More on Envy

Jesus said "You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not murder and who ever murders will be in danger of the judgement.  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgement." (5:21).

What is the best guess for why one would be angry with a brother or sister without a cause?

Envy. 

Usually, generally, the person who is the target of envy has no clue they are being envied; the anger of the person who is envying them is without a cause.  Now, in the mind of the one who is envying, there is plenty of "cause", but in every single circumstance I can think of from scripture, none of the ones who were angry and murdered or did evil against their brother or sister, did so with a cause. 

Cain killed Abel because he envied his relationship with God.  Cain had no cause to be angry.

Joseph's brothers sold him because they envied his giftings and place in their father's heart.  The brother's had no cause to be angry.

The Pharisees called for Christ's crucifixion because they envied His teaching, miracles and influence on the people.  The Pharisees had no cause to be angry.

Hitler and the Nazi regime envied the European Jews their wealth. The Nazi's had no cause to be angry.

The Hutu leaders and militia, and many Hutu citizens, envied the Tutsi their historical status. The Hutu leaders etc had no cause to be angry.

The gossip usually envys the person they are talking maliciously about.  The gossip has no cause to be angry.

In every case that anger is without cause, you will find envy.  Envy is the seed of anger and anger is the seed of hate and hate is the seed of the murder, even if it is murder in the heart.


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