Malice

Is a settled or deliberate determination to revenge or do hurt to another. It more frequently denotes the disposition of inferior minds to execute every purpose of mischief within the more limited circle of their abilities. It is a most hateful temper in the sight of God, strictly forbidden in his holy word, Col 3:8-12. disgraceful to rational creatures, and every way inimical to the spirit of Christianity, Mat 5:44.

See CHARITY, LOVE.

Not Being Malicious

Eph_4:31; 1Pe_2:1.

See INTENTION:

MALICE

1. (i) OT.—All in Pr.-Bk. [Note: Prayer Book.] version: Psa 94:23; Psa_Psa 119:150; Psa 10:17 (adj.) Psa 59:5 (adj.) and Psa 55:3 (adv.).

(ii.) Apocr. [Note: Apocrypha, Apocryphal.] —All in AV [Note: Authorized Version.] : Wis 12:10; Wis 12:20; Wis 16:14 (and RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ), * Sir 27:30; Sir 28:7, * 1Ma 9:51; 1Ma 13:6, 2Ma 4:50.

(iii) NT.—In RV [Note: Revised Version.] : 1Co 5:8; 1Co 14:20, Eph 4:31, Col 3:8, Tit 3:6, Jas 1:21 mg., 1Pe 2:1 (AV [Note: Authorized Version.] and RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ); ‘maliciousness’ Rom 1:29, 1Pe 2:16 (AV [Note: Authorized Version.] and RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ‘malice’); ‘malicious’ * 3Jn 1:10 AV [Note: Authorized Version.] .

2. Discussion is needless as to (i.), for the Heb. is clear. (See RV [Note: Revised Version.] .) All the other instances, however, except those marked * represent a Gr. word (kakia) which has a much wider meaning than ‘malice’ as now used. It may be ‘wickedness,’ as Act 8:22, Jas 1:21; or ‘evil’ = ‘trouble,’ Mat 6:34.

3. The point is important, because ‘malice’ has acquired its exclusive meaning ‘spitefulness’ only since the 17th century. It indicated evil of any sort (cf. Pr.-Bk. [Note: Prayer Book.] as cited above, and for some striking examples see art. in Hastings’ DB [Note: Dictionary of the Bible.] ). This change accounts for RV [Note: Revised Version.] renderings of Apocr. [Note: Apocrypha, Apocryphal.] , and would perhaps have justified further emendation of AV [Note: Authorized Version.] .

4. The modern usage is a return to the classical malitia. Its relation to kakia was discussed by Cicero, who coined vitiositas as the nearest rendering; for whereas ‘malice’ indicated a particular fault, ‘vitiosity’ stood for all (Tusc. Disp. iv. 34).

H. F. B. Compston.

(Latin: malum, malitium, evil, evil intent)

The evil of a conscious and deliberate transgression of the law of God; contempt of the Divine Author of the law; a denying God the reverence and service due Him; the real essence of sin.

(êáêßá)

Malice is the propensity to inflict injury upon another, or to take pleasure in his misfortunes. In early English it denoted wickedness in general (Hasting's Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) iii. 223), but the modern meaning is found in Shakespeare, e.g. in Othello’s words:

‘Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate,

Nor set down aught in malice’

(Act v. sc. ii. line 342).

êáêßá changed its connotation in much the same way. In classical Greek it was not a particular fault or vice, but that badness of nature or character (opp. to ἀñåôÞ, ‘virtue,’ ‘excellence’) which is the root of all faults. Cicero discusses the point in Tusc. Disp. IV. xv. 34: ‘Hujus igitur virtutis contraria est vitiositas. Sic enim malo quam malitiam appellare eam, quam Graeci êáêßáí appellant. Nam malitia certi cujusdam vitii nomen est; vitiositas omnium.’ In the NT the context generally indicates that êáêßá is a specific fault or vice. The compound êáêïçèåéá (‘malicious disposition’) designates but one of the many elements or workings of the reprobate mind (Rom_1:29). Christians recall the time, before ‘the washing of regeneration,’ when they were ‘living in malice (ἐí êáêßᾳ) and envy’ (Tit_3:3). êáêßá is one of the sins which the believer must resolutely put away (Eph_4:31, Col_3:8); he is not to eat the Christian passover with the leaven of malice (1Co_5:8); in malice he is to be a babe (1Co_14:20). Without apparent cause the Revisers prefer ‘wickedness’ in Jam_1:21, 1Pe_2:1; 1Pe_2:16, relegating ‘malice’ to the margin. Only once is the wider meaning unquestionable: the êáêßá of which Simon the Magian is urged to repent is no specific fault, but the deep-seated wickedness of a man who is still in the gall of bitterness (Act_8:22-23).

James Strahan.

One destructive fruit of sinful human nature is malice – the desire to harm someone or the feeling of pleasure at someone’s misfortune (Psa 41:5; Eze 25:6; Tit 3:3; 1Pe 2:1). Malice is often the cause of false accusations (Exo 23:1; Psa 35:11; Mat 22:18; see HATRED).

Unless people deal with their malice, it will bring God’s punishment upon them (Rom 1:29; Rom 2:2). It is an attitude that should have no place among God’s people (1Co 5:8; Eph 4:31; Col 3:8; 1Pe 2:1). The way to overcome malice is through the proper exercise of Christian love (1Co 13:6; see LOVE).