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Satan is the original and most clear example of a Narcissist / One with insolent pride. (See here for an explanation on why Satan was the original narcissist). By understanding Satan’s insolent pride and his narcissistic traits, we can get another glimpse into the characteristics of narcissists. Here is a partial list of Satan’s narcissistic traits:
.In His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.”
Mark 12:38-44
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[Note: We know Jesus was referring to the scribes and Pharisees when He mentioned “hypocrites” in Matthew 6 because of what it says in Matthew 23 – “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites…… linking the “hypocrite” label to the scribes and Pharisees. The scribes and Pharisees were the narcissists of their day (see here and here and here and here) and are a good case study of narcissistic traits and tactics.] . Jesus was seeking to protect those who were listening to Him through his cautionary “beware” about the hypocritical scribes (and Pharisees). These narcissists .“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites (i.e. the Pharisees) do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.
Matthew 6:2
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What does the Bible say about narcissism, and how should a believer respond? This book walks through Scripture’s case studies, the key words the Bible uses, and practical counsel for those living or working with a narcissist.
Paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. For daily encouragement, see the 30-Day Journeys devotional series.
.Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, O scoffers, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,
Because you have said, “We have made a covenant with death, And with Sheol we have made a pact. The overwhelming scourge will not reach us when it passes by, For we have made falsehood our refuge and we have concealed ourselves with deception.”
Therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.
Isaiah 28:14-16
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.You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.John 8:44
What does the Bible say about narcissism, and how should a believer respond? This book walks through Scripture’s case studies, the key words the Bible uses, and practical counsel for those living or working with a narcissist.
Paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. For daily encouragement, see the 30-Day Journeys devotional series.
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Better is he who is lightly esteemed and has a servant
Than he who honors himself and lacks bread.Proverbs 12:9
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The Pharisees were jealous that Jesus, instead of themselves, was getting the attention and honor from a great crowd at this reception organized especially for Him. Rather than recognize their own jealously, they began to sneeringly condemn and criticize everyone else at the reception. They took a condescending, judgmental, holier-than-thou attitude toward the entire crowd by labeling them all as sinners, and then arrogantly judged Jesus for not separating from the guests. They showed their insincere cowardice by whispering against Jesus behind his back instead of directly addressing him with their concerns. This was all an arrogant outflowing of their jealously – cloaked as “holiness”. . Jesus knew about the Pharisees grumbling to His disciples. He could have rebuked them for the jealously at the root of their comments, or for their insolent pride at looking down their nose at virtually everyone in the room. However, instead of getting down in the mud with the Pharisees, He pointed them and anyone else listening to a much higher point – the need for everyone who was willing to recognize (by admitting they were spiritually “sick”) their need for repentance. The Pharisees in their pride would, of course, not recognize their need, and therefore would not receive healing. . This was a subtle rebuke to the Pharisees’s self-centered blind jealously, and in the process, Jesus communicated to His listening disciples His willingness to engage with people for their benefit. And in the process, He demonstrated Proverbs 26:4-5: ..
29 And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered and said to them, “It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
Luke 5:29-32
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Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him. Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes.
Proverbs 26:4-5
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Click here for steps on how to know GOD personally .Putting “Biblical Perspectives On Narcissism” Into Perspective
What does the Bible say about narcissism, and how should a believer respond? This book walks through Scripture’s case studies, the key words the Bible uses, and practical counsel for those living or working with a narcissist.
Paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. For daily encouragement, see the 30-Day Journeys devotional series.
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There are several Psalms that describe and address those with insolent pride (aka narcissists – see here). Psalm 12 is one of those Psalms. It describes them strutting about with the insolently prideful attitude that no one can tell them what to do (“who is lord over us”). They flatter and speak lies , believing that they can get what they want through manipulating people and situations by what they say (“with our tongue we will prevail”). Classic narcissistic approach.
But it also invites the Lord to cut them off, and describes how, ultimately, God will protect His people from these evil people.
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12 Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases to be, For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. 2 They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak.
3 May the Lord cut off all flattering lips, The tongue that speaks great things; 4 Who have said, “With our tongue we will prevail; Our lips are our own; who is lord over us?” 5 “Because of the devastation of the afflicted, because of the groaning of the needy, Now I will arise,” says the Lord; “I will set him in the safety for which he longs.”
6 The words of the Lord are pure words; As silver tried in a furnace on the earth, refined seven times. 7 You, O Lord, will keep them; You will preserve him from this generation forever. 8 The wicked strut about on every side When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.
Psalm 12
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* Narcissism is the modern colloquial term for what the Bible describes as “insolent pride” (see here)
See here for initial steps on how to know God personally
A 30-day devotional from the 30-Day Journeys series on praying the way Scripture teaches. One short reading a day for those who need to bring a hard situation before God.
