5819 cowardice

An unwillingness to act in a situation of danger or opposition, because of fear. Avoiding the source of one’s anxiety or fear, rather than dealing with it directly.

Cowardice prevents people from acknowledging Jesus Christ publicly

Jn 12:42-43 See also Jn 7:13; Jn 9:22-23 parents of the man born blind; Jn 19:38; Jn 20:19

Cowardice inhibits bad as well as good behaviour Mt 14:5; Mt 21:26,46

Cowardice leads to avoidance of the difficulty Mt 26:56 See also 1Sa 13:6-7 the Philistine threat; 1Sa 17:24 Goliath; 1Ki 19:2-3; Jnh 1:10; Mt 26:69-74 pp Mk 14:66-71 pp Lk 22:57-60 pp Jn 18:15-18 pp Jn 18:25-27; Lk 8:37 after the destruction of the pigs; Gal 2:12 Peter

Cowardice can spread within a group Dt 20:8 Caleb and the other spies: Nu 13:30-33; Jos 14:8
Jdg 7:2-3; Jer 38:4

God can work through cowardice

In humbling disobedient people Lev 26:36-39; Isa 30:15-17

In routing the enemy Rahab and the Israelite spies: Jos 2:8-11,24
1Sa 14:15-16 the Philistines

God gives hope to the cowardly or fearful

Pr 29:25 See also Dt 1:27-31; Jdg 7:10-11; Ps 56:3-4; Isa 51:12-15; Lk 21:12-19 The Holy Spirit gave the disciples a supernatural boldness: Ac 4:5-10,13,29-31

Judgment on cowards

Rev 21:8 Where cowardice meant rejecting the gospel and denying Jesus Christ.

See also