If you’ve ever been told that you have a Jezebel spirit, you probably immediately understood that it wasn’t a compliment. You also probably aren’t a man.
In evangelicalism, the term Jezebel spirit has often been used to describe women who are deemed to be immodest, power hungry, or both.
In this episode, we explore the origins of the phrase by taking a closer look at the story of Jezebel in the Old Testament. We also take a look at the one instance in which Jezebel is mentioned in the New Testament and unpack how to understand the meaning and significance of the passage.
While that passage never mentions a “Jezebel spirit” as such, it is nevertheless where the phrase comes from. However, the modern evangelical usage of the term seems vastly different that what was being described in the New Testament.
Further, we discuss the political dimension the phrase has taken on in more recent times, particularly with reference to Vice President Harris. Ultimately, we wrestle with whether using the phrase Jezebel spirit is more harmful than it is helpful.
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