Why there's 7 deadly sins?

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fabio_rocha

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Who came up with the 7 deadly sins? Why those specifically? Is there a link on Tradition?
 
fabio_rocha said:
Who came up with the 7 deadly sins? Why those specifically? Is there a link on Tradition?
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The seven deadly sins are a list originally used in early Christian teachings to educate and instruct followers concerning fallen man’s tendency to sin. Proverbs 6:16-19 declares, “There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him" - However, this list is not what most people understand as the seven deadly sins.

The modern concept of the seven deadly sins is linked to the works of the 4th century monk Evagrius Ponticus, who listed eight evil thoughts: gluttony, fornication, avarice, self-esteem, envy, wrath, boasting, acedia. They were translated into the Latin of Western Christianity (largely due to the writings of John Cassian) as follows: gluttony, fornication, avarice, pride, despondency, wrath, vainglory, sloth.

In AD 590, a little over two centuries after Evagrius wrote his list, Pope Gregory I revised this list to by folding despondency into acedia, vainglory into pride, and adding envy.

Some have pointed out that Pope Gregory’s list seems to correspond to the traits described in Pirkei Avot (compilation of the ethical teachings and maxims of the Rabbis of the Mishnaic period - III Century) as “removing one from the world.”

Each of the seven deadly sins also has an opposite among corresponding seven holy virtues: humility, charity, kindness, patience, chastity, temperance, and diligence.

That’s all I could gather 🙂
 
fabio_rocha said:
Who came up with the 7 deadly sins? Why those specifically? Is there a link on Tradition?
Click to expand...
It’s a development from the Greek concept of the eight deadly thoughts. Evagrios Pontikos spoke of the eight deadly thoughts (gluttony, lust, avarice, sadness, anger, akedia, vainglory, and pride. It was translated into Latin by one of his disciples John Cassian. Later, Gregory the Great spoke of the seven deadly sins.

They are thoughts that might lead someone away from God. They aren’t sins in the proper sense, they are tendencies that will lead your mind away from its goal.
 
I was taught that 7 was considered the number representing perfection (or it’s opposite) in the Old Testament, because God created the world in 7 days.

3 is another number used in different situations, because 3 represents the Trinity.
 
Years ago, I read a fascinating book called “Sin Revisited”, by Solonge Hertz. In that book she shows that the Desert Fathers of the 3rd and 4th centuries broke out the deadly sins into eight, instead of seven. If I remember correctly, they broke one of the seven sins out into two, thereby arriving at eight.

If you have a chance to purchase the book, I highly recommend it. It is short, but it did wonders in helping me over come a few faults.
 
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