Pride

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology

The Old Testament . While pride is sometimes used in the Old Testament in a positive sense (i.e., the "pride" of the land of Israel [  Psalm 47:4;  Ezekiel 24:21 ] or, God's "pride/majesty/excellency" [  Exodus 15:7;  Job 37:4;  Isaiah 2:10 ]), its negative sense predominates, occurring in sixty-one texts. "Pride" is found mainly in the prophets and the books of poetry.

The main Hebrew root is gh [גֵּאָה]; the most common term is gaon [גָּאֹון], which occurs a total of twenty-three times. Included are the ideas of arrogance, cynical insensitivity to the needs of others, and presumption. Pride is both a disposition/attitude and a type of conduct.

A synonym gaba [   Isaiah 2:11,17 ). There is pride of the eyes ( Psalm 101:5;  Isaiah 5:15 ); of the heart ( Ezekiel 28:2,5,17 ); of the spirit ( Proverbs 16:18;  Ecclesiastes 7:8 ); and of one's mouth/speech ( 1 Samuel 2:3 ). A classic text includes the words "pride," "conceit," "arrogance," and "haughtiness" ( Jeremiah 48:29 ).

Fifteen Old Testament texts ( NIV ) contain the word "arrogance, " nearly half of them (7) in the prophets ( Isaiah 2:17;  9:9;  13:11;  Jeremiah 13:15;  48:29;  Ezekiel 7:10;  Hosea 5:5;  7:10 ). Five references are in poetical texts ( Job 35:12;  Psalm 10:2;  17:10;  73:8;  Proverbs 8:13 ), and three others are found in  Deuteronomy 1:43;  1 Samuel 2:3;  15:23 .

What constitutes a "proud" person? The negative sense points to a sinful individual who shifts ultimate confidence from God to self. In the Wisdom literature, "the proud" are distinct from "the righteous" and "the humble." Here the term is applied to non-Israelites, rather than to Israel. The Septuagint uses hyperephanos [   Psalm 119:21,51;  Proverbs 3:34 ). When the prophets accuse Israel of pride ( Jeremiah 13:9;  Ezekiel 7:10,20;  16:56;  Hosea 5:5;  7:10;  Amos 6:8;  8:7;  Zephaniah 2:10 ), the word hybristes [Ὑβριστής] connotes a wanton, insolent person. Thus, in the Old Testament books, the prideful are generally associated with the wicked, the arrogant, the presumptuous, and those who are insolent toward God.

Most of the adjectives joined with "pride" in the Old Testament are negative in connotation, including words such as "stubborn" ( Leviticus 26:19 ), "overweening" ( Isaiah 16:6 ), "willful" ( Isaiah 10:12 ), and "great" ( Jeremiah 13:9 ). In one instance the positive phrase "everlasting pride" describes the status of a restored Zion ( Isaiah 60:15 ). Most of the synonyms give a negative sense: contempt ( Psalm 31:18 ); wrongdoing ( Job 33:17 ); trust ( Psalm 62:10 ); arrogance ( Proverbs 8:13;  Isaiah 2:11,17;  9:9 ); insolence ( Isaiah 16:6 ); and conceit ( Jeremiah 48:29 ). An exception is "glory" ( Isaiah 4:2 ).

Finally, in the Old Testament, what are some of the results of pride? It led to Uzziah's downfall ( 2 Chronicles 26:16 ); it hardened the heart of Nebuchadnezzar ( Daniel 5:20 ); it goes before destruction ( Proverbs 16:18 ); it does not seek God ( Psalm 10:4 ); it brings disgrace ( Proverbs 11:2 ); it breeds quarrels ( Proverbs 13:10 ); it deceives ( Jeremiah 49:16;  Obadiah 1:3 ); it brings low ( Proverbs 29:23;  Isaiah 2:11;  23:9 ); it humbles ( Isaiah 2:17;  Daniel 4:37 ).

