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 saith unto him, Be gone, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God,
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one: for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Amen."
a good tree cannot produce evil fruit, nor can a corrupt tree bear good fruit:
And when He was come to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demoniacs coming out from the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no one could pass by that way:
and regardeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and snatcheth away that which was sown in his heart: this is he who received the seed as by the way-side.
The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
Then will 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 will He say also to those on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
where the word is sown; but when they have heard it, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
And He said unto them, I beheld Satan, as lightning, falling from heaven.
And might not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath-day?
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you my disciples, that he may sift you as wheat:
Ye are of your father the devil, and are bent upon doing the lusts of your father: he was a murderer from the beginning, and continued not in the truth: for there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh like himself, for he is a liar, and the father of such.
Now is the judgement of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
And after the sop Satan entred into him. Then Jesus saith unto him, What thou dost, do quickly.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who withhold the truth in unrighteousness; for what is to be known of God is manifest among them, for God hath manifested it to them. read more. Inasmuch as from the first creation of the world, the invisible things of Him, even his eternal power and Godhead, are, if attended to, clearly seen in his works: so that they are inexcusable; because having thus known God they glorified Him not as God, neither were they thankful; but were infatuated by their own reasonings, and their heart being void of understanding was darkened.
For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life.
And I account the sufferings of this present time not worthy to be set against the glory that shall be revealed to us. For the earnest expectation of the world is waiting for the revelation of the sons of God: read more. (for the world was subjected to vanity, not willingly, but through him who made it subject:) in hope that they also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole world groaneth, and doth as it were travail in pain together even to this day. And not only others, but those also who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen, is not hope; for what any one sees, how doth he yet hope for? but if we hope for what we see not, then we wait for it with patience.
And we know that all things co-operate for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose;
but in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things future, read more. nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Thou wilt say then, Why doth he yet blame us? who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou, that disputest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why didst thou make me thus? read more. Hath not the potter power over the clay, out of the same mass to make one vessel to honor and another to dishonor? And what if God, though resolved to shew his displeasure at last, and to make known his power, yet bore with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction? and that He might make known the riches of his glory in the vessels of mercy, which He hath prepared for glory? whom He hath also called, even us, not only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles.
No: but this I say, that what the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God.
For we see now as through a mirror obscurely: but then we shall see face to face. Now I know but in part, but then I shall know even as I am known.
But I fear least as the serpent seduced Eve by his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the purity that is in Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things by Christ; according as he hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unblameable before Him in love: read more. having before appointed us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto Himself, according to the good pleasure of his will; to the praise of his glorious grace, whereby He hath made us acceptable in the Beloved: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the remission of sins, according to the riches of his grace; wherein He hath abounded towards us with the highest wisdom and prudence; having made known to us the secret of his will, according to his good pleasure, which He had before purposed in Himself: that in the dispensation of the fulness of times, He might reduce all things, both in heaven and on earth, under one head in Christ: even in Him, in whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated to it according to the purpose of Him who effecteth all things after the counsel of His own will: that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, when ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also when ye believed, ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, who is the pledge of our inheritance, till the redemption of his purchased possession, to the praise of his glory.
and give not the devil room to ensnare you.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the Devil.
And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made them an open spectacle, triumphing over them by it.
Have ye forgotten the exhortation, which speaketh to you as to sons, saying, "My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, nor saint when rebuked by Him? for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." read more. If ye endure chastening, God treateth you as sons; for what son is there, whom the father doth not chastise?
If ye endure chastening, God treateth you as sons; for what son is there, whom the father doth not chastise? But if ye be without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.
But if ye be without chastisement, of which all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. Now if we had fathers of our flesh, who corrected us, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much more be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?
Now if we had fathers of our flesh, who corrected us, and we gave them reverence; shall we not much more be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? For they indeed corrected us for a while, as seemed good to them; but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.
For they indeed corrected us for a while, as seemed good to them; but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening seems for the present to be matter of joy but of grief: and yet afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those that are exercised thereby.
Now no chastening seems for the present to be matter of joy but of grief: and yet afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those that are exercised thereby.
Let no one that is tempted say, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted by evils, and He tempteth no one.
Submit yourselves therefore to God: resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Behold, we account those happy, that are patient. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.
Be sober, be vigilant; for your adversary the devil, like a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgement; and if He spared not the old world,
and the angels that kept not their primitive state, but left their proper abode, hath He reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, to the judgement of the great day:
Whomsoever I love, I reprove and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent.
And the fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star fall from heaven to the earth: and the key of the bottomless pit was given to him. And he opened the bottomless pit: and there came up smoke out of the pit as the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened by the smoke of the pit. read more. And out of the smoke there came forth locusts upon the earth; and power was given them, even as the scorpions of the earth have power. And order was given them, not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree; but only the men, who had not the seal of God on their foreheads. And to them was given power, not to kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it striketh a man. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it: and they shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them. And the resemblance of the locusts was like horses prepared for war; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces as the faces of men. And they had hair like the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breast-plates like breast-plates of iron; and the sound of their wings was like the sound of chariots, with many horses running to battle. And they had tails like scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months. And they had a king over them, the angel of the bottomless pit; whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek tongue Apollyon.
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the devil and Satan, who deceiveth the whole world: he was cast down to the earth, and his angels were cast down with him.
Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them: but wo to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea; for the devil is come down to you, in great rage, knowing that he hath but a short time.
And he seized the dragon, that old serpent, who 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.