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Jealousy in religion


Jealousy in religion examines how the scriptures and teachings of various religions deal with the topic of jealousy.

Religions may be compared and contrasted on how they deal with two issues: concepts of divine jealousy, and rules about the provocation and expression of human jealousy.

Zeus, or the other gods, would frequently intervene to undo some of the damage caused by Hera's vengeance. However, the message in these stories seems clear—provoking divine jealousy can result in terrible suffering.

The concept of divine jealousy in Judaism stems from the concept of monotheism. One of the most well known assertions of monotheism in Judaism is the Shema. The Shema proclaims:

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God; The Lord is one." (Deuteronomy 6:4, World English Bible)

Reciting the Shema affirms an individual's faith in one God. Since there is only one God, worship of multiple gods wrongly gives to false gods what belongs to the one true God. Worship of multiple gods constitutes a form of spiritual infidelity against the one God. The one God responds to this infidelity with jealousy. For example, the second of the Ten Commandments states:

"You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments." (Exodus 20:4–6, World English Bible)

This prohibition is later repeated in the verse:

"...for you shall worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous (Kanna), is a jealous God (El Kanna)." (Exodus 34:14, World English Bible)

Divine jealousy in Judaism thus refers to how the one God responds to humans worshipping multiple gods. Humans are prohibited from worshipping multiple gods and provoking the jealousy of the one true God.

Christianity has adopted the concept of divine jealousy from Judaism. There is only one true God, who becomes jealous when people worship other gods. The prohibition against worshipping other gods in the Ten Commandments is widely accepted in Christianity.

However, the Christian concept of divine jealousy is not identical to the Judaic concept of divine jealousy. Paul the Apostle has extended the concept of divine jealousy to include accepting false doctrines. Paul writes:


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