The New Testament . In the New Testament, the abstract use of hybris [   Acts 27:10,21;  2 Corinthians 12:10;  1 Timothy 1:13 ). The word hyperephanos [   Mark 7:22;  Luke 1:51 ) and four times in the Epistles ( Romans 1:30;  2 Timothy 3:2;  James 4:6;  1 Peter 5:5 ). In its Greek background, the word meant overweening, arrogant, haughty.

mr 7:22 includes arrogance in a list of vices, the only such example in the Gospel texts. (Two other lists are found in Paul's letters [1:29-31;  Galatians 5:19-23 ]).

God opposes the proud ( Proverbs 3:34 ). Both James (4:6) and Peter ( 1 Peter 5:5 ) cite this Old Testament text, including the word hyperephanos [   Romans 1:30 ) includes hybristes [Ὑβριστής], one who behaves arrogantly toward those who are too weak to retaliate.

Finally, a remarkable example of hyperephanos [   Luke 1:51 ). Using language largely from the Old Testament, Mary tells how God will scatter the proud—possibly a reference to a specific group in society and political life. They are characterized by suppressing the masses, the poor and humble in Israel. God will overthrow them and exalt the lowly. While his wrath is upon the proud, he will visit the humble in grace.

Walter M. Dunnett

Bibliography . G. Betram, TDNT, 8:295-307,525-29; V. P. Hamilton, TWOT, 1:143.

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

This word occurs thrice in the AV_: in  Mark 7:22 as the rendering of ὑπερηφανία, in  1 John 2:16 of ἀλαζόνεια, in  1 Timothy 3:6 as the rendering (‘lifted up with pride’) of τυφόω (the same verb is found in  1 Timothy 6:4, ‘he is proud’ [RV_ ‘pulled up’], and in  2 Timothy 3:4, ‘highminded’ [‘puffed up’ RV_]; it is formed from the substantive τύφος, ‘smoke’ or ‘cloud,’ which does not occur in the NT, but is found in the metaphorical use in 1 Clem. xiii. 1 along with ἀλαζόνεια and suggests the pride which beclouds the moral sense and destroys self-control). In  1 Corinthians 13:4, where we read that love ‘vaunteth not itself’ (οὐ περπερεύεται), ‘is not puffed up’ (οὐ φυσιοῦται), the first verb appears to denote the arrogant or forward manner of one who sounds his own praises, the latter (cf.  1 Corinthians 4:6;  1 Corinthians 8:1) the disposition of self-conceit which loves pre-eminence.

The two words ὑπερηφανία and ἀλαζόνεια, with their corresponding adjectives, are common in the literature of the early Church: e.g., in Hermas, Mand. VI. ii. 5, both stand together as signs of the presence within the heart of ‘the messenger of wickedness.’ In  Romans 1:30 with these is associated the epithet ὑβριστής (AV_ ‘despiteful,’ RV_ ‘insolent’); but ὕβρις indicates the unrestrained insolence of wrong-doing (common in Greek tragedy) rather than pride in the strict sense: it is essentially the contempt of others breaking forth into acts of wantonness and outrage, and therefore the strongest word of the three in the scale of guilt. In distinguishing the pride of the ἀλάζων from that of the ὑπερήφανος, R. C. Trench (NT Synonyms9, 1880, pp. 98-105) rightly refers the former to ‘speech,’ the latter to ‘thought,’ but not thought, it must be noted, as merely quiescent and passive. The pride of overmastering language is definitely brought out in the use of ἀλαζόνεια in such passages as  James 4:16 (AV_ ‘boastings,’ RV_ ‘vauntings’) and 1 Clem. xxi. 5; in  1 John 2:16 Trench suggests that the Germ. Prahlerei is the most adequate rendering; the English ‘pride’ is too vague and colourless; and Beza’s ‘gloriosus’ is a better rendering of ἀλάζων than Vulg._ ‘elatus.’ On the other hand, ὑπερηφανία (Germ. Hochmuth) is a vice developed not so much in society as in the secrecy of the heart; none the less, it manifests itself in outward acts of arrogance, cruelty, and revengefulness. The ‘proud’ of  James 4:6;  1 Peter 5:5,  Proverbs 3:34 are those whose overweening treatment of others calls forth and merits the Divine antagonism.

