CONTRARY

kon'-tra-ri (qeri; enantios): In the Old Testament it has the sense of antagonistic, as one person opposed or hostile to the other, especially in Leviticus 26:21,23,14,27-28,40-41, where Yahweh declares His attitude toward the people in such phrases as: "If ye will not for all this hearken unto me, but walk contrary unto me; then I will walk contrary unto you in wrath."

In the New Testament it has a more varied significance and is applied to both material and human relations as simply opposite, set over against an object or thing. Used of the wind as in Matthew 14:24; Mark 6:48; Acts 27:4, where it is spoken of as contrary. Refers also to conflicting doctrines, customs or beliefs, as 1 Timothy 1:10, "and if there be any other thing contrary to the sound doctrine." Several other Greek words are translated with almost an identical meaning. Occasionally a prefix gives a slightly different shade of meaning.

Walter G. Clippinger

From the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
Edited by James Orr, published in 1939 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.