Reference: Evil
Hastings
EVIL is an older form of the word 'ill'; used, both as substantive and adjective, to tr various synonyms and ranging in meaning from physical unfitness to moral wickedness. The former is archaic, but occurs in Ge 28:8 (Authorized Version margin), Ex 21:8 (Authorized Version margin), Jer 24:3 (AV), and Mt 7:18, though the two last passages are not without an ethical tinge. But the word almost invariably connotes what is either morally corrupt (see Sin) or injurious to life and happiness.
1. In the OT the two meanings are at first scarcely differentiated. Whatever comes to man from without is, to begin with, attributed simply to God (Am 3:6; La 3:38; Eze 14:9; Isa 45:7). Destruction is wrought by His angels (Ex 12:23; 2Sa 24:16; Ps 78:49). Moral temptations come from Him (2Sa 24:1; 1Ki 22:23), though there is a tendency to embody them in beings which, though belonging to the host of heaven, are spoken of as evil or lying spirits (1Sa 16:14; Jg 9:23; 1Ki 22:22). The serpent of the Fall narrative cannot be pressed to mean more than a symbol of temptation, though the form which the temptation takes suggests hostility to the will of God external to the spirit of the woman (2Co 11:3, cf. Ge 3:1-3). Then later we have the figure of the Adversary or Satan, who, though still dependent on the will of God, is nevertheless so identified with evil that he is represented as taking the initiative in seduction (Zec 3:1; 1Ch 21:1, but cf. 2Sa 24:1). This marks the growth of the sense of God's holiness (De 32:4 etc.), the purity which cannot behold evil (Hab 1:13); and correspondingly sharpens the problem. Heathen gods are now identified with demons opposed to the God of Israel (De 32:17; Ps 106:37; cf. 1Co 10:20). This tendency, increased perhaps by Persian influence, becomes dominant in apocryphal literature (2Pe 2:4 and Jude 1:6 are based on the Book of Enoch), where the fallen angels are a kingdom at war with the Kingdom of God.
2. In the NT moral evil is never ascribed to God (Jas 1:13), being essentially hostile to His mind and will (Ro 1:18-21; 5:10; 1Jo 1:5-7; 2:16,29; 3:4,9); but to the Evil One (Mt 6:13; 13:19; 1Jo 5:19), an active and personal being identical with the Devil (Mt 13:39; Joh 8:44) or Satan (Mt 4:10; Mr 4:15; Lu 22:31; Joh 13:27), who with his angels (Mt 25:41) is cast down from heaven (Re 12:9, cf. Lu 10:18), goes to and fro in the earth as the universal adversary (1Pe 5:8; Eph 4:27; 6:11; Jas 4:7), and will be finally imprisoned with his ministering spirits (Re 20:2,10, cf. Mt 25:41). Pain and suffering are ascribed sometimes to God (Re 3:19; 1Th 3:3; Heb 12:5-11), inasmuch as all things work together for good to those that love Him (Ro 8:28); sometimes to Satan (Lu 13:16; 2Co 12:7) and the demons (Mt 8:28 etc.), who are suffered to hurt the earth for a season (Re 9:1-11; 12:12).
The speculative question of the origin of evil is not resolved in Holy Scripture, being one of those things of which we are not competent judges (see Butler's Analogy, i. 7, cf. 1Co 13:12). Pain is justified by the redemption of the body (Ro 8:18-25; 1Pe 4:13), punishment by the peaceable fruits of righteousness (Heb 12:7-11), and the permission of moral evil by the victory of the Cross (Joh 12:31; Ro 8:37-39; Col 2:15; 1Co 15:24-28). Accept the facts and look to the end is the teaching of the Bible as a guide to practical religion (Jas 5:11). Beyond this we enter the region of that high theology which comprehensive thinkers like Aquinas or Calvin have not shrunk from formulating, but which, so far as it is dealt with in the NT, appears rather as a by-product of evangelical thought, than as the direct purpose of revelation (as, e.g., in Ro 9, where God's elective choice is stated only as the logical presupposition of grace). St. Paul is content to throw the responsibility for the moral facts of the universe upon God (Ro 9:19-24; cf. Job 33:12; Ec 5:2; Isa 29:16), who, however, is not defined as capricious and arbitrary power, but revealed as the Father, who loves the creatures of His hand, and has foreordained all things to a perfect consummation in Christ the Beloved (Eph 1:3-14 etc.).
J. G. Simpson.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Then Jesus said to him, "Away, Satan! for it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'"
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'
When he had come to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men met him, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way.
when anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.
"Then he will say to those on his left hand, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
"Then he will say to those on his left hand, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
And these are the ones along the path where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in them.
And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Then ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years, be loosed on the Sabbath day from this bond?"
"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has asked to have you, that he might sift you as wheat.
You are of your father the devil, and you want to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
Then after the bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth, for what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. read more. For since the creation of the world his invisible nature, even his eternal power and deity, has been clearly seen, being understood by the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed in us. For the creation waits with eager expectation for the revealing of the sons of God. read more. For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning in birth pangs together until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who are called according to his purpose.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, read more. nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" read more. Does not the potter have right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honor and another for dishonor? What if God, choosing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for the vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?
No, but I say that the things pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know fullyeven as I have been fully known.
But I am afraid that just as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before him. In love read more. he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of the times, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth. In him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of his glory. In him, you also have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having also believed, you were sealed in him with the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance, until the redemption of those who are God's possessionto the praise of his glory.
and do not give the devil an opportunity.
Put on the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.
And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them through him.
And have you forgotten the exhortation which addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor lose courage when you are rebuked by him. For those whom the Lord loves he disciplines, and he scourges every son whom he receives." read more. It is for discipline that you endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
It is for discipline that you endure. God is treating you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
If you are left without discipline, in which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had fathers of our flesh to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
Besides this, we have had fathers of our flesh to discipline us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness.
For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself does not tempt anyone.
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Behold, we call those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
Be sober, be alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
And the angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, he has kept in eternal chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day,
Those whom I love, I rebuke and chasten. So be zealous and repent.
And the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star which had fallen from heaven to earth; and he was given the key of the shaft of the bottomless pit. He opened the bottomless pit, and smoke went up from the pit, like the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit. read more. Then out of the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green growth or any tree, but only those of mankind who have not the seal of God on their foreheads. They were allowed to torture them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torture was like the torture of a scorpion, when it stings a man. And in those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will long to die, and death will fly from them. In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle. On their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; and their faces were like human faces, their hair was like women's hair, and their teeth were like lions' teeth. They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. They have tails like scorpions, and stings, and their power to hurt men for five months lies in their tails. They have as king over them the angel of the abyss; his name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he has the name Apollyon.
And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole worldhe was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.
Rejoice then, O heavens and you that dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!"
And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years,
And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.