Idle
IDLE
In Mat 12:36, means empty and fruitless. The “idle word” which Christ condemns, is a word morally useless and evil.
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Idle
(, slothful, also deceitful; , to be weak, in Niph. to be lazy, Exo 5:8; Exo 5:17; , indolence, Pro 31:27; , remissness, Ecc 10:18; , to rest, Eze 16:49; , not working, literally, Mat 20:3; Mat 20:6; 1Ti 5:13; unfruitful, 2Pe 1:8; stupid, Tit 1:12; morally, Mat 12:36; , an idle tale, Luk 24:11). Of the foregoing instances of the use of this word, the only one requiring special consideration is Mat 12:36, I say unto you. that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment, where there has been considerable difference of opinion as to the interpretation of , translated idle word. To the ordinary explanation, which makes the phrase here equivalent to vain, and hence wicked language, J. A. H. Tittman, in an extended criticism (On the principal Causes of Forced Interpret. of the N.T., printed in the Amer. Bib. Repos. for 1831, p. 481- 484), objects that it violates the native meaning of the word, which rather denotes an empty, inconsiderate, and hence insincere conversation or statement, appealing to the context which is aimed at the hypocritical Pharisees. On the other hand, the usual interpretation is supported by the actual occurrence of , wicked, in the parallel Mat 12:35, and by the usage of other Greek writers, e.g., Symmachus in Lev 19:7, for , where Sept. ; Xenoph. Mem. 1,2,57; Cicero, de Fat. 12. (See Kuinol, ad loc.) The term is probably intended to be of wide signification, so as to include both these senses, namely, levity and calumny, as being both species of untruth and heedlessly uttered, yet productive of mischief.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Idle
The ordinary uses of this word require no illustration. But the very serious passage in Mat 12:36 may suitably be noticed in this place. In the Authorized Version it is translated, ‘I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment.’ The whole question depends upon the meaning, or rather the force, of the term rendered ‘idle word,’ concerning which there has been no little difference of opinion. Many understand it to mean ‘wicked and injurious words;’ but this interpretation has been examined with much nicety by Dr. Tittmann, and shown to be untenable. He contends that we must necessarily understand by the phrase a certain kind of words or discourse, which, under the appearance of sincerity or candor, is often the worst possible, and ‘condemns a man,’ because it is uttered with an evil purpose. The meaning of the expression, then, seems to be void of effect, without result, followed by no corresponding event. Therefore ‘idle words’ are empty or vain words or discourse, i.e. void of truth, and to which the event does not correspond. In short, it is the empty inconsiderate, insincere language of one who says one thing and means another. This Tittmann confirms by a number of citations; and then deduces from the whole that the sense of the passage under review is: ‘Believe me, he who uses false and insincere language shall suffer grievous punishment: your words, if uttered with sincerity and ingenuousness, shall be approved; but if they are dissembled, although they bear the strongest appearance of sincerity, they shall be condemned.’
Fuente: Popular Cyclopedia Biblical Literature
Idle
denotes “inactive, idle, unfruitful, barren” (a, negative, and ergon, “work;” cp. the verb katargeo, “to reduce to inactivity:” See ABOLISH); it is used (a) literally, Mat 20:3, Mat 20:6; 1Ti 5:13 (twice); Tit 1:12, RV, “idle (gluttons);” 2Pe 1:8, RV, “idle,” AV, “barren;” (b) metaphorically in the sense of “ineffective, worthless,” as of a word, Mat 12:36; of faith unaccompanied by works, Jam 2:20 (some mss. have nekra, “dead”).
Fuente: Vine’s Dictionary of New Testament Words
Idle
Mat 12:36 (a) The words mentioned here are spoken words which do no good work for GOD or man. Idle men are men who are not working. Idle words are words that are not working. They are words which when spoken have no value whatever to either GOD or man.
Mat 20:3 (b) This is a picture of Christians who have not taken up any definite work for GOD but who are spectators in the game of life so far as the church and the Gospel are concerned.
Luk 24:11 (b) These tales are stories that have no usable point, give no information, and have no value for their hearers.