Slander (plural = slanders) (2636) (katalalia from katá = against, down + laleo = to speak) means evil speaking, evil speech, evil report. Slander. Back-biting lies. Defamation. Disparagement. Speaking about others in such a way as to belittle or defame their character. This word is not found in classic Greek. Peter uses the related verb katalaleo (speak against, speak evil of) in 1Peter 2:12-note and 1Peter 3:16-note. The UBS Handbook says katalalia may be expressed "metaphorically as 'to shoot people with words' (Ed: An excellent word picture!) or 'to harm others by whispering' or 'to spoil someone's honor with evil words.'" The final sin we are called upon to strip off is making derogatory, defaming, disparaging statements about others. Clearly, God expects us to focus on the good in our fellow men and not on their bad. (Cp 2Cor 12:20, Ep 4:31- note, Jas 4:11, Ps 101:5 [Spurgeon's note]) Literally katalalia means "Speaking against" or "Speaking down" to a person, by extension describing the act of defaming or slandering. Katalalia describes evil, malicious talk intended to damage or destroy another person. The greatest slanderer of all is the Devil, Satan, the adversary who opposes God’s people and accuses them before God. The English word slander (synonym = calumny) refers to a misrepresentation intended to "blacken" another’s reputation. Slander is the act of uttering false charges or misrepresentations maliciously calculated to damage another’s reputation. The slanderer says nice things to the person’s face but disparaging things behind his back, with the motive of making himself look good in everyone else’s eyes. The 1828 Webster's Dictionary defines slander as “a false tale or report maliciously uttered, and tending to injure the reputation of another by lessening him in the esteem of his fellow citizens, by exposing him to impeachment and punishment, or by impairing his means of living.” A thought to ponder about evil speaking of others -- MacArthur explains that... (katalalias), an onomatopoeic word designed to sound like the whispers and tattles reported behind someone’s back in gossip and backbiting (2 Cor. 12:20). It referred essentially to defamation of character (cf. 1Pe 2:12; 3:16; James 4:11). Pritchard writes that... slander translates a Greek word that literally means to “speak down” about someone. It includes gossip, tale bearing, backbiting, spreading rumors, passing along a bad report, taking cheap shots, using humor to lacerate others, disparaging comments, unkind words. You can slander someone with the raised eyebrow, the unfinished sentence, veiled accusations, twisting the truth to make another person look bad, using subtle nuance to give a negative cast, judging others unfairly, and putting others down to make yourself look good. Slander is usually the fruit of envy, and because it is almost always done behind the back of another person, it is the seedbed of hypocrisy. Katalalia is used only 2x in the NT. The only other NT use of katalalia is by Paul who writes... For (referring to Paul's speaking to build up the Corinthians) I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there may be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, disputes, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances (2Corinthians 12:20) The psalmist writes Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. (Ps 34:13) (See Spurgeon's note) Spurgeon: Guard with careful diligence that dangerous member, the tongue, lest it utter evil, for that evil will recoil upon thee, and mar the enjoyment of thy life. Men cannot spit forth poison without feeling some of the venom burning their own flesh. And thy lips from speaking guile. Deceit must be very earnestly avoided by the man who desires happiness. A crafty schemer lives like a spy in the enemy's camp, in constant fear of exposure and execution. Clean and honest conversation, by keeping the conscience at ease, promotes happiness, but lying and wicked talk stuffs our pillow with thorns, and makes life a constant whirl of fear and shame. David had tried the tortuous policy, but he here denounces it, and begs others as they would live long and well to avoid with care the doubtful devices of guile. Solomon adds Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. (Pr 24:28) Barclay says that Katalalia is a word with a definite flavor. It means evil-speaking; it is almost always the fruit of envy in the heart; and it usually takes place when its victim is not there to defend himself. Few things are so attractive as hearing or repeating spicy gossip. Disparaging gossip is something which everyone admits to be wrong and which at the same time almost everyone enjoys; and yet there is nothing more productive of heartbreak and nothing is so destructive of brotherly love and Christian unity. (Barclay, W: The Daily Study Bible Series. The Westminster Press or Logos) MacDonald... Evil speaking—backbiting, malicious gossip, recrimination. Slander is the attempt to make oneself look cleaner by slinging mud at someone else. It may take very subtle forms such as: “Yes, she is a lovely person but she has this one failing …” and then the knife is deftly