(Mark 15:6-14) "For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy."
When Jesus was before Pilate; Pilate tried several times to release Jesus.
One of his attempts was to grant an old Roman edict, that would allow a prisoner to be released at the Passover.
So Pilate offered to release Jesus as the fulfilment of that edict.
To make their decision lean toward releasing Jesus he made them choose between Jesus and Barabbas...
He thought, surely they won’t choose Barabbas over Jesus...
> Barabbas was a wicked multi- murderer...
> The worst they could say about Jesus, was...
"He’s a friend of publicans and sinners..."
In fact, the Bible tells us very plainly why they brought Jesus for execution (v. 10)
> Even Pilate knew it was ENVY!
Pilate thought they would choose Jesus over a wicked murderer!
But, they chose Barabbas over Jesus!
> They HATED Him that much!
The Evil of Envy
I. The Definition of Envy.
A. The Dictionary’s Definition.
1. "Anger or discontent at the good fortune or possession of another".
> Envy is the uncomfortable feeling that one experiences when contemplating the good fortunes of another.
2. The word literally means "to look at with evil intent..."
> Called "the Green Eyed Monster" because it portrays someone who is looking so hard that his eyes turn green.
B. Envy goes beyond jealousy.
1. Jealousy, like envy, has as its object the possessions or position of another.
> But, jealousy is an inward or self-centered disposition.
2. When I am jealous I am hurt for myself.
> "Its not fair, he ALWAYS gets everything; I never get anything..."
> "I try to serve God and all I get is trouble... It’s not fair..."
> JEALOUSY POINTS AT YOUR OWN HURT!
3. But, ENVY points at the other person.
> Envy hates the individual that has what I want.
> Envy doesn’t just want to gain, he wants the other person to suffer loss.
> ENVY DESIRES THE OTHER PERSON TO HURT!
C. The spirit of ENVY is more violent than the spirit of jealousy.
1. A jealous person is usually an introvert.
> He is hurt, angry, and upset; But its because he wants more for himself.
2. An ENVIOUS person is an extrovert.
> He is hurt, angry and upset, and he wants the other person to pay for it.
> He wants REVENGE!
3. Revenge for what?
> The other person is not hurting you by succeeding.
> Nor is he responsible for your success!
> How can someone hate another just because he is more successful?
> How can you blame someone else for your lack of success?
BUT, THAT IS PRECISELY WHAT ENVY DOES!
II. The Concealment of Envy.
A. Church Tradition - The Seven Deadly Sins.
1. Pride, Envy, Anger, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony, and Lust.
> Pride is self-love; Conceit.
> Anger is meanness and hate.
> Sloth is laziness.
> Greed is a lust for money.
> Gluttony is inability to say no to food.
> Lust is the immoral or perverted attraction to sexual pleasures.
2. Envy, as we’ve discovered is"
> "The hatred of another because of their success or position."
B. We would much sooner confess one of the other sins, than ENVY.
1. We would much rather say...
> I have a problem with anger!
> I have a problem with greed!
> I have a problem with gluttony!
> I have a problem with laziness!
> We would even rather say, I have a problem with LUST or PRIDE...
2. But, no one wants to say...
> I HATE THIS PERSON BECAUSE HE IS PROSPEROUS AND I AM NOT!
> I have a problem with ENVY!
3. Envy is a common sin, with almost every person having some problem with it at some time or another.
> Yet, it is a seldom confessed sin!
> Anger we can understand– who doesn’t get angry?
> Gluttony, lust, pride, we can all fall for these without too much effort.
> Sloth is easy, greed is common;
> But, who wants to admit to ENVY?
4. For the other sins, you can probably find a self-help group.
> If you have a problem with ANGER; you can get anger management counseling.
> If you have a problem with GLUTTONY, there are all kinds of weight counseling programs.
> Gamblers have self-help groups that the government pays for.
> But, no one is going to admit that they are struggling with ENVY!
5. Because envy hides in the dark recesses of our soul, some will NEVER get the help they need.
> Some will fall out with God and everyone, because of it...
III. Bible Examples of Envy
A. Because of envy, Cain slew Abel.
1. Cain was angry because God accepted Abel’s offering and rejected his.
> Abel brought what God required, and Cain brought what he chose to give God.
> God said, "Cain you know what is right, and if you do it, you too will be accepted..."
2. The wise thing would have been for Cain to do what God required...
> But, instead of getting right himself, he got mad at Abel.
> He directed his displeasure outwardly.
3. If Cain had merely been jealous, he would have felt sorrow for himself.
> But because he was ENVIOUS he hated Abel, and murdered him.
B. Because of envy, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery.
1. [Gen. 37:11; Acts 7:9] "And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt..."
