Does not usually denote, in Scripture, self-conceit or personal pride, 2Pe 2:18, but sometimes emptiness and fruitlessness, Job 7:3 Psa 144:4 Ecc 1:1-18 . It often denotes wickedness, particularly falsehood, Deu 32:21 Psa 4:2 24:4 119:37, and sometimes idols and idol-worship, 2Ki 17:15 Jer 2:5 18:15 Jon 2:8. Compare Paul’s expression, “they turned the truth of God into a lie,” 1Ch 1:25 . “In vain,” in the second commandment, Exo 20:7, is unnecessarily and irreverently. “Vain men,” 2Sa 6:20 2Ch 13:7, are dissolute and worthless fellows.<\/p>\n
Neither in the OT nor in the NT is the word vanity used in the sense of self-conceit or vainglory (see Pride): it is always a rendering of , which is an essentially Scriptural word, not being found in an ethical sense in the classical writers. There is, however, an adjective, rendered vain, which has no corresponding substantive, namely . Perhaps the prevailing sense of is emptiness or hollowness, while rather expresses futility or fruitlessness, and denotes an absence of aim or a purpose unfulfilled; but the two epithets are so nearly synonymous even on the showing of R. C. Trench (NT Synonyms 9, London, 1880, p. 180 f., where he defines [1Co 15:58] as labour which yields no return) that the distinction cannot always be pressed. J. B. Mayor on 2Pe 2:10 (see The Epistle of St. Jude, and the Second Epistle of St. Peter, London, 1907) discusses the passages of Septuagint where is found, e.g. Psa 4:3; Psa 39:6 and the famous Ecc 1:2 (vanity of vanities), and concludes that in these cases, as in 2Pe 2:10, the word approximates to the Pauline use in Rom 8:20 (the creation was subjected to vanity) and denotes what is simply passing and transient. On the other hand, in Psa 26:4; Psa 119:37; Psa 144:8 and Eph 4:17 he is of opinion that the word expresses moral instability, being used of men without principle on whom no reliance can be placed.<\/p>\n
As against the view of Mayor, it should be remembered that in Rom 8:20 the meaning of resultlessness or ineffectiveness (see Sanday-Headlam, International Critical Commentary , Romans5, Edinburgh, 1902, in loc.) is equally harmonious with the context as indicating the opposite of , that is, the disappointing character of the present existence with its unfulfilled aims and its pursuit of ends never realized. The word is found in Barn. iv. 10; Polyc. ad Phil. vii. 2; Ignatius, ad Trall. viii. 2. On the whole, an examination of the passages where and are found as well as compound words like and tends to support the theory that vanity, or (Heb. , though in Septuagint the word is also a rendering of ), denotes either absence of purpose or failure to attain any true purpose (J. Armitage Robinson, St. Pauls Epistle to the Ephesians 2, London, 1909, on 4:17).<\/p>\n
R. Martin Pope.<\/p>\n
Emptiness. It is often applied to the man who wishes you to think more highly of him than what he really deserves; hence the vain man flatters in order to be flattered; is always fond of praise, endeavours to bribe others into a good opinion of himself by his complaisance, and sometimes even by good offices, though often displayed with unnecessary ostentation. The term is likewise applied to this world, as unsatisfactory, Ecc 1:2; to lying, Psa 4:2; to idols, Deu 32:21; to whatever disappoints our hopes, Psa 60:11. <\/p>\n
See PRIDE.<\/p>\n
(as a rendering of several Heb. words, Gr. ) occurs in Scripture only in the Latin sense of emptiness, and is often applied to this world, as unsatisfactory (Ecc 1:2); to lying (Psa 4:2); to idols (Deu 32:21); to whatever disappoints our hopes (Psa 60:11). In ordinary language the term is applied to the man who wishes you to think more highly of him than what he really deserves. Hence the vain’ man flatters in order to be flattered; is always fond of praise; endeavors to bribe others into a good opinion of himself by his complaisance, and sometimes even by good offices, though often displayed with unnecessary ostentation. SEE PRIDE.<\/p>\n
The word most frequently rendered iniquity is Aven () –Assyrian, annu. Some critics connect this word with a root which signifies desire; others, with greater reason, hold that its original meaning is nothingness. Its connection with idolatry is noticeable (see chap.27. 2), and originates in the fact that an idol is a thing of naught, a vain thing in Amo 5:5, we read, ‘Bethel shall come to naught’ (aven); and, turning to Hos 4:15; Hos 5:8; Hos 10:5; Hos 10:8, we find that Bethel, the House of God, is designated as Beth-aven, i.e. the house of vanity, because idols were worshipped there.<\/p>\n