B. F. Westcott (Epistles of St. John, 1886, p. 65) suggests that while ἀλαζόνεια may be referred to a false view of what things are in themselves, empty and unstable-a sin against truth-ὑπερηφάνια is a sin against love as implying a false view of what our relations to other persons are. Thus, ‘the vainglory of life’ is a false view of the value of our possessions, and therefore ἀλαζόνεια in  1 John 2:16 is rightly associated with life (βίος) in its external and transient significance, not in its essential principle (ζωή).

It may be noted that the verb καυχάομαι, with its corresponding nouns καύχημα and καύχησις (see art._ Boasting) is often used by St. Paul in a good sense to indicate the legitimate pride with which an apostle contemplates the effects of his ministry in the life and conduct of his converts (e.g.  2 Corinthians 9:2,  Philippians 2:16); it also expresses the sacred glorying of the inner life in God or Christ (e.g.  1 Corinthians 1:31,  Philippians 3:3, and elsewhere)-a characteristic and very common Pauline expression.

The pride of racial exclusiveness, e.g. of Greek towards barbarian and especially of Jew towards Gentile, as done away in Christ, is a common theme with the same apostle; cf.  Romans 10:12 (and argument of the whole chapter),  Galatians 3:28.

R. Martin Pope.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words

A. Verb.

Gâ'âh ( גָּאָה , Strong'S #1342), “to be proud, be exalted.” This verb appears 7 times in biblical Hebrew. The word appears in Exod. 15:1 in the sense of “to be exalted”: “I will sing to the Lord, for He is highly exalted [KJV, “he hath triumphed”]; The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea (NASB).

B. Nouns.

Gâ'ôn ( גָּאוֹן , Strong'S #1347), “pride.” This root occurs only in northwest Semitic languages, as in Ugaritic: gan , “pride.” This noun is a poetic word, which is found only in poetic books, the prophets (12 times in Isaiah), Moses’ song (Exod. 15:7), and Leviticus (26:19). In rabbinic Hebrew, gâ'ôn signifies a man of great learning. A gâ'ôn was the head of the rabbinic academies of Susa and Pumpedita in Babylonia. Saadiah Gaon was one of the most outstanding.

In a positive sense gâ'ôn , like the verb, signifies “excellence” or “majesty.” God’s “majesty” was expressed in Israel’s deliverance through the Red Sea (Exod. 15:7). Israel as the redeemed people, then, is considered to be an expression of God’s “majesty”: “He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved” (Ps. 47:4). The meaning of gâ'ôn is here close to that of kabod , “glory.”

Related to “majesty” is the word gâ'ôn attributed to nature as something mighty, luxuriant, rich, and thick. The poets use the word to refer to the proud waves (Job 38:11) or the thick shrubbery by the Jordan; cf. “If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling [literally, “majesty”] of Jordan?” (Jer. 12:5; cf. 49:19; 50:44).

The majority of the uses of gâ'ôn are negative in that they connote human “pride” as an antonym for humility (Prov. 16:18). Proverbs puts gâ'ôn together with arrogance, evil behavior, and perverse speech. In her independence from the Lord, Israel as a majestic nation, having been set apart by a majestic God, had turned aside and claimed its excellence as a prerogative earned by herself. The new attitude of insolence was not tolerated by God: “The Lord God hath sworn by himself, saith the Lord the God of hosts, I abhor the excellency of Jacob, and hate his palaces: therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein” (Amos 6:8).

The Septuagint translations are: hubris (“insolence; arrogance”) and huperephania (“arrogance; haughtiness; pride”). Some other nouns are related to |ga’on. Ge’ahoccurs once to mean “pride” (Prov. 8:13). The noun ga’awah , which is found 19 times, also means “pride”: “And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart …” (Isa. 9:9). Ge’ut appears 8 times and refers to “majesty”: “Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord” (Isa. 26:10).