> They weren’t just annoyed with him; They HATED him.
> They were initially going to KILL Joseph, but decided to sell him as a slave.
2. It if were jealousy they would have felt sorry for themselves.
> But, envy is violent and hateful.
C. Because of envy, men crucified our Lord.
1. They had no crime they could accuse Him of.
> Over an over He was proclaimed an innocent man.
> Pilate tried desperately to release Him.
2. He went about doing good...
> He healed people; He helped people...
> He committed no murder, nor thievery, nor any punishable crime.
3. "They delivered him for ENVY..."
> They hated Him because God loved Him.
D. And, now the entire Jewish race is hated for ENVY.
1. Vienna of 1936, was 90% Catholic and 9% Jewish.
> Yet the Jews accounted for 60% of the city’s lawyers, more than half its physicians, 90% of its advertising executives, and 123 of its 174 newspaper editors.
> Not to mention the prominent places in banking, retailing, and intellectual and artistic life.
2. These numbers 4 or 5 years earlier for Berlin are said to have been roughly similar.
> The big success of the Jews lead to extra brutality from the Germans & Austrians who tortured them?
> The Germans weren’t just jealous, they HATED the Jews.
> The Arab world still hates the Jewish people.
IV. The Nature of Envy.
A. Envy (James 3:13-16).
1. It’s BITTER (v. 14).
2. It breeds fighting - STRIFE (v. 14).
3. It comes from within the HEART (v. 14).
4. It is seldom confessed - "lie not against the truth" (v. 14).
5. Its of the DEVIL (v. 15).
6. It leads to confusion and every evil work (v. 16).
B. Envy is born in worship.
1. Cain murdered Abel because his worship was not received.
2. Joseph’s brothers hated him because God blessed him with visions of greatness.
3. They hated Jesus because the Father loved Him.
4. Envy is born of hatred for the SPIRITUAL prosperity of another!
C. ENVY is like a cancer that eats up the bones (Prov. 14:30).
1. "but envy the rottenness of the bones."
> As malignancy is to the bones and leprosy is to the flesh, so is ENVY to our spiritual being.
2. Envy is classified as being worse than wrath and anger (Prov. 27:4).
> It is better to have someone ANGRY at you, than ENVIOUS of you.
D. ENVY is Associated with other evil works.
1. In [1 Peter 2:1]
> ENVY is associated with malice, guile, hypocrisies and evil speaking.
2. In [Gals 5:19-21] ENVY is associated with adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, murders, etc.
3. In [2 Cor 12:20]
> ENVY is associated with debates, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swelling, & tumults.
4. In [1 Timothy 6:4]
> ENVY is associated with strife, railings, evil surmisings, and perverse disputing.
5. In [Titus 3:3]
> ENVY is associated with foolishness, disobedience, deception, divers lusts and pleasures, malice and hate.
6. In [1 Cor 3:1-3]
> ENVY is associated with strife and divisions.
7. In [Romans 1:29-32]
> ENVY is associated with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
V. The Stupidity of Envy.
A. How could Cain blame Abel for the way GOD responded?
1. How can anyone ENVY someone because God is blessing them?
> Can you get mad at someone because of what God does?
2. God told Cain it was his own choices that caused the rejection of his offering.
> How can you get mad at someone because YOU ARE NOT PROSPERING?
3. There is enough of God to go around.
> There is plenty of grace to be had; HELP YOURSELF!
B. Why did the Religious leaders hate Jesus?
1. They foretold of the coming Messiah.
> He would heal the sick, raise the lame; cure the deaf, and cause the blind to see...
2. Jesus was the fulfillment of their prophesies.
> He did exactly as they said...
3. But, instead of embracing Him, they Hated Him.
> ENVY will mess up your mind!
> It will make you go against every thing you know is right!
VI. The Remedy for Envy (Gal. 5:16-21).
A. Walk in the Spirit.
1. Envy is a work of the flesh.
> "Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the works of the flesh."
2. When we are walking with God, we don’t care about what everyone else has or does.
> "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee."
> In other words, If I have Jesus, then I have everything I need.
B. Love is the answer.
1. The fruit of walking in the Spirit is LOVE.
> Envy was born in hate, and is cured by love
2. 1 Cor. 13, The love chapter:
> "Love envieth not..." (V. 4)
C. Learn to be content.
1. Contentment is LEARNED.
> The Apostle Paul wrote:
"I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."
2. Practice until you learn!
D. Confess it as sin.
1. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper...
> but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
2. Ask God for help!
> Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief..."
3. Call envy what it is and admit our feelings.
> Stop hiding and start talking to the person you envy.
> Pray for them.
> Be genuinely happy for them when they prosper.
> Find your contentment and significance in God.
