📖 Biblical Definition
Scripture uses "fear" two opposite ways. Fear of the LORD is the "beginning of wisdom" (Prov 9:10) — reverent awe at God's holiness, power, and righteousness, producing obedience and worship. But fear of anything less — man, death, circumstance, the future — is repeatedly forbidden: "Fear not" appears 365 times in the Bible, one for every day. Jesus: "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matt 10:28). The cure for small fears is the great Fear.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
FEAR, n.
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FEAR, n. [Sax. fær.] (1.) A painful emotion or passion excited by an expectation of evil, or the apprehension of impending danger. (2.) In Scripture, reverence; holy awe or veneration; the fear of the LORD, which is the beginning of wisdom. The Bible commands both: fear the LORD; fear nothing else. The great Fear of God expels the thousand small fears of circumstance; the man who fears God rightly fears nothing else at all.
📖 Key Scripture
Proverbs 9:10 — "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight."
Matthew 10:28 — "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."
Isaiah 41:10 — "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
1 John 4:18 — "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern Christianity has often lost the fear of the LORD while being gripped by thousand smaller fears. The right Fear drives out the wrong ones.
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The fear of the LORD is not popular in therapeutic Christianity, which prefers God as friend or cheerleader. But Scripture makes this Fear foundational: the beginning of wisdom, the preservative of morality, the producer of obedience. And paradoxically, the Fear of God expels all lesser fears. The Christian who truly fears God rightly is liberated from the fear of man, death, cancer, the market, the future. Recover the great Fear and watch the small ones shrink.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
H3374 — yirah. G5401 — phobos.
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H3374 — yirah (יִרְאָה) — fear, reverence; especially "fear of the LORD."
G5401 — phobos (φόβος) — fear, reverence; both senses in NT.
Usage
"Fear not appears 365 times in the Bible. One fear-not per day."
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom. Small fears flee from the great Fear."