Deny

Deny - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

DENY, v.t.

1. To contradict; to gainsay; to declare a statement or position not to be true. We deny what another says, or we deny a proposition. We deny the truth of an assertion, or the assertion itself. The sense of this verb is often expressed by no or nay.

2. To refuse to grant; as, we asked for bread, and the man denied us.

3. Not to afford; to withhold.

Who find not Providence all good and wise,

Alike in what it gives, and what denies?

4. To disown; to refuse or neglect to acknowledge; not to confess.

5. To reject; to disown; not to receive or embrace.

He hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. 1 Tim 5.

Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts. Titus 2.

6. Not to afford or yield.

To deny ones self, is to decline the gratification of appetites or desires; to refrain from; to abstain. The temperate man denies himself the free use of spirituous liquors. I denied myself the pleasure of your company.

God cannot deny himself. He cannot act in contradiction to his character and promises. He cannot be unfaithful. 2 Tim 2.

de-ni': This word is characteristic of the New Testament rather than the Old Testament, although it translates three different Hebrew originals, namely, kachash, "to lie," "disown" (Ge 18:15; Jos 24:27; Job 8:18; 31:28; Pr 30:9); mana`, "to withhold," "keep back" (1Ki 20:7; Pr 30:7); shubh, "to turn back," "say no" (1Ki 2:16).

In the New Testament, antilego, is once translated "deny," in the case of the Sadducees who denied the resurrection (Lu 20:27 the King James Version), and where it carries the sense of speaking against the doctrine. But the word commonly is arneomai, with or without the prefix ap-. In the absence of the prefix the sense is "to disown," but when it is added it means "to disown totally" or to the fullest extent. In the milder sense it is found in Mt 10:33; 26:70,72; of Simon Peter, Mr 14:68,70 (Ac 3:13,14; 2Ti 2:12,13; 2Pe 2:1; 1 Joh 2:22,23; Jude 1:4; Re 2:13; 3:8). But it is significant that the sterner meaning is associated with Mt 16:24 and its parallels, where Christ calls upon him who would be His disciple to deny himself and take up his cross and follow Him. See also PETER, SIMON.

James M. Gray