Rapacity, often understood as aggressive greed or the insatiable desire to seize wealth or possessions, is a concept addressed in various passages throughout the Bible. This term is closely associated with behaviors such as covetousness, exploitation, and injustice, which are consistently condemned in Scripture.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, rapacity is frequently linked with the oppression of the poor and the perversion of justice. The prophets often spoke against the leaders and wealthy individuals who exploited others for personal gain. For instance, in Micah 2:2, the prophet condemns those who "covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away. They oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance." This verse highlights the destructive nature of rapacity, as it leads to the violation of others' rights and the disruption of social order.

The book of Proverbs also addresses the issue of rapacity, warning against the pursuit of wealth through unjust means. Proverbs 28:20 states, "A faithful man will abound with blessings, but one eager to be rich will not go unpunished." This proverb underscores the moral and spiritual dangers associated with rapacious behavior, emphasizing the importance of integrity over ill-gotten gain.

New Testament Teachings

In the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles continue to denounce rapacity, particularly among religious leaders and those in positions of power. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus warns against greed in the parable of the rich fool, saying, "Watch out! Guard yourselves against every form of greed, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions" (Luke 12:15). This teaching highlights the futility of accumulating wealth at the expense of one's spiritual well-being.

The apostle Paul also addresses rapacity in his epistles, urging believers to live lives marked by contentment and generosity. In 1 Timothy 6:9-10, Paul writes, "Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." Here, Paul identifies the love of money as a driving force behind rapacious behavior, warning of its potential to lead individuals away from faith and into moral decay.

Moral and Spiritual Implications

Throughout the Bible, rapacity is portrayed as a sin that not only harms others but also corrupts the individual who engages in it. It is often associated with idolatry, as the pursuit of wealth and possessions can become a substitute for devotion to God. The biblical narrative consistently calls for a life of righteousness, justice, and compassion, urging believers to seek treasures in heaven rather than earthly riches.

The teachings of Scripture encourage a spirit of generosity and selflessness, contrasting sharply with the destructive nature of rapacity. By adhering to biblical principles, individuals are called to resist the temptation of greed and to live in a manner that reflects the character of Christ, who exemplified humility and sacrificial love.1. (n.) The quality of being rapacious; rapaciousness; ravenousness; as, the rapacity of pirates; the rapacity of wolves.

2. (n.) The act or practice of extorting or exacting by oppressive injustice; exorbitant greediness of gain.

Mr. HG Wells and the Giants
... But the truth is that there is no more conscious inconsistency between the humility
of a Christian and the rapacity of a Christian than there is between the ...
//christianbookshelf.org/chesterton/heretics/v mr h g wells and.htm

Miscellaneous Phrases
... A gambler's desperate chance. A ghastly mixture of defiance and conceit. A glaring
example of rapacity [rapacity = plundering]. A graceful nonentity. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section xi miscellaneous phrases.htm

The Conflict Between Capital and Labor.
... have been acquired by "fraud" (vs.4). It makes mention of them having "condemned
and killed the just" (vs.6). It intimates that their rapacity and dishonesty ...
/.../pink/the redeemers return/7 the conflict between capital.htm

Whether Treachery, Fraud, Falsehood, Perjury, Restlessness ...
... daughters of covetousness; which are "lying, fraud, theft, perjury, greed of filthy
lucre, false witnessing, violence, inhumanity, rapacity." Therefore the ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether treachery fraud falsehood perjury.htm

The Saviour's Last Command.
... For one who has taught righteousness, purity, truth and mercy, thousands have taught,
by their example, rapacity, drunkenness, lewdness and cruelty. ...
/.../dibble/thoughts on missions/chapter iv the saviours last.htm

Grecian Literature, and the Roman Empire.
... With vast energy, profound policy, unwavering consistency, and wolf-like rapacity,
they pursued their ambitious schemes, and became indeed the lords, but also ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 12 grecian literature and.htm

The Life of Sir Thomas Browne.
... to be made poorer by opulence; for his mother soon married Sir Thomas Dutton, probably
by the inducement of her fortune; and he was left to the rapacity of his ...
//christianbookshelf.org/browne/christian morals/the life of sir thomas.htm

Change not Always Improvement.
... Whence comes it that men shaggy and hirsute learn to teach the resin [39] to feed
on their arms with such rapacity, the tweezers to weed their chin so ...
/.../tertullian/on the pallium/chapter iv change not always improvement.htm

On the Animals
... [Cant.2:12]. The kite signifies, so I think, rapacity or pride; in the psalm,
according to the Hebrew: the kite, once away, is at home. ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/iv on the animals.htm

Life Amongst the Upper Ten Thousand
... to the walls, whilst others, talking earnestly, discussed the case tried that very
day, of the poor man who in vain sought redress from the rapacity of his ...
/.../the fulfilment of a dream of pastor hsis/chapter xviii life amongst the.htm

Rapacity (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The quality of being rapacious; rapaciousness; ravenousness; as, the rapacity
of pirates; the rapacity of wolves. ...Rapacity (2 Occurrences). ...
/r/rapacity.htm - 7k

Raven (7 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) Rapine; rapacity. 4. (n.) Prey; plunder; food obtained by violence. ... 7.
(vi) To prey with rapacity; to be greedy; to show rapacity. Int. ...
/r/raven.htm - 14k

Ravening (6 Occurrences)
... & vb. n.) of Raven. 2. (n.) Eagerness for plunder; rapacity; extortion. 3. (a.)
Greedily devouring; rapacious; as, ravening wolves. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/r/ravening.htm - 8k

Rape

/r/rape.htm - 7k

Rapacious (3 Occurrences)

/r/rapacious.htm - 7k

Annas (4 Occurrences)
... astute, ambitious and enormously wealthy. He and his family were proverbial
for their rapacity and greed. The chief source of their ...
/a/annas.htm - 13k

Antonius
... Trading upon the influence of his brother at court, his cruelty and rapacity knew
no bounds, and during his rule revolts became continuous, and marked a ...
/a/antonius.htm - 10k

Nero
... Nero vi: detestabile et malo publico). At the age of three the young Domitius lost
his father and was robbed of his estates by the rapacity of Caius. ...
/n/nero.htm - 41k

Felix (11 Occurrences)
... Trading upon the influence of his brother at court, his cruelty and rapacity knew
no bounds, and during his rule revolts became continuous, and marked a ...
/f/felix.htm - 15k

Rapacity: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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