The social media team for Merriam-Webster Dictionary posed an interesting question to its Twitter followers on July 17: “What are you the definition of?” The replies from dictionary lovers ranged from cheeky, pernickety, salty and sassy to curious, determined, loyal and resilient.
Biblical concepts like kindness, love and forgiveness also popped into the stream of answers. That reminded me of all the Bible characters whose names are synonymous with various character traits — the good, the bad and the downright ugly.
The good
Noah obeyed every command of God in building the ark (Genesis 6:22).
Job remained patient amid Satan’s relentless attacks (James 5:11).
Joseph showed mercy on the brothers who sold him into slavery (Genesis 50:20).
Moses was more humble than anyone on earth (Numbers 12:3).
David has defined courage since he toppled Goliath (I Samuel 17:20-54).
Solomon asked for and received the greatest wisdom of his day (I Kings 4:29-30).
Joseph of Cyprus excelled so much at encouragement that the apostles gave him the nickname Barnabas, which means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36-37).
Tabitha’s reputation for kindness and charity led to her resurrection (Acts 9:36-41).
Paul modeled contentment in good times and bad (Philippians 4:11-13).
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob shine among the roster of faith heroes in Hebrews 11.
The bad
Unwilling to suppress his jealousy, Cain killed his brother, Abel (Genesis 4:3-8).
The covetousness of Achan cost him, his family and Israel dearly (Joshua 7).
Delilah’s third attempt at deceit finally cost Samson his strength (Judges 16:4-21).
Envy moved King Saul to try to kill David (I Samuel 18:10-11; 19:8-10, 11-17).
Rebellious Absalom conspired against his own father, David (II Samuel 15:1-12)
The idolatry instigated by Jeroboam drove Israel into apostasy (I Kings 12:25-30).
Nebuchadnezzar lived like an animal because of his arrogance (Daniel 4:28-27).
Herod the Great’s explosive anger triggered a mass murder (Matthew 2:1-18).
Doubt led to Thomas’ demand to see the scars in Jesus’ flesh (John 20:24-29).
The deadly dishonesty of Ananias and Sapphira is legendary (Acts 5:1-11).
As for the ugly, three characters stand out for their wickedness, and two of them have the same name — Jezebel. The first Jezebel (I Kings 16:31) is the epitome of evil, as demonstrated by her interactions with Naboth (21:1-16) and the prophets (18:3-4), including Elijah (19:1-2). Jezebel’s figurative twin in the New Testament, meanwhile, is remembered for leading an entire church into sexual immorality (Revelation 2:19-23).
The ugliest Bible character of all, though, has to be Judas Iscariot. Along with the other 11 original apostles, Judas was the focus of an entire night of prayer between Jesus and God when they were called to their esteemed role (Luke 6:12-13). All of the apostles, including Judas, were Jesus’ friends (John 15:12-15). But Judas took advantage of that close bond to enrich himself, and as a result, he sealed his legacy as a traitor (Luke 6:16). He will forever be the poster child of betrayal (Matthew 26:14-16; Mark 14:43-46; Luke 22:47-48; John 18:1-5).
It is fitting that the best and the worst of these Bible characters, including Judas, have found their way into today’s English language. You can find their names in several dictionaries, including the one compiled by Merriam-Webster.
A David is an underdog, a Goliath is a giant, and the two combined into one reference represent a metaphorical battle for the ages. The adjective Solomonic suggests wisdom, reasonableness or discretion. And women these days definitely don’t want to be called a Delilah (seductive and treacherous) or a Jezebel (imprudent, shameless or morally unrestrained).
Few people rise to the levels of notoriety or infamy that merit dictionary entries. But it is possible to leave such marks within our personal spheres of influence — in our families, among friends, at work and in the church. We will all be remembered in some way; the question is how. “The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot” (Proverbs 10:7).
With that in mind, it’s worth asking yourself now and then, “What am I the definition of?” Then remember who created you (Genesis 1:27) and whose life you are supposed to reflect. “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20).
Learn about the inspiration behind The Bible and the Internet.
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to The Bible and the Internet to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.