Early Christian Teachings on Hatred and Malice

Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Direct teaching

...hile they were in the field, Cain attacked Abel his brother and killed him.” You see, brothers, how envy and jealousy led to the murder of a brother. Through envy, our father Jacob fled from Esau his brother. Envy made Joseph be persecuted to the point of death and brought into slavery. Envy compelled Moses to flee from Pharaoh, king of Egypt, when he heard these words from a fellow Israelite, "Who made you a judge or ruler over us? Will you kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?" Because of envy, Aaron and Miriam had to stay outside the camp. Envy caused Dathan and Abiram to be taken alive to Hades, due to the rebellion they incited against God’s servant Moses. Through envy, David suffered hatred not only from foreigners but was also persecuted by Saul, king of Israel.

Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Direct teaching

May I have joy in you in the Lord! Be sober. Lay aside, each of you, all malice and beast-like fury, evil-speaking, slander, filthy speaking, lewdness, gossip, arrogance, drunkenness, lust, greed, vanity, envy, and everything similar to these. "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts." Presbyters, be subject to the bishop; deacons, to the presbyters; and you, the people, to the presbyters and the deacons. Let my soul be with those who maintain this good order; and may the Lord be with them continually!

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching

...ith his hands, so that he may have something to give to the one who is in need. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, shouting, and evil-speaking be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven you. Therefore be wise, following God as beloved children, and walk in love, just as Christ also has loved us. Let wives be subject to their own husbands, as to the Lord. And let husbands love their wives, just as Christ also has loved the Church. Let those who are joined together love one another as their own bodies. Children, obey your parents. Parents, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Servants, obey those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, with sincere hearts, as to Christ, serving with good will from the soul. And you masters, treat your servants well, and stop threatening them, knowing that both their Lord and your Lord is in heaven, and with Him there is no partiality.

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

... Spirit of God, in whom you are sealed to the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and anger, and wrath, and clamour, and blasphemy, be put away from you." Ephesians 4:30-31 For if the Christian has departed from rage and fleshly conflict as if from the storms of the sea, and has already begun to be calm and gentle in the harbor of Christ, he ought to allow neither anger nor discord into his heart, since he must neither return evil for evil nor hold hatred.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...rts, witchcrafts, acts of robbery, false witnesses, hypocrisies, double-heartedness, deceit, pride, malice, insolence, covetousness, obscene talk, jealousy, confidence, haughtiness, arrogance, impudence, persecution of the good, hatred of the truth, love of lies, and ignorance of righteousness. For those who do such things do not hold fast to goodness or to righteous judgment. They do not watch for good, but for evil. Meekness and patience are far from them. They love vain things and chase after reward. They have no pity on the poor. They do not labor for him who is in misery, nor do they know Him who made them. They are murderers of infants and destroyers of the workmanship of God. They turn away from the needy, adding affliction to the afflicted. They flatter the rich, despise the poor, and are full of sin. May you, children, be delivered from all these things.

Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Direct teaching

Be ye sober. Lay aside, every one of you, all malice and beast-like fury, evil-speaking, calumny, filthy speaking, ribaldry, whispering, arrogance, drunkenness, lust, avarice, vainglory, envy, and everything akin to these.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

Unknown, Unknown Work Supporting witness

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: and be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

...ly those who drink from this breast are truly blessed. Therefore Peter also says, "Laying aside all malice, and all deceit, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the milk of the word, so that by it you may grow to salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is Christ." And if someone were to grant them that solid food was something different from milk, then how would they avoid being impaled on their own spit, because they failed to think carefully about nature? For in winter, when the air is dense and keeps the enclosed heat from escaping, the food, after being changed, digested, and turned into blood, passes into the veins. Then, because there is no outward release, the veins become greatly swollen and show strong pulsations. As a result, nurses then have the most milk. And we showed a little earlier that during pregnancy blood is changed into milk by a change that does not affect its substance, just as yellow hair in old people turns gray. But again in summer, because the body's pores are more open, food more easily passes off through sweating, and milk is least abundant, since the blood is not full and the whole nourishment is not retained.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

Wherefore also Peter says: Laying therefore aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisy, and envy, and evil speaking, as new-born babes, desire the milk of the word, that you may grow by it to salvation;

Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Supporting witness

and if we follow the way of truth, casting away from us all unrighteousness and iniquity, along with all covetousness, strife, evil practices, deceit, whispering, and evil-speaking, all hatred of God, pride and haughtiness, vainglory and ambition.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Direct teaching