thrust into her back. Or it may even have a religious pose: “I mention this only for your prayer fellowship, but did you know that he …” and then the character is assassinated. (MacDonald, W & Farstad, A. Believer's Bible Commentary: Thomas Nelson or Logos) Example of the slandering of Edgar Alan Poe- The story is told that author Edgar Allen Poe died in 1849 in a drunken stupor while lying in a Baltimore gutter. But a new look at the medical evidence from Poe's last days shows that the writer was not drunk, but suffering from rabies. Furthermore, he did not die on the street, but in a hospital. So how did the false story get started? It may have been concocted by Poe's doctor. A strong temperance advocate, he might have wanted to turn the writer's death into a propaganda lesson about the evils of alcoholism. Whatever Edgar Allen Poe's personal shortcomings were, it appears that his reputation has suffered from more than a century of slander. It's a classic case. Like most slander, the story contains a kernel of truth. Poe was seen in a bar acting strangely shortly before his death, and he did drink occasionally. But these facts did not contribute to his death. Nonetheless, the slanderous account endured for more than one hundred years. (Today in the Word) John Piper writes: One of the ways the word of God creates desire for the milk of God's kindness is by destroying desire for other things. Piper goes on to give his definitions below Malice: a desire to hurt someone with words or deeds. Guile: a desire to gain some advantage or preserve some position by deceiving others. Hypocrisy: a desire not to be known for what really is. Envy: a desire for some privilege or benefit that belongs to another with resentment that another has it and you don't. Slander: the desire for revenge and self-enhancement, often driven by the deeper desire to deflect attention from our own failings. The worse light we can put another in by slander, the less our own darkness shows." (See John Piper's full message - Long for the Pure Milk of the Word) Piper continues "If you want to experience desire for God's word; if you want your desires to grow; if you want to taste fully the kindness of the Lord, realize that as our satisfaction in God's kindness rises, the controlling desires of malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy and slander are destroyed. And the reverse is true: as you resist them and lay them aside, desires for God grow stronger and more intense. Peter's point is: don't think that they can flourish in the same heart. Desire to taste and enjoy God's kindness cannot flourish where in the same heart with guile and hypocrisy." (Ibid) Steven Cole reminds us that... Christian communication stands against all these worldly ways. We are to speak the truth in love with a view to building up the other person (Ep 4:15-note, Ep 4:29-note). Peter says that we are to put off these wrong ways of relating, which implies that we are both responsible for these sins and able, with the Spirit’s power, to stop doing them. You don’t need years of therapy and delving into your past to stop doing these things. It is a matter of obedience. Make a decisive break with your past and commit yourself to live as a Christian. If you don’t, you won’t be motivated to drink in God’s Word. (Getting Into the Word) ><> ><> ><> Who Is Most Important? - During an operation, an experienced surgeon asked a young intern, Who is the most important person in this operating room? The intern searched for an appropriate answer. He didn't believe that his mentor was asking for personal compliments, so trying to sound gracious he replied, I suppose that it would be these nurses who assist you in such an efficient manner. The surgeon shook his head and said, No, the most important individual in this room is the patient. It's possible to overlook the obvious in studying the Bible. It's easy to forget how important YOU are in the process. Whether or not you find profit depends on your attitude. What is the right attitude to bring to Bible study? First, approach the Bible with a sense of your own need, not simply to teach it to someone else. Second, approach the Bible with humility. Don't try to make the Bible say what you would like it to say, but study to discover what God has said. German theologian Johann Bengel (1687-1752) said, Be like a maker of a well who brings no water to his source but allows the water he finds there to flow freely without stoppage, diversion, or defilement. Those who do that will grow like trees "planted by the rivers" (Psalm 1:3-notes onsite). —H W Robinson (Our Daily Bread, Copyright RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved) "Copy and paste the address below into your web browser in order to go to the original page which will allow you to access live links related to the material on this page - these links include Scriptures (which can be read in context), Scripture pop-ups on mouse over, and a variety of related resources such as Bible dictionary articles, commentaries, sermon notes and theological journal articles related to the topic under discussion." http://www.preceptaustin.org/1_peter_21.htm#slander