The word is rendered vanity in several passages: Job 15:35, ‘They conceive mischief and bring forth vanity;’ Psa 10:7, ‘Under his tongue is mischief and vanity;’ Pro 22:8, ‘He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity.’ See also Isa 41:29; Isa 58:9; Jer 4:14; Zec 10:2.<\/p>\n
The word Aven is to be found in Pro 11:7 (unjust); Isa 10:1; Isa 55:7 (unrighteous); Psa 90:10 (sorrow); Deu 26:14 (mourning); Job 5:6 (affliction); Psa 140:11 (evil); Pro 17:4 (false); Psa 36:4 (mischief).<\/p>\n
Aven is rendered wickedness in a few passages, and iniquity in thirty-eight places. The most noticeable are: Num 23:21; 1Sa 15:23; Job 4:8; Job 21:19; Job 31:3; Job 34:22; Psa 5:5; Psa 6:8; Isa 1:13; Mic 2:1.<\/p>\n
on considering all these passages, we shall be led to the conclusion that the word Aven suggests not so much breach of law or injury done to another, as a course of conduct which will in the end prove unprofitable to the doer. It presents the evil devices of man in their false, hollow, and unreal aspect; and by the use of this word the inspired writers put a stamp of nothingness or unreality up on every departure from the law of God, whether it consists of wrong-doing, evil devising, false speaking, or idolatrous worship.<\/p>\n
The leading rendering of Aven in the LXX is ; is used several times; and occasionally.<\/p>\n
VANITY.The root-idea of the word is emptiness. Skeat suggests that the Lat. vanus (perhaps for vac-nus) is allied to vacuus empty. In English literature vanity signifies (1) emptiness, (2) falsity, (3) vainglory. The modern tendency is to confine its use to the last meaning. But vanity in the sense of empty conceit is not found in the English Bible.<\/p>\n
1. In the OT.(1) Vanity is most frequently the tr. [Note: r. Textus Receptus.] of hebhel, breath or vapour. The RV [Note: Revised Version.] rightly gives the literal rendering in Isa 57:13 : a breath (AV [Note: Authorized Version.] vanity) shall carry them all away. The word naturally became an image of, what is unsubstantial and transitory; in Psa 144:4 man is said to be like a breath (RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] ), because his days are as a shadow that passeth away. In Ecclesiastes vanity often occurs; it connotes what is fleeting, unsatisfying, and profitless. Vanity of vanities (Ecc 1:2; Ecc 12:8) is the superlative expression of the idea of the futility of life. Jeremiah regards idols as vanity, because they are the work of delusion (Jer 10:15), lies and things wherein there is no profit (Jer 16:19). (2) Another Heb. word (ven), whose root-meaning is breath or nothingness, is twice rendered vanity in the RV [Note: Revised Version.] , and is applied to idols (Isa 41:29, Zec 10:2). But ven generally describes moral evil as what is naughty and worthless; the RV [Note: Revised Version.] therefore substitutes iniquity for vanity in Job 15:35, Psa 10:7; cf. Isa 58:9. (3) More frequently, however, vanity is the tr. [Note: translate or translation.] of shav, which also signifies what is naught. In the OT it is used to set forth vanity as that which is hollow, unreal, and false. In Psa 41:6 RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] he speaketh falsehood is preferable; but the AV [Note: Authorized Version.] he speaketh vanity exemplifies the close connexion between vain or empty words and lies (cf. Psa 12:2; Psa 144:8, Job 35:13, Pro 30:8, Eze 13:8; Eze 22:28). (4) Vanity occurs twice as the rendering of rq emptiness, and refers to what is destined to end in failure (Psa 4:2, Hab 2:13). (5) In the RV [Note: Revised Version.] it is used for th waste, but the marginal alternative in all passages but one (Isa 59:4) is confusion (Isa 40:17; Isa 40:23; Isa 44:9).<\/p>\n
2. In the NT.Vain is the rendering of (a) kenos empty, (b) mataios worthless. When the former word is used, stress is laid on the absence of good, especially in essential qualities. The true thought is suggested by the RVm [Note: Revised Version margin.] void in 1Co 15:10; 1Co 15:14; 1Co 15:58. A partial exception is Jam 2:20a rare example of the absolute use of the word. The vain man is not only one in whom the higher wisdom has found no entrance, but he is also one who is puffed up with a vain conceit of his own spiritual insight (Trench, NT Synonyms, p. 181). Even here the primary negative force of the word is clearly discernible; the mans conceit is vain, that is to say, his conception of himself is devoid of real content. He is a man who cannot be depended on, whose deeds do not correspond to his words (Mayor, Com. in loc.). kenos is the word rendered vain in the NT, except in the passages cited in the next paragraph.<\/p>\n
