Definition Of Empathy In The Bible

Empathy is the intellectual emotional and imaginative apprehension of another person s situation that takes place without experiencing it.

Definition of empathy in the bible. Answer the wordempathydoes not appear in the bible but the scriptures do refer indirectly to the characteristic or quality of demonstrating empathy which is defined as the capability to share another s emotions and feelings the apostle peter counseled christians to have compassion for one another. Throughout scripture we are taught to humble ourselves and look at the interests of others. And having psychic powers the bible clearly states it is wrong and not from god. It is learning through identification through entering that special matrix where one encounters the unifying cohumanity of self and neighbor.

Loving one another often means becoming deeply personal with each other and we see this in the scriptures as paul encouraged christians to rejoice with those who rejoice weep with those who weep romans 12 15. Try putting yourself in someone else s shoes. There are several examples of empathy in action in the bible. 1 peter 3 8 nkjv.

As christians we are to be imitators of god and have compassion for one another. By sharing these emotions we live life together as a christian family through all. However the bible does say that there are spiritual gifts of burden bearing and prophecy. The word was introduced in the early 1900s as a translation for the german word einfühlung.

Both of those gifts can be given separately but in this case of talking about a true christian who may feel like they are empaths these gifts tend to go together. Empathy is a combination of two greek words em and pathos which together mean in feeling empathy is a person s ability to recognize and share the emotions of another person fictional character or sentient. The bible frequently refers to acts of empathy. From scripture we see the great empathy jesus showed for the sick the blind the deaf and more.

On another occasion jesus observed a widow about to bury. Love as brothers be tenderhearted be courteous. Of course empathy or the ability to listen to understand and relate to the emotions of others is a valuable gift and there is nothing unbiblical about the idea of carrying another person s burdens emotional or otherwise galatians 6 2. Bible verses about empathy.