– Des is a prefix that expresses opposition, negation or lack, and even separation. Obedience, in turn, according to some authors, comes from the Latin verb obaudire , which means to listen around. Such etymology is very useful because the disobedient is the one who refuses to listen to what is said to him. In the biblical context, it means not wanting to listen to the word of God because it uninstalls you in some way.
– An emblematic example of this meaning is the prophet Jonah. He doesn’t want to hear what God had destined for the inhabitants of Nineveh. Because of this, he flees and does not accept that God is merciful to those foreigners:
Jn 1–4 : Jonah set out, but in the direction of Tarshish, to flee from the Lord.
– There are many exhortations in Holy Scripture for the Israelites to obey the Lord’s orders:
Lev 26,14-15 : But if you do not listen to me and do not keep my commandments.
Deuteronomy 11:16 , 26-27 : Take care that your heart is not seduced and you stray from the Lord.
Deut 17:12 : He who, out of pride, refuses to listen to the priest who is at the service of the Lord at that time.
Deut 18:19 : But whoever refuses to listen to what he says on my part, I will ask for an account of it.
1Sm 12,15 : But if you do not listen to his voice and rebel against his orders.
Ps 118,21.155 : You have rebuked the proud; cursed are those who depart from your commandments.
Is 24,5-6 : The land was profaned by its inhabitants, because they transgressed the laws, they violated the rules.
Jr 2,20 : Long ago you broke the yoke and broke the bonds; then you said: “I no longer want to be dominated”.
Jer 11,3-4 : Cursed is he who does not obey the prescriptions of this Law.
Jr 26,4-5 : If you do not listen to me, if you do not obey the law that I have laid down for you.
– In the OT there are many examples of disobedience:
Gen 3,16-17.23 : Because you listened to your wife’s voice and ate from the tree I had forbidden you to eat.
Ex 16,19-20 : Some did not listen to him and kept it until morning.
Num 16,1-32 : All the sons of Reuben rose up against Moses.
– In the NT, disobedience is rejecting the word of Jesus and believing that he is the Messiah of God:
Mt 15,1-14 : Why do your disciples transgress the tradition of the ancients?
Mt 21:42 : Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone.
Mk 7,1-22 : Some of his disciples ate bread with unclean hands, that is, without washing them.
Mark 8:31 : And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things.
Mk 12:10 : Have you never read these words of Scripture: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Lk 7:30 : The Pharisees, however, and the doctors of the Law, by refusing his baptism, thwarted God’s plan.
Lc 9,22 : The Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected by the elders.
Lc 10,16 : Whoever listens to you listens to me; and whoever rejects you rejects me.
Luke 17:25 : But first he must suffer much and be rejected by this generation.
Lc 20,17-19 : The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Jn 3,3-6 : Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever is not born again cannot see the Kingdom of God.
Jo 12,48 : Whoever despises me and does not receive my words has someone to judge him.
– See LISTENING, OBEDIENCE.