...t sin." That is, be quickly reconciled, lest your anger continue so long that it turns into settled hatred and produces sin. For the souls of those who hold settled hatred are destined for death, says Solomon. But our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ says in the Gospels, "If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift to God," Matthew 5:23-24. Now the gift to God is each person's prayer and thanksgiving. If, therefore, you have anything against your brother, or he has anything against you, neither will your prayers be heard nor will your thanksgivings be accepted, because of that hidden anger. But it is your duty, brothers, to pray continually. Yet because God does not hear those who are hostile to their brothers through unjust quarrels, even if they should pray three times an hour, it is our duty to put away all enmity and smallness of soul, so that we may be able to pray with a pure and unpolluted heart. For the Lord commanded us to love even our enemies, and by no means to hate our friends. And the law

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Direct teaching

...dst of great enlargement, joyful, rejoicing, free from care, glorifying God at all times, having no bitterness in her, and abiding continually meek and quiet. Now this patience dwells with those who have complete faith. But anger is foolish, and fickle, and senseless. Now from folly bitterness is begotten, and from bitterness anger, and from anger frenzy. This frenzy, the product of so many evils, ends in great and incurable sin. For when all these spirits dwell in one vessel in which the Holy Spirit also dwells, the vessel cannot contain them, but overflows. The tender Spirit then, not being accustomed to dwell with the wicked spirit, nor with hardness, withdraws from such a man and seeks to dwell with meekness and peacefulness. Then, when he withdraws from the man in whom he dwelt, the man is emptied of the righteous Spirit. And from now on, being filled with evil spirits, he is in a state of anarchy in every action, being dragged here and there by the evil spirits, and there is complete darkness in his mind about everything good. This, then, is what happens to all the angry. Therefore depart from that most wicked spirit, anger, and put on patience, and resist anger and bitter

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Supporting witness

Now, of folly is begotten bitterness, and of bitterness anger, and of anger frenzy.

Hermas, The Shepherd (Pastor) Direct teaching

...person. But if you listen, you will share in the sin of the one who speaks evil, if you believe the slander you hear. For if you believe it, you too will have something to say against your brother. In this way, then, you will be guilty of the sin of the one who slanders. For slander is evil, and it is an unstable demon. It never stays in peace, but always remains in conflict. Keep yourself from it, and you will always be at peace with everyone. Put on holiness in which there is no evil cause of offense, but only deeds that are fair and joyful. Practice goodness. And from the rewards of your labor, which God gives you, give to all who are in need with simplicity, without hesitating about whom you should give to or not give to. Give to everyone, for God wants His gifts to be shared among all. Those who receive will give an account to God of why and for what they received. For the suffering who receive will not be condemned, but those who receive under false pretenses will suffer punishment. Then the one who gives is guiltless. For just as he received from the Lord, so he has carried out his service with simplicity, without hesitating about whom he should give to and whom he should

Ignatius, Epistles of Ignatius Direct teaching

Flee from haughtiness, “for the Lord resisteth the proud.” Abhor falsehood, for says [the Scripture], “Thou shalt destroy all them that speak lies.” Guard against envy, for its author is the devil, and his successor Cain, who envied his brother, and out of envy committed murder.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

...arded against by the Christian, and nothing watched more carefully, than being captured by envy and malice. No one should be caught in the blind snares of a deceitful enemy, so that when a brother is turned by envy into hatred of his brother, he is himself unknowingly destroyed by his own sword. So that we may understand this more fully and see it more clearly, let us go back to its source and origin. Let us consider where jealousy comes from, and when and how it begins. For we will more easily avoid so harmful an evil if both its source and its greatness are known.

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

Thence arises hatred, thence proceeds animosity. Jealousy inflames avarice, in that one cannot be content with what is his own, while he sees another more wealthy.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

Hence the man who is haughty through jealousy, and perverse through envy, kicks, hence he revolts, in anger and malice the opponent, not of the man, but of the honour.