For the full biblical study of narcissism, see The First Will Be Last.
.Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you……Proverbs 9:8.
.He who hates disguises it with his lips, But he lays up deceit in his heart. When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, For there are seven abominations in his heart. Though his hatred covers itself with guile, His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.
Proverbs 26:24-26
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When a narcissist flatters you, he is not lifting you up but instead laying a trap of some kind. What you see and what is really happening are two completely different things. In the same way, a scoffer (narcissist) who hates you will disguise that hate – for awhile. He may speak graciously to you face-to-face, but in his heart is plotting to somehow “get you” . When the opportunity presents itself to trash you publicly he will take it – “his wickedness will be revealed before the assembly”.
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See here for initial steps on how to know God personally
What does the Bible say about narcissism, and how should a believer respond? This book walks through Scripture’s case studies, the key words the Bible uses, and practical counsel for those living or working with a narcissist.
Paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. For daily encouragement, see the 30-Day Journeys devotional series.
The Pharisees set an implied arbitrary rule as to who “righteous” people should eat with, and then judged Jesus against that rule] .When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?”
Matthew 9:11
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The Pharisees took something they were doing (fasting), and turned it into a standard they could use with which to judge others] .Then the disciples of John *came to Him, asking, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples do not fast?”
Matthew 9:14
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Rather than carefully exploring how Jesus was able to cast out demons, the Pharisees jumped to the conclusion that since Jesus’ power could not be from God (based on the Pharisees’ own pre-determined view), it had to come from Satan. Since falsely attributing Jesus’ miracles to Satan’s power would clearly undermine Jesus’ ministry, the Pharisees were quick to take the opportunity to do this. .But the Pharisees were saying, “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.”
Matthew 9:34
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The Pharisees were interpreting the law according to their own opinion, and using their interpretation as the basis for judging Jesus] .But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath.”
Matthew 12:2
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Once again, rather than honestly exploring the true source Jesus’ ability to cast out demons, the Pharisees were quick to judge and condemn Him, based on an interpretation that would most fully demean and undermine Jesus. . . See here for initial steps on how to know God personally * Narcissism is the colloquial secular term for what the Bible refers to as “insolent pride”.But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man casts out demons only by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”
Matthew 12:24
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What does the Bible say about narcissism, and how should a believer respond? This book walks through Scripture’s case studies, the key words the Bible uses, and practical counsel for those living or working with a narcissist.
Paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. For daily encouragement, see the 30-Day Journeys devotional series.
.A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.”Proverbs 13;1.
What does the Bible say about narcissism, and how should a believer respond? This book walks through Scripture’s case studies, the key words the Bible uses, and practical counsel for those living or working with a narcissist.
Paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. For daily encouragement, see the 30-Day Journeys devotional series.
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Narcissists (or those with insolent pride, see here), frequently “use” others as tools to achieve their goals. Once the narcissists have gotten what they want, they easily discard the people they used without any further consideration. An example is how the narcissistic Pharisees (see here and here) treated Judas after Judas had betrayed Jesus.
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.Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death; 2 and they bound Him, and led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate the governor.
3 Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He [Jesus] had been condemned, he [Judas] felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” But they said, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!”5 And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.
.6 The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, “It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood.” 7 And they conferred together and with the money bought the Potter’s Field as a burial place for strangers. 8 For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day.9 Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one whose price had been set by the sons of Israel; 10 and they gave them for the Potter’s Field, as the Lord directed me.”
Matthew 27:1-10
… In this case, after the Pharisees (chief priests and elders) were more than happy to use Judas as a tool to get what they wanted (the destruction of Jesus), they did not care the slightest about what happened to Judas. He was just someone to be used as means to their end. This is consistent with insolent pride – looking down on others as of much less importance, and therefore merely to be used and then easily discarded with no further consideration of their needs. … This principle has a second application in this case. Judas was not only a tool of the Pharisees, but was also a tool of Satan in Satan’s quest to destroy Jesus. Satan (a “narcissist” filled with insolent pride, see here) also uses people for his evil purposes, and then drives them to their destruction. * Narcissist is the modern colloquial term for what the Bible calls “insolent pride”. Please see here for an explanation. . See here for initial steps on how to know God personallyWhat does the Bible say about narcissism, and how should a believer respond? This book walks through Scripture’s case studies, the key words the Bible uses, and practical counsel for those living or working with a narcissist.
Paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. For daily encouragement, see the 30-Day Journeys devotional series.
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7 You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you:
8 ‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far away from Me.
9 ‘But in vain do they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’”Matthew 15:7-9
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In the above statement, Jesus quoted Isaiah 29:13 as he spoke to the hypocritical, narcissistic Pharisees (see here and here about how we know that the Pharisees were narcissists / those with insolent pride). The Pharisees are a good case study on the behavior of religious leaders who are narcissists:
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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;
Psalm 111:10
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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
Proverbs 9:10
.We know that wisdom is a great thing: .She is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her. Proverbs 3:15.
