Rebuke
A rebuke is a verbal correction or reproof that exposes wrong belief or behavior. In Scripture, rebuke may come from God or from people and is meant to call someone to truth, wisdom, and repentance.
At a Glance
A rebuke is a verbal correction or reproof that exposes wrong belief or behavior. In Scripture, rebuke may come from God or from people and is meant to call someone to truth, wisdom, and repentance.
Description
A rebuke in Scripture is a serious word of reproof that confronts sin, folly, unbelief, or disorder. The Lord rebukes His people in judgment and fatherly discipline, and Jesus rebukes demons, sickness, wind and waves, and erring disciples, revealing divine authority and moral clarity. Scripture also presents wise human rebuke as a needed part of godly life: loving correction may warn the wayward, protect the community, and help restore a sinner. At the same time, rebuke must be truthful, just, and governed by love, humility, and holiness, since harsh or self-righteous speech is not the biblical ideal. The safest summary is that rebuke is a legitimate biblical form of correction used to oppose evil and summon people to repentance and obedience.