The Nature of Envy - Are envy and longing the same thing?

[Sune]

I have wondered on this of late. For instance, if a friend has found a good spouse or promotion etc. and you were to say "Oh how lucky, I wish I could experience that." would you say this is still envy if the bitterness is absent? When it is just the wish you would experience good fortune as well? Or if someone received a new car and you rejoice with them while wishing you could do the same (but without bitterness)?

 

[disciple Clint]

I have wondered on this of late. For instance, if a friend has found a good spouse or promotion etc. and you were to say "Oh how lucky, I wish I could experience that." would you say this is still envy if the bitterness is absent? When it is just the wish you would experience good fortune as well? Or if someone received a new car and you rejoice with them while wishing you could do the same (but without bitterness)?

I would say no, envy in not in the words, it is in the heart.

 

[Gregory Thompson]

I have wondered on this of late. For instance, if a friend has found a good spouse or promotion etc. and you were to say "Oh how lucky, I wish I could experience that." would you say this is still envy if the bitterness is absent? When it is just the wish you would experience good fortune as well? Or if someone received a new car and you rejoice with them while wishing you could do the same (but without bitterness)?

Apparently envy killeth the silly one, so it's really only a big deal if you die from doing something silly.

That's not the full story though.

Though bitterness and envy are used in the same sentence in an instructive passage in James Chapter 3, they don't always go hand in hand. With envy, the heart issue is usually covetousness. If you think it's cool someone has something and you would like to have the same thing for yourself, this is not envy. It is envy when you want to take what the other person has along with that sentiment.

Ahab when he had a person killed (through Jezebel) and then took possession is a solid example of envy in action.