CURIOSITY
CURIOSITY
A propensity or disposition of the soul which inclines it to enquire after new objects, and to delight in viewing them. Curiosity is proper, when it springs from a desire to know our duty, to mature our judgments, to enlarge our minds, and to regulate our conduct; but improper when it wishes to know more of God, of the decrees; the origin or evil; the state of men, or the nature of things, than it is designed for us to know. The evil of this is evident. It reproaches God’s goodness; it is a violation of Scripture, Deu 22:29; it robs us of our time; it often makes us unhappy, lessens our usefulness, and produces mischief. To cure this disposition let us consider the divine command, Php 4:6. that every thing essential is revealed; that God cannot err; that we shall be satisfied in a future state, Is. 13: 7. Curiosity concerning the affairs of others is exceedingly reprehensible. “It interrupts, ” says an elegant writer, “the order, and breaks the peace of society. Persons of this disposition are dangerous troublers of the world. Crossing the lines in which others move, they create confusion, and awaken resentment.
Hence, many a friendship has been broken; the peace of many a family has been overthrown; and much bitter and lasting discord has been propagated through society. Such a disposition is entirely the reverse of that amiable spirit of charity our Lord inculcates. Charity, like the sun, brightens every object on which it shines: a censorious disposition casts every character into the darkest shade it will bear. It is to be further observed, that all impertinent curiosity about the affairs of others tends greatly to obstruct personal reformation. They who are so officiously occupied about their neighbours, have little leisure, and less inclination, to observe their own defects, or to mind their own duty. From their inquisitive researches, they find, or imagine they find, in the behaviour of others, an apology for their own failings; and the favourite result of their enquiries generally is, to rest satisfied with themselves.
We should consider, also, that every excursion of vain curiosity about others is a subtraction from that time and thought which are due to ourselves, and to God. In the great circle of human affairs, there is room for every one to be busy, and well employed in his own province, without encroaching upon that of others. It is the province of superiors to direct; of inferiors to obey; of the learned to be instructive; of the ignorant to be docile; of the old to be communicative; of the young to be adviseable and diligent. In all the various relations which subsist among us in life, as husband and wife, master and servants, parents and children, relations and friends, rulers and subjects, innumerable duties stand ready to be performed; innumerable calls to activity present themselves on every hand, sufficient to fill up with advantage and honour the whole time of man.” Blair’s Serm. vol. 4: ser. 8; Clark’s Serm. ser. on Deu 29:29;
Seed’s Posth. Serm. ser. 7.
Fuente: Theological Dictionary
Curiosity
General references
Pro 27:20; Ecc 7:21
Instances of:
– Of Eve
Gen 3:6
– Of Abraham, to know whether God would destroy the righteous in Sodom
Gen 18:23-32
– Of Jacob, to know the name of the angel
Gen 32:29
– Of the Israelites, to see God
Exo 19:21; Exo 19:24
– Of the Israelites to witness the offering in the holy of holies
Num 4:19-20
– Of Manoah, to know the name of an angel
Jdg 13:17-18
– Of the people of Beth-Shemesh, to see inside the ark
1Sa 6:19
– Of the Babylonians, to see Hezekiah’s treasures
2Ki 20:13
– Of Daniel, to know a vision
Dan 12:8-9
– Of Peter, to know what was being done with Jesus
Mat 26:58
– Of Peter, to know what John would be appointed to do
Joh 21:21-22
– A disciple, to know if there be few that be saved
Luk 13:23
– Of Herod, to see Jesus
Luk 9:9; Luk 23:8
– Of the Jews, to see Lazarus, after he was raised from the dead
Joh 12:9
– Of the Jews, to see Jesus
Joh 12:20-21
– Of the disciples, to know whether Jesus would restore the kingdom of the Jews
Act 1:6-7
– Of the Athenians, to hear some new thing
Act 17:19-21
– Of angels, to look into the mysteries of salvation
1Pe 1:12
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
CURIOSITY
(1) Examples of Idle
The Men of Beth-shemesh desired to see the inside of the Ark
1Sa 6:19
Herod, curious to see Christ
Luk 9:9
The Levite looked with indifferent curiosity upon the man who was
suffering
Luk 10:32
The Jews who came to see Lazarus
Joh 12:9
The Athenians
Act 17:21
–SEE Questions, QUESTIONS
(2) Leads to the Desire for Signs
Mat 12:38; Mat 16:1; Mat 24:3; Mar 8:11; Luk 11:16; Joh 2:18; Joh 4:48
Joh 6:30; 1Co 1:22
–SEE Doubt Rebuked, UNBELIEF
Doubters, UNBELIEF
Unbelief, UNBELIEF