When vain is the tr. [Note: translate or translation.] of mataios, as in 1Co 3:20; 1Co 15:17, Tit 3:9, Jam 1:26, 1Pe 1:18 (cf. the adverb Mat 15:9, Mar 7:7), more than negative blame is implied. By giving prominence to objectlessness it denotes what is positively to be rejected, bad. In Biblical Greek the word is, in the strongest sense, the expression of perfect repudiation (Cremer, Bib.-Theol. Lexicon of NT Greek, pp. 418, 781). In 1Co 15:14 the reference (kenos) is to a hollow witness, a hollow belief, to a gospel which is evacuated of all reality, and to a faith which has no genuine content. But in 1Co 15:17 the reference (malaios) is to a faith which is frustrate, or void of result, because it does not save from sin (cf. Findlay, EGT [Note: Expositors Greek Testament.] , in loc.).<\/p>\n
Vanity occurs only three times in the NT (Rom 8:20, Eph 4:17, 2Pe 2:18); it is always the tr. [Note: translate or translation.] of mataiots, which is not a classical word, but is often found in the LXX [Note: Septuagint.] , especially as the rendering of hebhel breath (see above). When St. Paul describes the creation as subject to vanity (Rom 8:20), he has in mind the marring of its perfection and the frustration of its Creators purpose by sin; nevertheless, the groanings of creation are, to his ear, the utterance of its hope of redemption. When he says that the Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind (Eph 4:17), he is dwelling on the futility of their intellectual and moral gropings, which is the result of their walking in darkness (Eph 4:18). In 2Pe 2:18 the intimate connexion between unreality and boastfulness in speech is well brought out in the graphic phrase, great swelling words of vanity. How pitiful the contrast between the high-sounding talk of the false teachers who were themselves bond-servants of corruption, and yet had the effrontery to promise liberty to those whom in reality they were bringing into bondage (2Pe 2:19).<\/p>\n
J. G. Tasker.<\/p>\n
A consequence of the fall<\/p>\n
Rom 8:20<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Every man is<\/p>\n Psa 39:11<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Every state of man is<\/p>\n Psa 62:9<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Man at his best estate is<\/p>\n Psa 39:5<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Man is like to<\/p>\n Psa 144:4<\/span> <\/p>\n \n The thoughts of man are<\/p>\n Psa 94:11<\/span> <\/p>\n \n The days of man are<\/p>\n Job 7:16<\/span>; Ecc 6:12<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Childhood and youth are<\/p>\n Ecc 11:10<\/span> <\/p>\n \n The beauty of man is<\/p>\n Psa 39:11<\/span>; Pro 31:30<\/span> <\/p>\n \n The help of man is<\/p>\n Psa 60:11<\/span>; Lam 4:17<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Man’s own righteousness is<\/p>\n Isa 57:12<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Worldly wisdom is<\/p>\n Ecc 2:15<\/span>; Ecc 2:21<\/span>; 1Co 3:20<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Worldly pleasure is<\/p>\n Ecc 2:1<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Worldly anxiety is<\/p>\n Psa 39:6<\/span>; Psa 127:2<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Worldly labor is<\/p>\n Ecc 2:11<\/span>; Ecc 4:4<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Worldly enjoyment is<\/p>\n Ecc 2:3<\/span>; Ecc 2:10-11<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Worldly possessions are<\/p>\n Ecc 2:4-11<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Treasures of wickedness are<\/p>\n Pro 10:2<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Heaping up riches is<\/p>\n Ecc 2:26<\/span>; Ecc 4:8<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Love of riches is<\/p>\n Ecc 5:10<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Unblessed riches are<\/p>\n Ecc 6:2<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Riches gotten by falsehood are<\/p>\n Pro 21:6<\/span> <\/p>\n \n All earthly things are<\/p>\n Ecc 1:2<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Foolish questions are<\/p>\n 1Ti 1:6-7<\/span>; 1Ti 6:20<\/span>; 2Ti 2:14<\/span>; 2Ti 2:16<\/span>; Tit 3:9<\/span> <\/p>\n \n The conduct of the ungodly is<\/p>\n 1Pe 1:18<\/span> <\/p>\n \n The religion of hypocrites is<\/p>\n Jas 1:26<\/span> <\/p>\n \n The worship of the wicked is<\/p>\n Isa 1:13<\/span>; Mat 6:7<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Lying words are<\/p>\n Jer 