C. Adjectives.

The adjective ge’ , which is thought to be a scribal error for ge’eh , appears only once as “proud” (Isa. 16:6). Ge’eh also means “proud” in its 8 occurrences, once in Isa. 2:12: “For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty.…”

Ga’ayon , which means “pride,” appears once in biblical Hebrew (Ps. 123:4).

Bridgeway Bible Dictionary

Pride is possibly the most common sin of all. It is the root sin, the means that Satan used in successfully tempting the original humans to rebel against their maker ( Genesis 3:1-6;  1 John 2:16). It remains a characteristic feature of fallen human nature and one of the hardest evils to overcome ( Proverbs 16:18;  Daniel 5:20;  Obadiah 1:3;  Mark 7:21-22;  Romans 1:28-30).

The essence of pride is self-centredness. The pleasure of the proud is not just to have something, but to have more of it than anyone else; not just to be something, but to be better than anyone else ( Proverbs 14:21;  Matthew 23:5-7;  Matthew 23:12;  1 John 2:16). Pride causes people to rebel against God because he is above them, and despise fellow human beings because, in their view, they are below them ( Exodus 5:2;  Isaiah 14:12-15;  Luke 18:9-11).

To feel pleasure at being praised is not pride, provided the pleasure comes from having pleased someone else ( Matthew 25:21). But if the pleasure is that of delighting in oneself or holding a high opinion of oneself, that is pride ( Matthew 6:2;  Matthew 6:5;  John 12:43). In like manner, to feel pleasure in some other person or thing (to feel proud of it) is not pride in the sinful sense, providing it is only unselfish admiration ( Haggai 1:8;  Galatians 6:14). But if the pleasure is a feeling of conceit, the pride is sinful ( Isaiah 25:11;  Daniel 4:30).

Pride is a sin that is particularly hateful to God ( Proverbs 8:13;  Proverbs 16:5). Those who practise it bring against themselves God’s opposition, and guarantee for themselves a humiliating punishment ( Leviticus 26:19;  Proverbs 29:23;  Isaiah 13:11;  Isaiah 16:6;  Daniel 4:37;  Luke 1:51;  Luke 18:14;  James 4:6). (See also Boasting ; Humility ; Hypocrisy .)

Charles Buck Theological Dictionary

Is inordinate and unreasonable self-esteem, attended with insolence, and rude treatment of others. "It is sometimes, " says a good writer, "confounded with vanity, and sometimes founded with vanity, and sometimes with dignity; but to the former passion it has no resemblance, and in many circumstances it differs from the latter. Vanity is the parent of loquacious boasting; and the person subject to it, if his pretences be admitted, has no inclination to insult the company. The proud man, on the other hand, is naturally silent, and, wrapt up in his own importance, seldom speaks but to make his audience feel their inferiority." Pride is the high opinion that a poor little contracted soul entertains of itself. Dignity consists in just, great, and uniform actions, and is the opposite to meanness.

2. Pride manifests itself by praising ourselves, adorning our persons, attempting to appear before others in a superior light to what we are; contempt and slander of others; envy at the excellencies others possess; anxiety to gain applause; distress and rage when slighted; impatience of contradiction, and opposition to God himself.

3. The evil effects of pride are beyond computation. It has spread itself universally in all nations, among all characters; and as it was the first sin, as some suppose, that entered into the world, so it seems the last to be conquered. It may be considered as the parent of discontent, ingratitude, covetousness, poverty, presumption, passion, extravagance, bigotry, war, and persecution. In fact, there is hardly an evil perpetrated but what pride is connected with it in a proximate or remote sense.

4. To suppress this evil, we should consider what we are. "If we could trace our descents, " says Seneca, "we should find all slaves to come from princes, and all princes from slaves. To be proud of knowledge, is to be blind in the light; to be proud of virtue, is to poison ourselves with the antidote; to be proud of authority, is to make our rise our downfall." The imperfection of our nature, our scanty knowledge, contracted powers, narrow conceptions, and moral inability, are strong motives to excite us to humility. We should consider also, what punishment this sin has brought on mankind.