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

...use unrighteous Cain was jealous of righteous Abel, and because the wicked persecutes the good with envy and jealousy. The fury of envy went so far in bringing that wicked deed to completion that he considered neither his love for his brother, nor the greatness of the crime, nor the fear of God, nor the punishment of the sin. He who had first shown righteousness was struck down unjustly. He who had not known how to hate endured hatred. He who, even in dying, did not resist, was killed in an ungodly way. Esau also was hostile to his brother Jacob because of jealousy. Because Jacob had received his father's blessing, Esau was set on fire with a hatred of persecution by the burning force of jealousy. Joseph also was sold by his brothers, and the reason they sold him came from envy. When, in simplicity and as a brother to brothers, he told them of the prosperity that had been shown to him in visions, their evil spirit broke out in envy. Moreover, why did King Saul hate David so much that he tried through repeated persecutions to kill him, though David was innocent, merciful, gentle, and patient in meekness? What else stirred him except the goad of jealousy? Because, after Goliath wa

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

...ep quiet because he had not fairly divided what his brother was entitled to, he, driven by envy and malice, thought he could dominate him. Not only did he refuse to comply, but he also added sin to sin, revealing his mindset through his actions. What he planned, he carried out: he oppressed and killed his brother; God allowing the just to be subjected to the unjust to demonstrate the righteousness of the just through their suffering and the injustice of the wicked through their actions. Even after this, he was not softened, nor did he stop after committing the evil act; when asked where his brother was, he said, “I know not; am I my brother’s keeper?” thus extending and worsening his wickedness with his answer. For if it is wicked to kill a brother, it is much worse to respond so insolently and irreverently to the all-knowing God as if capable of opposing Him. Because of this, he carried a curse with him, as he offered his sin without reverence for God, not being humbled by his act of fratricide.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book III Supporting witness

4. [These act] as Cain [did, who], when he was counselled by God to keep quiet, because he had not made an equitable division of that share to which his brother was entitled, but with envy and malice thought that he could domineer over him, not only did not acquiesce, but even added sin to sin, indicating his state of mind by his action.

Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Supporting witness

...who spent their lives practicing holiness, we must add a great multitude of the elect, who, through envy, have endured many indignities and tortures, providing us with an excellent example. Through envy, those women, the Danaids and Dircæ, were persecuted, and after suffering terrible and unspeakable torments, they completed the course of their faith with steadfastness, and although weak in body, received a noble reward. Envy has alienated wives from their husbands and changed that saying of our father Adam, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh.” Envy and strife have overthrown great cities and uprooted mighty nations.

Clement of Rome, First Epistle to the Corinthians Supporting witness

...the most recent spiritual heroes. Let's look at the noble examples from our own generation. Through envy and jealousy, the greatest and most righteous pillars of the Church have been persecuted and put to death. Let's keep in mind the illustrious apostles. Peter, due to unrighteous envy, endured not just one or two, but numerous hardships, and when he eventually faced martyrdom, he departed to the place of glory that was due to him. Because of envy, Paul also received the reward of patient endurance after being imprisoned seven times, forced to flee, and stoned. After preaching in both the East and West, he earned the illustrious reputation that was deserved for his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world and reaching the farthest parts of the West. He suffered martyrdom under the prefects, thus he was removed from the world and went to the holy place, having proven himself a remarkable example of patience.

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching

we who hated and destroyed one another, and on account of their different manners would not live with men of a different tribe, now, since the coming of Christ, live familiarly with them, and pray for our enemies, and endeavour to persuade those who hate us unjustly to live conformably to the good precepts of Christ, to the end that they may become partakers with us of the same joyful hope of a reward from God the ruler of all.

Tertullian, Apology Supporting witness

What are we to think about this? Most people are so blindly set against the Christian name that, even when they speak well of someone, they mix that praise with abuse of the name he bears. One person says, "Gaius Seius is a good man, except that he is a Christian." Another says, "I am astonished that a wise man like Lucius should suddenly become a Christian." No one thinks it necessary to ask whether Gaius is good and Lucius wise for this very reason, that he is a Christian; or whether he is a Christian because he is wise and good. They praise what they know, and they abuse what they do not know. They let their ignorance shape their knowledge, even though fairness would require them to judge what is unknown by what is known, rather than what is known by what is unknown. Others do this with people whom, before they took the name Christian, they had known as immoral, shameful, and wicked. They put a mark of blame on them because of the very thing they praise. In the blindness of their hatred, they attack their own judgment. "What a woman she was! How immoral! How pleasure-loving! What a young man he was! How corrupt! How lustful!" They have become Christians. So the hated name is giv

Didache, Connection to Matthew 5:44 Direct teaching

For so says He again in the Gospel: "Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you; and ye shall be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and raineth on the just and unjust."

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Direct teaching

Baptize the soul from wrath and from covetousness, from envy, and from hatred;

Didache, Connection to Matthew 5:43 Supporting witness

He that forbade revenge, now commands long-suffering;

Matthew 5:44 Background

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Matthew 5:43 Background

Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.