What exactly is covetousness?

I have a question, probably an easy one for many of you.

What exactly is [b]covetousness[/b], and how does it differ from other desires? If I see someone eating a burrito, I don't think I'm coveting just because I recognize that I want one too!

Or is it this: covetousness is an inordinate desire; it is to purposely entertain desires towards things we are not allowed to have.

I think I just answered myself. Your thoughts are still appreciated.

Also, what is envy? There are lots of people I admire and would happily be more like, but I don't feel that to be envy.

What is a practical description of envy and covetousness?

Thanks!

Good question!

As I would understand coveteousness, we could look at David as a prime example or Eve, as well. Both were tempted to want something that was forbidden to them. For Eve it was the fruit and for David it was another man's wife. They both yeilded and we know the rest of the story.

Now if you want a burrito, how do you want it: the one the man is eating or another one? Or, is the LORD telling you you need to back off from eating so much? Me thinks only you know the answer to this question.

For me, yearning for something that I know I cannot have for whatever reason, amounts to coveteousness. Now will I allow this desire to rob me of my contentment? This should inform us whether we have yielded to this sin. It is very sly and tricky. One way to tell you whether you are envious is can you honestly congratulate this other person on what he has and be glad for him even though you want one but cannot have it? Wanting something is not wrong, but the intensity of that desire is and how you are dealing with that desire is what constitutes envy or coveteousness.

This is my understanding....

ginnyrose

Thanks, Ginny. Partly, I am trying to understand the place of practicing "godliness with contentment," being "satisfied with food and clothing, and therewith being content", while at the same time wanting to improve my living condition with needless things.

For instance, a jacket that is functionally equal to another jacket, but suits my fancy. Meanwhile, someone out there has no jacket at all, and I could ship that clothing to him.

Obviously God desires a cheerful giver, but am I not then guilty of spurning my knowledge of what is better, and of closing up my bowels of compassion for others?

Even if I have fed fifty people this week, what difference does that make to the one whom I have not fed while I give myself needless things?

This may sound like I'm overly concerned or legalistic, but it's actually the opposite that concerns me... When the paycheck is spent, I honestly don't care about others enough to deny myself any needless things, and this doesn't grieve me enough to change.

Hi theopenlife,

"What is a practical description of envy..."

I did a search on the word envy and looking quickly at the results I thought Phillipians chapter 1 verse 15 might be an helpfull example of the use of the word for us to understand what it means in the Bible.

Here's the verse

"Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will:"

I thought this would be helpfull to us because you have a compare and contrast here, between envy, and goodwill, and it seems they are a sort of opposites.

The entry in Strong's for this word translated envy is

G5355
φθόνος
phthonos
fthon'-os
Probably akin to the base of G5351; ill will (as detraction), that is, jealousy (spite): - envy.

And the entry of the word translated good will is

G2107
εὐδοκία
eudokia
yoo-dok-ee'-ah
From a presumed compound of G2095 and the base of G1380; satisfaction, that is, (subjectively) delight, or (objectively) kindness, wish, purpose: - desire, good pleasure (will), X seem good.

Comparing these, envy seems to be some bad feelings about or towards another person because of something they have, or perhaps are.

Here is part of what Robertson's Word Pictures has to say on this passage

Php 1:15 -
[b]Even of envy and strife[/b] (kai dia phthonon kai erin). “Even because of” (accusative after dia). Surely the lowest of motives for preaching Christ. Envy is an old word and an old sin and strife (eris) is more rivalry than schism. It is petty and personal jealousy of Paul’s power and prowess by the Judaizers in Rome whom Paul has routed in the east, but who now exult at the opportunity of annoying their great antagonist by their interpretation of Christ. Jealousy is always against those of one’s own class or profession as preachers with preachers, doctors with doctors. [i]end entry[/i]

While good will on the other hand seems to be good or kind feelings toward someone, in this case of your own class or profession, or some other grouping, which would lead you to want to be helpfull to them? So the others here were happy or content with Paul's influence and power and wanted to help him.

What do you all think?

Great answer, Chris. It was very helpful. Thanks.

Maybe this will also help,

Jam 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Jam 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not.

vers2 gives interesting clues as to what is happening in the covetous and envious heart.

The ESV is a little clearer in this:

Jam 4:1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? Jam 4:2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.

I get the impression that it seems that it is disposition based on perceived lack within oneself as compared to someone else.

So to want a burrito because it looks nice and tasty is allot different to wanting a burrito that belongs to someone else. You covet his burrito but you envy the person who has it. The implication is of wanting something that belongs to someone else while envy is directed more at the person who has the object.

Reply to theopenlife

Good morning to all.

What exactly is covetousness?
Answer, rotten fruit.

The heart of fallen man is filled with a spirit of greed and unquenchable wants so it produces rotten fruit, or a spirit of covetousness that has an inward bias and under the dominion of their flesh .

The heart of a child of God heart is filled with love so that heart is filled with the spirit of charity that reaches out to others with an outward bias to those in need. By the earnest gift of the spirit of God’s love and not covetousness, we have hope that we declare before all men, that we are the children of God and God will redeem His possession that He gave an earnest of His spirit.

May i ask about jacob and esu, isn't jacob covet esu's birth right?, and through that deciet he recieve blessing from his father. I know covetousness is wrong doing but look what happen to jacob he got better recognition than esu. :-p