Lexical Summary matstsah: strife Original Word: מַצָּה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance contention, debate, strife From natsah; a quarrel -- contention, debate, strife. see HEBREW natsah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom natsah Definition strife, contention NASB Translation strife (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. מַצָּה noun feminine strife, contention; — absolute ׳מ Isaiah 58:4; Proverbs 13:10; Proverbs 17:19. — I.מַצָּה see מצץ. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scopeמַצָּה describes open conflict—heated quarrels fueled by pride, self-interest, or vindictiveness. While other Hebrew words speak of general disputes, מַצָּה highlights the aggressive edge of contention that fractures fellowship, whether between individuals, families, tribes, or an entire covenant community. Old Testament Witness Proverbs twice frames מַצָּה as a predictable harvest of sinful desires. “Arrogance leads only to strife, but wisdom is with the well-advised” (Proverbs 13:10). Pride’s insistence on personal supremacy inevitably births contention. Proverbs 17:19 deepens the warning: “He who loves transgression loves strife; he who builds a high gate invites destruction.” Cherishing rebellion and erecting symbolic “high gates” of self-protection fosters ongoing hostility and sets the stage for ruin. Isaiah exposes religious hypocrisy that masks itself with outward devotion while nurturing מַצָּה. During Judah’s fasts the people “fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist” (Isaiah 58:4). Rituals that do not put away contention cannot please God; genuine worship demands relational reconciliation. Spiritual Dynamics 1. Pride as the Spark The wisdom tradition joins מַצָּה directly to גָּא֖וֹן (“arrogance”), making pride the combustible material that turns differences into warfare. Humility, by contrast, cools tensions (Proverbs 15:1; Philippians 2:3). 2. Love of Sin as the Fuel Proverbs 17:19 equates a taste for lawlessness with affection for strife. Conflict often functions as cover for other cherished sins—greed, envy, or the lust for power (James 4:1-2). 3. Hypocrisy as the Cloak Isaiah 58 reveals how religious externals can cloak contentious spirits. God rejects spirituality that fasts yet fights, prays yet provokes (Matthew 5:23-24). Consequences • Social Fragmentation — Strife isolates people (Proverbs 18:1), corrodes trust, and destroys communities. God’s Remedy 1. Wisdom and Counsel “Wisdom is with the well-advised” (Proverbs 13:10). Seeking counsel subdues pride and opens pathways to peace. 2. Relational Righteousness Isaiah’s solution to contentious fasting is active justice—loosing bonds of wickedness, sharing bread with the hungry, covering the naked (Isaiah 58:6-7). Peacemaking is embodied righteousness (Matthew 5:9). 3. Gospel Peace In Christ, believers are reconciled “both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the hostility” (Ephesians 2:16). The gospel replaces מַצָּה with shalom, equipping the church to model reconciliation (Colossians 3:12-15). Ministry Implications • Diagnose Sources — When conflict erupts, trace it to pride or cherished sin rather than mere personality clashes. Related Terms Hebrew רִיב (legal dispute), מְדוֹן (contention); Greek ἔρις (strife), διχοστασία (division). Each overlaps but מַצָּה uniquely stresses the aggressive outbreak of quarrel. Summary מַצָּה spotlights the destructive reality of human pride turned outward in quarrels. Scripture treats such strife not as a personality trait but as sin that invites judgment and undermines worship. Wisdom, humble counsel, and gospel-empowered reconciliation stand as God’s antidotes, transforming would-be strife into enduring peace. Forms and Transliterations וּמַצָּה֙ ומצה מַצָּ֑ה מצה maṣ·ṣāh maṣṣāh matzTzah ū·maṣ·ṣāh ūmaṣṣāh umatzTzahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Proverbs 13:10 HEB: בְּ֭זָדוֹן יִתֵּ֣ן מַצָּ֑ה וְאֶת־ נ֖וֹעָצִ֣ים NAS: nothing but strife, But wisdom KJV: cometh contention: but with the well advised INT: insolence comes strife for receive Proverbs 17:19 Isaiah 58:4 3 Occurrences |
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