See the cases of Pharaoh, Haman, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, and others. How particularly it is prohibited,  Proverbs 16:18 .  1 Peter 5:5 .  James 4:6 .  Proverbs 29:23; what a torment it is to its possessor,  Esther 5:13; how soon all things of a sublunary nature will end; how disgraceful it renders us in the sight of God, angels, and men; what a barrier it is to our felicity and communion with God; how fruitful it is of discord; how it precludes our usefulness, and renders us really contemptible.

See HUMILITY.

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

A — 1: Ἀλαζονεία (Strong'S #212 — Noun Feminine — alazonia[-eia] — al-ad-zon-i'-a )

is translated "pride" in  1—John 2:16 , AV. See Boast , B, No. 2, Vainglory

A — 2: Ὑπερηφανία (Strong'S #5243 — Noun Feminine — huperephania — hoop-er-ay-fan-ee'-ah )

"pride,"  Mark 7:22 : see Haughty.

B — 1: Τυφόομαι (Strong'S #5187 — Verb — tuphoo — toof-o'-o )

"lifted up with pride,"  1—Timothy 3:6 , AV (RV, "puffed up"). See High-Minded.

King James Dictionary

PRIDE, n.

1. Inordinate self-esteem an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, accomplishments, rank or elevation in office, which manifests itself in lofty airs, distance, reserve, and often in contempt of others.

Martial pride looks down on industry.

Pride goeth before destruction.  Proverbs 16

Pride that dines on vanity, sups on contempt.

All pride is abject and mean.

Those that walk in pride he is able to abase.  Daniel 4

2. Insolence rude treatment of others insolent exultation.

That hardly we escap'd the pride of France.

3. Generous elation of heart a noble self-esteem springing from a consciousness of worth.

The honest pride of conscious virtue.

4. Elevation loftiness.

A falcon tow'ring in her pride of place.

5. Decoration ornament beauty displayed.

Whose lofty trees, clad with summer's pride.

Be his this sword

Whose ivory sheath, inwrought with curious pride,

Adds graceful terror to the wearer's side.

6. Splendid show ostentation.

Is this array, the war of either side

Through Athens pass'd with military pride.

7. That of which men are proud that which excites boasting.

I will cut off the pride of the Philistines.  Zechariah 9;  Zephaniah 3

8. Excitement of the sexual appetite in a female beast. 9. Proud persons.  Psalms 36

PRIDE, With the reciprocal pronoun, to pride one's self, to indulge pride to take pride to value one's self to gratify self-esteem. They pride themselves in their wealth, dress or equipage. He prides himself in his achievements.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) Proud or disdainful behavior or treatment; insolence or arrogance of demeanor; haughty bearing and conduct; insolent exultation; disdain.

(2): ( n.) A small European lamprey (Petromyzon branchialis); - called also prid, and sandpiper.

(3): ( n.) The quality or state of being proud; inordinate self-esteem; an unreasonable conceit of one's own superiority in talents, beauty, wealth, rank, etc., which manifests itself in lofty airs, distance, reserve, and often in contempt of others.

(4): ( n.) A sense of one's own worth, and abhorrence of what is beneath or unworthy of one; lofty self-respect; noble self-esteem; elevation of character; dignified bearing; proud delight; - in a good sense.

(5): ( n.) That of which one is proud; that which excites boasting or self-gratulation; the occasion or ground of self-esteem, or of arrogant and presumptuous confidence, as beauty, ornament, noble character, children, etc.

(6): ( n.) Show; ostentation; glory.

(7): ( n.) Highest pitch; elevation reached; loftiness; prime; glory; as, to be in the pride of one's life.

(8): ( n.) Consciousness of power; fullness of animal spirits; mettle; wantonness; hence, lust; sexual desire; esp., an excitement of sexual appetite in a female beast.

(9): ( v. i.) To be proud; to glory.

