Artifice, in the context of the Bible, refers to human ingenuity, craftiness, or cunning, often with a negative connotation of deceit or trickery. The concept of artifice is woven throughout Scripture, illustrating both the creative capacity of humanity and the potential for moral corruption when such creativity is misused.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, artifice is often associated with idolatry and the creation of false gods. The prophet Isaiah speaks against the artifice of idol makers, highlighting the futility and deception involved in crafting idols from wood and metal. Isaiah 44:12-13 describes the process: "The ironsmith takes a tool and works it over the coals, shaping it with hammers and forging it with his strong arm. He grows hungry and loses his strength; he fails to drink water and grows faint. The woodworker stretches out a measuring line; he marks it out with a stylus. He shapes it with chisels and outlines it with a compass. He makes it in the form of a man, like a man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine."

The artifice of idol-making is portrayed as a misguided use of human skill, leading people away from the worship of the one true God. This theme is echoed in Jeremiah 10:3-5 , where the prophet derides the customs of the nations: "For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman. They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter."

New Testament References

In the New Testament, artifice is often linked to deceit and hypocrisy. Jesus warns against the artifice of the Pharisees, who outwardly appear righteous but are inwardly corrupt. In Matthew 23:27-28 , Jesus declares, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of impurity. In the same way, on the outside you appear to be righteous, but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."

The Apostle Paul also addresses artifice in his letters, cautioning believers against being led astray by false teachings and deceitful schemes. In Ephesians 4:14 , he writes, "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed about by the waves and carried around by every wind of teaching and by the clever cunning of men in their deceitful scheming."

Theological Implications

From a theological perspective, artifice underscores the tension between human creativity as a reflection of the divine image and the potential for that creativity to be corrupted by sin. While God endowed humanity with the ability to create and innovate, the misuse of this gift for deceitful purposes is condemned throughout Scripture. The Bible calls believers to exercise discernment and integrity, using their God-given talents for truth and righteousness rather than deception and falsehood.

Practical Application

In practical terms, Christians are encouraged to be wary of artifice in their own lives and in the world around them. This involves cultivating a heart of sincerity and truth, avoiding the temptation to manipulate or deceive for personal gain. Believers are called to reflect the character of Christ, who embodies truth and authenticity, and to use their creative abilities to glorify God and serve others.1. (n.) Skillful contrivance; elaborate trickery; wile; deception.

2. (n.) Crafty device; an artful, ingenious, or elaborate trick.

3. (n.) A handicraft; a trade; art of making.

4. (n.) Workmanship; a skillfully contrived work.

2940. kubeia -- dice playing
... sleight, trickery. From kubos (a "cube", ie Die for playing); gambling, ie
(figuratively) artifice or fraud -- sleight. (kubeia) -- 1 Occurrence. 2939, ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2940.htm - 6k698. orbah -- an artifice
... 697, 698. orbah. 699 . an artifice. Transliteration: orbah Phonetic Spelling:
(or-ob-aw') Short Definition: trickery. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/698.htm - 6k

Our Friends Take it Amiss that I have Spoken of the Origenists as ...
... so long concealed the truth as to her race; and still more the patriarch Jacob who,
as we read, obtained the blessing of his father by artifice and falsehood. ...
/.../18 our friends take it.htm

We Hear Much of the Human Error which Accepts what is Sham and ...
... And so they are"both of them, I mean. But it was not with this aspect of the startling
air of artifice about all strange objects that I meant to deal. ...
/.../chesterton/whats wrong with the world/chapter 20 we hear much.htm

Your Origen Allows Himself to Treat of the Transmigration of Souls ...
... However, that I should not be thought to be raising quibbles, and by this artifice
of self-excuse to be escaping from boldly meeting him, I will set out the ...
/.../20 your origen allows himself.htm

But Upon those who have Used Dissimulation Like David...
... He compares them to children, as not having manfully withstood the idolaters, but
to prudent children, because by artifice they avoided doing sacrifice. ...
/.../peter/the writings of peter of alexandria/canon v but upon those.htm

The Candour of the Writers of the New Testament.
... The following passage, I, for the same reason, think impossible to have been the
production of artifice, or of a cold forgery: " "But I say unto you, that ...
/.../paley/evidences of christianity/chapter iii the candour of.htm

The Macedonians, Pressed by the Emperor's violence Toward Them ...
... the before-mentioned creed of the holy Synod of Nic??a, to which the bishops at
Constantinople affixed their signatures, being deceived by artifice and perjury ...
/.../chapter xii the macedonians pressed by.htm

The Romance of M. Renan. By Napoleon Roussel.
... Thus, "sometimes," says M. Renan, "Jesus made use of an innocent artifice.
[Innocent artifice!] He professed to have some secret ...
/.../the romance of m renan and the christ of the gospels/the romance of m renan.htm

Chapter i.
... out in the language of Scripture, speaking indeed the words, but stealing away the
true meaning thereof; and so disguising by some artifice their false ...
/.../athanasius/select works and letters or athanasius/chapter i.htm

The Exordium.
... [2172] And thus by a kind of artifice, or rather by such a process of craft, the
devil having devised destruction against those who were disobedient to the ...
/.../urbanus/the extant writings of asterius urbanus/i the exordium.htm

Treatise i. On the Unity of the Church.
... of the Serpent. [3100] That is always his subtlety; that is his dark and
stealthy artifice for circumventing man. Thus from the ...
/.../cyprian/the treatises of cyprian/treatise i on the unity.htm

Artifice (1 Occurrence)
... 3. (n.) A handicraft; a trade; art of making. 4. (n.) Workmanship; a skillfully
contrived work. Multi-Version Concordance Artifice (1 Occurrence). ...
/a/artifice.htm - 7k

Intrigue (3 Occurrences)
... 2. (vi) To carry on a secret and illicit love or amour. 3. (vt) To fill
with artifice and duplicity; to complicate; to embarrass. ...
/i/intrigue.htm - 7k

Train (17 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To draw along; to trail; to drag. 2. (vt) To draw by persuasion, artifice,
or the like; to attract by stratagem; to entice; to allure. ...
/t/train.htm - 14k

Trick (11 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) An artifice or stratagem; a cunning contrivance;
a sly procedure, usually with a dishonest intent; as, a trick in trade. ...
/t/trick.htm - 10k

Craft (14 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) Cunning, art, or skill, in a bad sense, or applied to bad purposes; artifice;
guile; skill or dexterity employed to effect purposes by deceit or shrewd ...
/c/craft.htm - 12k

Angle (19 Occurrences)
... 8. (vi) To use some bait or artifice; to intrigue; to scheme; as, to angle for praise.
9. (vt) To try to gain by some insinuating artifice; to allure. Int. ...
/a/angle.htm - 14k

Subtilty (9 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) Cunning; skill; craft. 4. (n.) Slyness in design; artifice; guile; a cunning
design or artifice; a trick; subtlety. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ...
/s/subtilty.htm - 12k

Artificer (13 Occurrences)

/a/artificer.htm - 11k

Naphtali (51 Occurrences)
... By her artifice she had obtained children, the offspring of her maid ranking
as her own; and thus her reproach of childlessness was removed. ...
/n/naphtali.htm - 35k

Unfair (1 Occurrence)
... 2. (a.) Not fair; not honest; not impartial; disingenuous; using or involving trick
or artifice; dishonest; unjust; unequal. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/u/unfair.htm - 6k

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