C. Anderson Scott.
REVENGE.— See Vengeance.
REVERENCE.— The sentiment of veneration, a feeling of high regard and admiration. When cherished towards a superior, it is an emotion of respectful awe. When directed towards God, it is an essential factor in Divine worship. This senti- ment usually finds expression in acts of courtesy, respect, or adoration, so that the object held m reverential regard receives fitting homage. But it is to be noted that the term Oprjo-Keia, which in Ac 26'^ emphasizes the ritual side of religion, does not occur in the Gospels (cf. Coleridge, Aids to Eeflec- tion, Introd., Aphor. xxiii. ).
The terms which denote reverence towards God come properly under ' worship,' in which rever- ence is an essential quality ; but it may be proper to include in this article passages whi(^h involve reverence towards Jesus Christ in the days of His flesh. In the Gospel narratives several terms are used to express the feeling of reverence, but there is no decisive reason to dis- tinguish the usage of these terms as they occur in the Synoptics and in the Fourth Gospel. The term 'reverence,' as the tr. of evTpiiriddat — 'to turn one's self unto ' — is found only a few times. It is used in the parable of the Wicked Husband- men (Mt2I37, Mk 128, Lk 20"), where the idea is that even those who had ill-treated the servants might show proper respect and honour to the Son.
(See also the usage of the same word in the parable of the Unjust Judge, who ' feared not God, neither regarded man,' Lk 18-"'*).
The word riyti^ and its derivatives are used to express high reverential regard and profound re- spect (Mt 13" 15^-«, Mk 7'", Jn o^'^- •*' 8*- ^*). Here the regard due to a prophet of (iod, the attectionate respect of children for tlieir parents, and reverence for the Son, as for the Father, are expressed. The term wpoaKwetv, which means ' to kiss the hand to,' and then ' to bow down before,' is often used in the Gospels to signify the sentiment of reverential re- gard, and even of worship (Mt 2-- «-" 4'-' 14** \5'^^ 20-« 2817, Mk 5« 15'8). In these passages we have reference to the adoration of Jesus by the Magi, Herod's desire to do homage to the child at Beth- lehem, the request of the devil that Jesus should worship him, the disciples doing homage to their Lord by the sea, the Canaanite woman humbling herself before Jesus, the mother of James and John as she made her bold request for her two sons, the disciples after the resurrection of Christ, the demoniac of Gadara before Jesus, the mock homage paid to Jesus on the Cross. In many of these pass- ages the outward act of bowing down is implied.
In one place (Jn 9^') the term 6eooel3rjs is used to describe a worshipper of God, or one who regards and treats God with reverence. In several places certain physical acts are significant of reverence, such as ■7rpo(TirLirT€iv, ' to fall down before ' (Mk 3^^ 5^^, Lk 8-*) ; yovvTrereiv, ' to bend the knee ' (Mt W'*, Mk l-*") ; irLwTeiv iirl Trpbawwov, ' to fall upon the face.' These movements of the body are ex- pressive of feelings of reverential regard. In some passages do^d^eiv, 'to glorify,' is used in a rather suggestive way to set forth the idea of giving reverence to (as in Mt 6^ 9*, Mk 2^2, Lk S^^- -^ 7'*, Jn 8^^ 17''*), where hypocrites seeking glory of men, people of different sorts giving glory to God, the Father glorifying the Son, and the Son giving glory to the Father, are alluded to. In the Lord's Prayer, a-yia.i;€iv, ' to hallow ' or ' hold sacred ' (Mt 6") the name of God, implies the sentiment of reverence in its highest form. The terms acnra^eLv, ' to salute,' and acTTacrixos, ' salutation ' (Mk 9'^ 15'*, Lk l^*"*^), are also expressive of reverential regard.
Some additional passages may be merely noted, wherein words and phrases denote reverence in different aspects : Mt 729 88 927 1223 1616 21» 15 22^1 2312 2612, Mk 1' 9110, Lk 2»-20 716- 44. 45 835-37 1935 23", Jn 123- 14 1313 2115-17.
In the Gospel narratives it is evident that the sentiment of reverence has a large place. It is at root a certain psychical state, or temper of the soul. This temper seeks expression in certain out- ward acts. In religion this state of the soul is fundamental, and its expression in ritual acts is natural.
Literature. — C. F. Kent, Messages of Israel's Lawgivers (1902), 247 ; A. H. M. Sinie, Elements of Religion'^, \h. Epic of God (1902), 53 ; E. Wordsworth, Thoughts on the Lord's Prayer (1898), C3; G. H. Morrison, Flood-tide (1901), 103; Newman, Par. and Plain Serm. i. 295, v. 13, viii. 1 ; T. G. Selby, Lesson of a Dilemma (1893), 123 ; Phillips Brooks, Light of the World
(1891), 253. Francis K. Beattie.
REVILING. — 1. Insult was as prominent as cruelty in the tragedy that ended on Calvary. See ait. Mockery.
2. In Mt 5" (!l Lk 6^^) Jesus j)ronounces a blessing upon those who are reviled for His sake (dveidi^w here is the same word as is u.sed in Mk 15^'- of the reproaches of the Cross). That the secret of the blessedness lies in the spirit in which the abuse is borne is shown by the ' Rejoice and be exceeding glad ' of the following verse, as well as by St. Paul's ' Being reviled, we bless,' in a passage (1 Co 4'-- '^) where he evidently has the Eighth Beatitude in mind. St. Peter (1 P 2-*) says of Jesus that ' being reviled, he reviled not again ' {\oi5opov/ji.ivot ovk