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 saith Jesus unto him, Avaunt Satan! for it is written, "Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and to him only thou pay divine adoration."
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen!
A good tree cannot produce bad fruits, neither can a tree bad in kind produce good fruits.
And when he came to the other side, into the region of the Girgasenes, there met him two demoniacs, coming from the sepulchres; exceeding fierce, so that no person was able to pass by that road.
When any person heareth the word of the kingdom, and doth not understand it, the wicked one cometh, and snatcheth away what was sown on his heart: such is he who is the sown by the road-side.
the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
Then shall he say also to those on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Then shall he say also to those on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Now these are they by the road side; where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan cometh, and taketh away the word sown on their hearts:
And he said unto them, I beheld Satan falling as lightning from heaven.
And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, to be loosed from this bond on the sabbath-day?
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, lo! Satan hath earnestly sought you, that he might sift you as wheat:
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will practise. He was a murderer from the beginning, and stood not fast in the truth, because truth was not in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh what is peculiarly his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the ruler of this world be ejected out [of it].
And after the sop, then entered Satan into him. Jesus saith to him, What thou doest, do quickly.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all impiety and unrighteousness of men, holding back the truth in unrighteousness. Because that which is capable of being known relative to God, is evident among them; for God hath manifested it to them. read more. For from the creation of the world his invisible perfections, discoverable in the works that are made, are clearly seen, even his eternal power and deity; so that they are inexcusable: because though they knew [there was] a God, they glorified him not as God, nor gave him thanks, but became triflers in their disputations, and their stupid heart was darkened.
For if, being enemies, we have been reconciled to God by the death of his son, much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
For I reckon that the sufferings of the present moment are not worthy to be placed against the future glory that shall be revealed to us. For the eager expectation of the creation is waiting for the revelation of the children of God. read more. For the creation was made subject to vanity, not voluntarily, but by him who made it subject, in hope that the same creation shall be emancipated from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth together and travaileth in birth to this moment. And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan in ourselves, expecting the adoption, the redemption of our body. For by hope we have been saved: now hope seen is not hope; for that which any man seeth how doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for what we see not, we with patience expect it.
But we know that to those who love God all things work together for good, even to those who are called according to his purpose.
But in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am assured that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor those to come, read more. nor exaltation, nor deepest depression, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Wilt thou then say to me, Why yet doth he blame us? Who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that disputest against God? Shall the thing fashioned say to him that fashioned it, Why hast thou made me thus? read more. Hath not the potter power over the clay, from the same mass to make one vessel for an honourable use, and another for a dishonourable? But what if God, willing to display his wrath, and to make known what is possible with him, hath borne with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for perdition: and that he might make known the riches of his glory upon the vessels of mercy which he had before prepared for glory: even us, whom he hath called, not only out of the Jews, but out of the Gentiles?
But that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to daemons, and not to God: and I would not have you in communion with daemons.
For now we see by reflected light, indistinctly; but then face to face: now I know partially; but then shall I know even as I am known.
But I fear lest as the serpent beguiled Eve by his craftiness, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity which belongs to Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heavenly things in Christ; as he hath elected us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him in love: read more. having predestinated us for his adopted children by Jesus Christ unto himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, whereby he hath made us acceptable in that beloved one; in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; wherein he hath abounded towards us with all wisdom and intelligence, having made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself; at the dispensation of the fulness of the appointed times to gather together under one head all things in Christ, whether they be things in heaven or things in earth, in him: in whom also we have obtained our inheritance, predestinated according to the purpose of him who effectually worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will: that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first had hope in Christ. In whom ye also [trusted] after ye had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, ye have been sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the final redemption, acquired by him, come, to the praise of his glory.
nor give place to the devil.
Be clothed in the panoply of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
spoiling principalities and powers, he exposed them to view openly, triumphing over them on it.
And have you forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you, as children, "My son, count not lightly of the Lord's childlike correction, nor faint when under his rebuke: for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." read more. If ye patiently endure correction, God carries himself towards you as his children: for who is the son whom the father doth not correct?
If ye patiently endure correction, God carries himself towards you as his children: for who is the son whom the father doth not correct? If then ye are without correction, of which all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not children.
If then ye are without correction, of which all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not children. If then we have had the fathers of our flesh for correctors, and reverenced them; shall we not much more be under subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?
If then we have had the fathers of our flesh for correctors, and reverenced them; shall we not much more be under subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? For they indeed for a few days as seemed proper to themselves corrected us; but he for our own advantage, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
For they indeed for a few days as seemed proper to themselves corrected us; but he for our own advantage, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now all correction at the moment seemeth not to be cause for joy, but for sorrow; but after a while it produceth peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have thereby been disciplined.
Now all correction at the moment seemeth not to be cause for joy, but for sorrow; but after a while it produceth peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have thereby been disciplined.
Let no man under temptation say, I am tempted of God: for God is incapable of temptation from evils, and he tempteth no man:
Be in subjection then to God. Resist the devil, and he will fly from you.
Behold, we esteem those blessed who patiently endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; for the Lord is full of bowels of mercy, and tenderly compassionate.
Be sober, be vigilant; for your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, prowleth around, seeking whom he may devour:
For if God spared not the angels when they sinned, but casting them bound in chains of darkness into hell, delivered them to be kept fast until the judgment;
And the angels who preserved not their own primitive state, but deserted their proper abode, hath he reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day.
As many as I love, I rebuke and correct: be zealous then, and repent.
AND the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven to the earth; and to him was given the key of the pit of the abyss [of hell]. And he opened the pit of the abyss; and a smoke ascended out of the pit like the smoke of a vast furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. read more. And out of the smoke came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given to them, such power as the scorpions of the earth possess. And it was told them, Hurt not the grass of the earth, nor any herb, nor any tree, but only those men who have not the seal of God in their foreheads. And it was given them in charge that they should not kill these men outright, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment is as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall earnestly desire to die, and death shall fly from them. And the figures of the locusts were like horses equipped for war; and upon their heads there were as crowns, like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were like the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as breastplates of iron: and the sound of their wings was as the rumbling of chariots of many horses rushing to battle. And they had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and they had power to hurt men five months. And they had over them a king, the angel of the abyss [of hell], whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Appollyon.
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the Devil, and Satan, who deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Therefore be exceeding glad ye heavens, and ye who dwell in them. Wo to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, knowing that he hath but a short time.
and he seized on the dragon, the old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
And the devil who deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.