(10): ( v. t.) To indulge in pride, or self-esteem; to rate highly; to plume; - used reflexively.

Holman Bible Dictionary

“Boasting” can be committed only in the presence of other persons ( 1 John 2:16;  James 4:16 ). “Haughtiness” or “arrogance” measures self as above others ( Mark 7:23;  Luke 1:51;  Romans 1:30;  2 Timothy 3:2;  James 4:6;  1 Peter 5:5 ). This word refers primarily to the attitude of one's heart.  1 Timothy 3:6;  1 Timothy 6:4; and  2 Timothy 3:4 use a word literally meaning “to wrap in smoke.” It emphasizes the plight of the one who has been blinded by personal pride.

Pride may appear in many forms. Some of the more common are pride of race, spiritual pride, and pride of riches. Jesus denounced pride of race ( Luke 3:8 ). The parable of the Pharisee and the publican was directed at those guilty of spiritual pride, the ones who “trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others” ( Luke 18:9 ).  James 1:10 warns the rich against the temptation to be lifted up with pride because of their wealth.

Gerald Cowen

Charles Spurgeon's Illustration Collection

When men refuse to hear the gospel from the lips of a gracious but uneducated preacher, they remind us of the Spaniard in South America, who suffered severely from the gout, but refused to be cured by an Indian. 'I know,' said he, 'that he is a famous man, and would certainly cure me, but he is an Indian, and would expect to be treated with attentions which I cannot pay to a man of colour, and therefore I prefer remaining as I am.'

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

is inordinate and unreasonable self-esteem, attended with insolence and rude treatment of others.

1. "It is sometimes," says a good writer, "confounded with vanity, and sometimes with dignity; but to the former passion it has no resemblance, and in many circumstances it differs from the latter. Vanity is the parent of loquacious boasting, and the person subject to it, if his pretences be admitted has no inclination to insult the company. The proud man, on the other hand, is naturally silent, and wrapped up in his own importance, seldom speaks but to make his audience feel their inferiority." Pride is the high opinion that a poor, little, contracted soul entertains of itself. Dignity consists in just, great, and uniform actions, and is the opposite of meanness.

2. Pride manifests itself by praising ourselves, adoring our persons, attempting to appear before others in a superior light to what we are; contempt and slander of others; envy at the excellences others possess; anxiety to gain applause; distress and rage when slighted; impatience of contradiction, and opposition to God himself.

3. The evil effects of pride are beyond computation. It has spread itself universally in all nations, among all characters; and as it was the first sin, as some suppose, that entered into the world, so it seems the last to be conquered. It may be considered as the parent of discontent, ingratitude, covetousness, poverty, presumption, passion, extravagance, bigotry, war, and persecution. In fact, there is hardly an evil perpetrated but pride is connected with it in a proximate or remote sense.

4. To suppress this evil, we should consider what we are. "If we could trace our descents," says Seneca, "we should find all slaves to come from princes, and all princes from slaves. To be proud of knowledge is to be blind in the light; to be proud of virtue is to poison ourselves with the antidote; to be proud of authority is to make our rise our downfall." The imperfection of our nature, our scanty knowledge, contracted powers, narrow conceptions, and moral inability are strong motives to excite us to humility. We should consider, also, what punishments this sin has brought on mankind. See the cases of Pharaoh, Haman, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, and others; how particularly it is prohibited ( Proverbs 16:18; 1 Peter 5, 5;  James 4:6;  Proverbs 29:23); what a torment it is to its possessor ( Esther 5:13); howl soon all things of a sublunary nature will .end; how disgraceful it renders us in the sight of God, angels, and men; what a barrier it is to our felicity and communion with God; how fruitful it is of discord; how it precludes our usefulness, and renders us really contemptible. Comp. Blackie, Morals , p, 244; Edwards, Works ; Robert Hall, Works ; Bates, Works ; Brown, Philosophy Of The Mind ; Wesl. Mag . 1846, p. 1113; 1847, p. 548 sq.; Malcom, Theol. Index, s.v. See Humility.