He who gets wisdom loves his own soul; He who keeps understanding will find good.
Proverbs 19:8
.Narcissists (people with insolent pride) may look to become “wise”, but as long as they seek to be the “center of the universe” rather than “allowing” God to be God, they will just not “get” what they are reading. I personally know of a famous end-of-the-world predictor (famously wrong). His family attested to the fact that he studied the Bible all the time, but also lived in a way obviously full of insolent pride. He was “always learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth.” . Another example is when an unrepentant narcissist reads Jesus’ words that “he who wishes to be great among you must be the servant of all”, and cannot bring himself to accept that statement for himself while applying it others. Any desire he has for wisdom, is thwarted by his own self-centeredness and pride. . See here for initial steps on how to know God personally . . * Narcissism is the modern colloquial term for what the Bible calls “insolent pride” – see here
What does the Bible say about narcissism, and how should a believer respond? This book walks through Scripture’s case studies, the key words the Bible uses, and practical counsel for those living or working with a narcissist.
Paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. For daily encouragement, see the 30-Day Journeys devotional series.
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One reason dealing with Narcissists is tricky is that they do not play honestly. They readily employ deception to accomplish their purposes.
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A Narcissist hates anything or anyone that gets in the way of their “glory”. (Yes, hate is a strong word, but if you consider things on a spectrum of love vs. hate, they are on the hate side of the spectrum.) While they may respond with an immediate full frontal assault, they might also keep their feelings hidden until such time that they can do the most damage. They will try to disguise their hatred with their lips, by speaking graciously even while they hate you in their heart. But don’t believe them. They still fully intend to “trash” you (Proverbs 9:7 – “he who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself”), or undermine you – they’re just waiting for a better time or opportunity. Continue reading
Narcissists (the secular term for scoffers or those with insolent pride) act to achieve their self-exalting, self-centered goals, but then aggressively avoid blame when called to account for their actions. The Pharisees provide a prominent case study. They stirred up the crowds against Jesus…...
.20 But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. But the governor said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate *said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all *said, “Crucify Him!” And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!”
When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.” And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!”
Matthew 27:20-25
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27 When they had brought them [Peter and others], they stood them before the Council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.”
Acts 5:27-28
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What does the Bible say about narcissism, and how should a believer respond? This book walks through Scripture’s case studies, the key words the Bible uses, and practical counsel for those living or working with a narcissist.
Paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. For daily encouragement, see the 30-Day Journeys devotional series.
Satan did not use the overt narcissist tactic of, “I’m great, follow me”. Instead he first created doubt by asking a seemingly “innocent” question – “did God really say that?”15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it. 16 The Lord God commanded the man, saying, “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; 17 but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not [n]eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.”
Genesis 2:15-17
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. Satan’s first question was in fact not innocent because of his underlying intention to drive a wedge between Adam and Eve, and God. In our interactions with our covert narcissist we might consider such an “innocent” question as simply a request to double back and confirm the truth. In this case, since God had already clearly stated His boundary, questioning if God really said it was an invitation to disobedience. After Eve’s not-quite-accurate answer to Satan’s setup question, Satan next directly lied in contradiction to God by saying, “you surely will not die!” He followed the lie by undermining God’s goodness by implying that God was withholding something good from Adam and Eve through the boundary He had set – “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil”. . Satan used the setup question, the follow-up lie, and the questioning of God’s motive to turn the desires of Eve’s heart into successfully separating Adam and Eve from their Creator. We all know the result of Adam and Eve naively falling for this covert narcissist’s (Satan) tactics. . How can we avoid being duped by the covert narcissist? We need to seek to replace our naivete with prudence. God says twice in Proverbs3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from [a]any tree of the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3 but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” 4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Genesis 2:3-5
The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the naive go on, and are punished for it.Proverbs 22:3A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, The naive proceed and pay the penalty.Proverbs 27:12
The first to plead his case seems right, Until another comes and examines him.Proverbs 18:17
For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness; No evil dwells with You. 5 The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity. 6 You destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.
O Lord, lead me in Your righteousness because of my foes; Make Your way straight before me. 9 There is nothing reliable in what they say; Their inward part is destruction itself. Their throat is an open grave; They flatter with their tongue.10 Hold them guilty, O God; By their own devices let them fall! In the multitude of their transgressions thrust them out, For they are rebellious against You.Psalm 5:4-6, 8-10.
What does the Bible say about narcissism, and how should a believer respond? This book walks through Scripture’s case studies, the key words the Bible uses, and practical counsel for those living or working with a narcissist.
Paperback, Kindle, and audiobook. For daily encouragement, see the 30-Day Journeys devotional series.
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