Enneagram - Short version
A Nice Challenge
A nice challenge - Nine examples from the Gospels.
Below are nine characters in the Gospel of John with some Bible references. I’ve put them in alphabetical order – see if you can relate each to a personality type.
(Summary of the nine types below)
Summary of the Enneagram
Herod the Tetrarch (not the Herod at the time of Jesus’ birth) – Mt 14:6-11; Luke 3:19-20; Luke 23:8, 11
John the Apostle - John 13:23; 18:16; 19:26; 21:20
John the Baptist - Matt 3:4; Matt 11:7-9; Luke3:19-20; Luke 13:31-32
Lazarus – John 11:36; 12:1-2.
(Another clue: we don’t have a record of Lazarus ever speaking.)
Mary, sister of Martha – John 11:20,31-35; John 12:3
Scribes and Pharisees – John 9:13-16; John 8:3-6; Matt 23:23-24
Peter - John 13:37; John 18:10, 16-17; Matt 17:24-27;
Thomas – John 11:6; 14:5; 20:24-28
Jesus - John 3:29; 15:11; 16:22; Luke 7:24; and John 2:1-12 (Why did he preform this miracle?)
Note: There is one of the nine I couldn’t find in the gospel of John, so I have used Jesus for that one. But Jesus is the perfect man – he avoids the sins and demonstrates the gifts of all nine personality types. These Bible references refer to only one aspect of his wonderful character.
A bonus challenge: Martha - Luke 10:40; John 11:21; John 11:39
– Martha is a repeat of one of the above.
The Enneagram is a study of nine personality types. The nine types are based on nine sins. We are all capable of committing all nine sins, but we tend to fall prey to some more than to others - the Bible calls these our besetting sins. So you will probably recognize yourself in two or three of the personality types more than in the others –most of us is a combination of two or three of the types.
Each one of the nine carries an illusion – a way of coping with life which doesn’t work.
We can’t change what type we are, we can only redeem it.
All nine are ugly when unredeemed, but wonderful when redeemed.
#1 - The Perfectionist
The illusion of the#1 is: “If only I can be perfect, everything will be OK, and people won’t reject me.” They are afraid of imperfection. They try very hard to be good. They can be more preoccupied with being right than with being kind.
Their besetting sin is anger. This is because they learned wrongly that to get angry is to be imperfect, so they repress it. But inwardly they are very angry – with the world for being imperfect, and for not listening to them; and with themselves for being so full of failings. They can become judgmental, and they are always trying to fix everything.
When redeemed, #1’s are very good people. They do things well. They have a sense of idealism, without which the world becomes very cynical. They have a keen sense of justice, and stand up for the oppressed. Above all, they offer the gift of acceptance. Because they have had to work so hard at accepting themselves, you feel very enriched when they accept you, faults and all.
#2 - The Care-giver
The illusion of the#2 is : “If only I can be needed, everything will be OK, and people won’t reject me.” They are afraid of admitting their own need. As a result, they are actually very needy, but don’t admit it, so they frequently go to the fridge for comfort.
Their besetting sin is pride. You would never think so to look at them – they are such servants. But the heart of pride is to think we don’t need God. They can use their servanthood to put people under obligation to them.
When redeemed, #2’s bring the gifts of unconditional love. They are wonderful care-givers - the Mother Theresa’s of this world. They are comfortable with physical touch.
#3 - The Achiever
The illusion of the #3 is : “If only I can be successful and look good, everything will be OK, and people won’t reject me.” They are often physically good-looking, often with great hair! They are afraid of failure, or of looking bad. Hence appearance and image are very important to them.
Their besetting sin is deceit - outward appearance can be more important to a #3 than inward integrity.
When redeemed, #3’s bring the gifts of leadership, influence, getting things done. And, because it doesn’t come naturally, integrity.
#4 - The Artist
The illusion of the #4 is: “If only I can be special, everything will be OK, and people won’t reject me.” They are afraid of being ordinary. They have to be different.
Their besetting sin is envy. They cannot bear it if someone is more special than them. They are also prone to self-absorption and can be aloof. They struggle to fit in to structures, which is not a sin in itself, but can lead to writing-off of others.
When redeemed, #4’s bring the gifts of - originality, insight and sensitivity. They challenge structures, which the world badly needs. They understand human emotion better than anyone else, and they provide imagery, which is often more powerful than words. They celebrate differentness (“Vive la differance.”)
#5 - The Observer
The illusion of the #5 is: “If only I can know/perceive, everything will be OK, and people won’t reject me.” So they retreat into the cerebral. They are afraid of emotional engagement. At their funniest, they become absentminded professors; at their worst, they sit in their ivory towers dispensing decisions, without finding out the effect of their decisions on ordinary people.
Their besetting sin is stinginess – not with money, but in refusing to share themselves. They can also be aloof and can lack empathy. They are uncomfortable with physical displays of intimacy.
When redeemed, #5’s bring the gifts of: Wisdom (they often see to the nub of the problem); they make great arbitrators, because they stay emotionally detached; and, once committed, they are very brave and determined.
#6 - The Loyal soldier
The illusion of the #6 is: “If only I can be loyal and obedient, everything will be OK, and people won’t reject me.” They are afraid of uncertainty. They are constantly looking for an external authority.
Their besetting is fear. This can lead to unthinking obedience, which is moral laziness. They can also become fanatical and dogmatic. Sometimes they over-compensate – full of bravado and rash promises, and can b cruel, but they are actually driven by fear.
When redeemed, #6’s bring the gifts of loyalty, obedience, responsibility and trust.
#7 - The Fun-lover
The illusion of the #7 is: “If only I can be light-hearted, everything will be OK, and people won’t reject me.” They are afraid of pain. They are constantly looking for ways to avoid it or palliate it.
Their besetting sin is gluttony/intemperance – not necessarily for food and drink, but anything that alleviates or helps them to avoid pain.
When redeemed, #7’s bring the gifts of: Joy. The world needs joy. We all have an in-born capacity for fun, but it gets squashed out of us. #7’s teach us to be joyful again.
#8 - The Tough Guy
The illusion of the #8 is: “If only I can be strong, everything will be OK, and people won’t reject me.” They are afraid of weakness. They fear it in themselves, so they scorn it in others. Actually, inside, they are scared little boys.
Their besetting sin is lust/self-gratification – not only sexually, but for anything they want. They are prone to harshness and cruelty. They operate out of ‘bad boy’ energy.
When redeemed, they bring the gifts of: Strength, authority and courage. They make good prophets, because they aren’t scared, and don’t mind being against. Also, once redeemed, they are wonderful protectors of the weak.You always know where you stand with an 8.
#9 - The Peace-maker
The illusion of the #9 is: “If only I can avoid conflict, everything will be OK, and people won’t reject me.” They are afraid of conflict, and go to considerable lengths to avoid it. They need to learn that “Peace at any price is no peace, and comes at a terrible price.”
Their besetting sin is sloth/laziness – not necessarily physically, but morally: avoiding tough decisions. Actually, they are often busy, but their busyness is often an escape from facing the difficult things that really need to be done - especially if conflict might be involved.
When redeemed, #9’s bring the gifts of peace and calm. They are very relaxing, undemanding people to be with. And they have the gift of peace-making peace-making, which sometimes means laying yourself down between warring factions. It is a costly and priestly function.
For a much fuller and better description of the Enneagram, watch the videos