Bible Dictionary
CONTROVERSY
A controversy is a dispute or contention. Scripture speaks both of human disputes and of the Lord’s judicial controversy with nations and people because of sin.
Definition
Controversy is a dispute or contention. In biblical usage, the word may describe disputes among people and may also be applied figuratively to God’s judicial case against sinful nations, the inhabitants of the land, or His own people.
Biblical Usage
Scripture speaks of human controversies and of Yahweh’s controversy with nations, the land’s inhabitants, and Israel. “Without controversy” introduces a truth confessed by common consent, or unanimously acknowledged, and introduces a hymnlike confession of the early church.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>kon'-tro-ver-si (ribh, "strife," "contention"; homologoumenos, "confessedly," "without controversy"): Used frequently of disputes among men (as De 17:8) and then transferred to the justice of God as directed against the sins of men. Thus we read of Yahweh's controversy with the nations (Jer 25:31); with the inhabitants of the land (Ho 4:1); with His people (Mic 6:2). "Without controversy" (1Ti 3:16), a positive rather than a negative expression, "by common consent," or better, "as unanimously confessed," introducing a quotation from a hymn or rhythmical confession of the early church.</p><p>H. E. Jacobs</p>