7:8<\/span> <\/p>\n \n False teaching is but<\/p>\n Jer 23:32<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Mere external religion is<\/p>\n 1Ti 4:8<\/span>; Heb 13:9<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Alms-giving without charity is<\/p>\n 1Co 13:3<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Faith without works is<\/p>\n Jas 2:14<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Idolatry is<\/p>\n 2Ki 17:15<\/span>; Psa 31:6<\/span>; Isa 44:9-10<\/span>; Jer 10:8<\/span>; Jer 18:15<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Wealth gotten by, diminishes<\/p>\n Pro 13:11<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Saints:<\/p>\n \n – <\/strong>Hate the thoughts of<\/p>\n Psa 119:113<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Pray to be kept from<\/p>\n Psa 119:37<\/span>; Pro 30:8<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Avoid<\/p>\n Psa 24:4<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Avoid those given to<\/p>\n Psa 26:4<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n The wicked:<\/p>\n \n – <\/strong>The wicked:<\/p>\n Job 11:11<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Though full of, affect to be wise<\/p>\n Job 11:12<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Love<\/p>\n Psa 4:2<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Imagine<\/p>\n Psa 2:1<\/span>; Act 4:25<\/span>; Rom 1:21<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Devise<\/p>\n Psa 36:4<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Speak<\/p>\n Psa 10:7<\/span>; Psa 12:2<\/span>; Psa 41:6<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Count God’s service as<\/p>\n Job 21:15<\/span>; Mal 3:14<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Allure others by words of<\/p>\n 2Pe 2:18<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Walk after<\/p>\n Jer 2:5<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Walk in<\/p>\n Psa 39:6<\/span>; Eph 4:17<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Inherit<\/p>\n Jer 16:19<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Reap<\/p>\n Pro 22:8<\/span>; Jer 12:13<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n – <\/strong>Judicially given up to<\/p>\n Psa 78:33<\/span>; Isa 57:13<\/span> <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Fools follow those given to<\/p>\n Pro 12:11<\/span> <\/p>\n \n Following those given to, leads to poverty<\/p>\n Pro 28:19<\/span> <\/p>\n \n All should know and acknowledge<\/p>\n Deu 4:35<\/span> Pride<\/span> <\/p>\n “emptiness as to results,” akin to mataios (see EMPTY, VAIN), is used (a) of the creation, Rom 8:20<\/span>, as failing of the results designed, owing to sin; (b) of the mind which governs the manner of life of the Gentiles, Eph 4:17<\/span>; (c) of the “great swelling words” of false teachers, 2Pe 2:18<\/span>. <\/p>\n Note: For mataios, in the neut. plur. in Act 14:15<\/span>, “vanities,” see VAIN, A, No. 2 (a). <\/p>\n VANITY Does not usually denote, in Scripture, self-conceit or personal pride, 2Pe 2:18, but sometimes emptiness and fruitlessness, Job 7:3 Psa 144:4 Ecc 1:1-18 . It often denotes wickedness, particularly falsehood, Deu 32:21 Psa 4:2 24:4 119:37, and sometimes idols and idol-worship, 2Ki 17:15 Jer 2:5 18:15 Jon 2:8. Compare Paul’s expression, “they turned the … Continue reading “Vanity”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-91968","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-encyclopedic-dictionary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/dictionaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91968","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/dictionaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/dictionaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/dictionaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/dictionaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91968"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/dictionaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91968\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/dictionaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91968"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/dictionaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91968"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/dictionaries\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Vanity<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Fuente: Vine’s Dictionary of New Testament Words<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"