22; cf. Matthew 5.11). Paul wrote, ‘ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them’ (Romans 12.14) and ‘Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good’ (12.21). This essay will further explore the ethic of speech in the New Testament and antiquity. (A fully Biblical ethic of speech must also include the Old Testament, particularly Psalms and Proverbs.)
The Epistles of Paul
In the two sin lists of 1 Corinthians 5 and 6, Paul includes the sin of reviling others. Such people would not inherit the kingdom of God. The word ‘reviler’ (loidoros) could be translated as one who ‘rails’ or is ‘abusive’. It is a word denoting angry, abusive, expletive, and insulting speech directed at someone else. Athenaeus, speaking of people’s duplicity, says that they pretend to sacrifice to the gods, invite others to the sacrifice (meal), but ‘vent imprecations on their children, and abuse (loidorountai) their wives, and treat their slaves with indignity’ (Deipnosophists 8.66). The 2nd c. AD novelist, Achilles Tatius, depicts a scene in which someone rushes in with accusations, name-calling, and angry words. Another person rightly challenges him, but he then replies, ‘Do you dare to revile (loidoreis) me?’ (The Adventures of Leucippe and Clitophon VIII.1). We can see that the word has to do with angry, offensive, loud speech directed at another person.