[Greek] ὑβρίζω (hybrizō), [Latin] insultare, [Latin] flagellare, [German] misshandlung

[Greek] ὑβρίζω (hybrizō), [Latin] insultare, [Latin] flagellare, [German] misshandlung: to insult, to mistreat, to outrage, to shame, to abuse; Mt.22:6, Lk.11:45, Lk.18:32, Acts 14:5, 1Thess.2:2

Background information:

Greek Hellenism: This term means to be insolent, to be vengeful, to insult, to mock, to be arrogant, to mistreat, and to outrage.

Herodotus’ The Histories 6.87: “The Aeginetans, blaming the Athenians and deeming themselves wronged, prepared to take vengeance on the Athenians.”

Sophocles’ Ajax 367: “Oh the mock! How I have been violated!”

Euripides’ Heracleidae 18: “Eurystheus thought it right to commit this outrage against you.”

Demosthenes’ Against Meidias 21.221: “The brutality and insolence with which Meidias treats everyone alike are well known to us.”

Plato: “Arrogance is ever accompanied by folly.”

Hubris:

1. Hubris involves trespassing beyond one’s own sphere.
2. The Greek tragedy (play) often illustrates the folly of hubris.
3. The gods oppose man’s hubris with retribution, punishment, and destruction.
4. Hubris often provides the impetus for conquest, world domination, violation of personal rights, and downfall.

Old Testament: This term means to be proud, to be arrogant, and to be lofty.

1. Loftiness and pride can be intrinsically wrong if they are linked with arrogance and presumptuousness.
2. The culture is aware that pride can be followed by the fall. Israel and their enemies both experience pride and arrogance.
3. Pride is often associated with sin, disobedience, defiance and turning his heart away from God.
4. Domination, pride, arrogance, suppression of the poor, and secularization of piety may follow.
5. The prophets are sent to correct, to punish, and to humble offenders.
6. Adam and Eve provide an example pride and disobedience.

New Testament: This term mean to mistreat, to insult, and to attack.

Mt.22:6: “The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.” (The parable is a statement of God’s judgment on Israel and a warning to Matthew’s church.)

Parable of the Wedding Feast

1. The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.
2. The king dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests, but they refused to come.
3. The guests ignored the invitation and mistreated and killed the servants.
4. The enraged king destroyed these murderers.
5. The guests invited were not worthy to come to the wedding.
6. The king sent out his servants to invite guests both bad and good alike.
7. The guest without a wedding garment was bound and cast out
8. Many guests are invited, but few are chosen.

Lk.11:45: “Then one of the scholars of the law said to Him in reply, ‘Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.’” (Jesus accuses the Pharisees and scholars for focusing on outward appearances, rather than on one’s internal character. Only focusing on externals, these people pay no attention to judgment and have no love for God. Jesus calls them hypocrites.)

Jesus’ denunciation of the Pharisees and Scholars of the Law:

1. The Pharisees observed that the Jesus did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
2. Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for focusing more on outward purity rituals and for being filled inside with plunder and evil.
3. Jesus observed that they pay tithes of mint and rue, while paying no attention to judgment and to love for God.
4. Jesus stated that they love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in the marketplace.
5. Jesus stated that they were like unseen graves, endangering those who may touch this spiritual defilement and uncleanness without realizing it.
6. The Pharisees and Scholars may see outwardly respectable while leading others away from genuine holiness.
7. Their danger may not be in open rebellion but in concealed corruption.

Lk.18:32: “He will be handed over to the Gentiles and He will be mocked and insulted and spat upon.” (Jesus foretold that Israel’s leaders would Him to Roman authority. For His “crimes” of proclaiming to be the Messiah, He was viewed as criminal. The Roman soldiers mockingly clothed Him in a purple robe with a crown of thorns. This was Jesus’ third prediction of the passion.)

Acts 14:5-7: “When there was an attempt by both the Gentiles and Jews to attack and stone them [Paul and Barnabas] they fled to the surrounding countryside to proclaim the good news.” (The Gentiles and Jews, who differed in culture and worship, found common cause to resist Jesus’ message. The division produced by the apostles’ teaching revealed that the Gospel calls every people to the same repentance and faith. Influential leaders joined this hostile movement. The apostles faced pressure at the private, local, and public level. This opposition involved shame, injury, persecution, stoning, and death.) 

1Thess.2:2: “Rather, after we [Paul and others] had suffered and been insolently, treated in Philippi, we drew courage through our Go to speak to you the Gospel of go with much struggle.” (Paul and Silas had been publicly beaten with rods, imprisoned, and placed in stocks after false charges were brought against them. These struggles did not silence their witness. Jewish opponents pressured the Thessalonica city authorities to drive Paul and Silas away. Resistance revealed that the conflict between Christ’s kingdom and unbelief. Paul’s courage rested on God. Such boldness belongs to believers who trust in God’s authority, presence, and purpose amid opposition. The gospel called the Thessalonians to turn from idol and receive the true and living God.)