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 to him, Get thee hence, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
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 bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
And when he was come to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two demoniacs, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man could pass by that way.
and considereth it not, the wicked one cometh, and catcheth away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the way-side.
The enemy that sowed them is the devil: the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels.
Then shall he say also to them on his left-hand, Depart from me, ye cursed into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
Then shall he say also to them on his left-hand, Depart from me, ye cursed into the everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word sown in their hearts.
And he said to them, I beheld Satan falling as lightning from heaven.
And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan had bound lo these eighteen years, to be loosed from this bond on the sabbath?
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat.
Ye are of your father the devil, and your will is, to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth; for there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
And after the sop, then Satan entered into him.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven, against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who detain the truth in unrighteousness. For what is to be known of God, is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it to them. read more. For those things of him which are invisible, both his eternal power and Godhead, are clearly seen from the creation of the world, being understood by the things which are made, so that they are without excuse: Because knowing God, they did not glorify him as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their reasonings, and their foolish heart was darkened.
For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled, we shall be saved through his life.
For I reckon that the sufferings of the present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revelation of the sons of God. read more. For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by him who subjected it, In hope that the creation itself shall be delivered 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 together until now. And not only they, but even we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, how doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for what we see not, we patiently wait for it.
And we know, that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them that are called according to his purpose.
Nay, in all these things we more than conquer, through him who hath loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, read more. nor things present, nor things to come, 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.
But thou wilt say to me, Why doth he still find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay, but who art thou, O man, that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? read more. Hath not the potter power over the clay, out of the same mass to make one vessel to honour, and another to dishonour? What if God, being willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, yet endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction? And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, whom he had before prepared for glory? Even us whom he hath called, not only of the Jews, but also of the Gentiles:
But that what the heathens sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God. Now I would not that ye should be partakers with devils.
And now we see by means of a glass obscurely; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then I shall know even as also I am known.
But I fear lest as the serpent deceived Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from simplicity toward Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places through Christ, As he hath chosen us through him, before the foundation of the world, that we might be holy and blameless before him in love, read more. Having predestinated us to the adoption of sons to himself by Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he hath freely accepted us through the beloved, By whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins, according to the riches of his grace, Wherein he hath abounded toward us, in all wisdom and prudence, Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself, That in the dispensation of the fulness of the times, he might gather together into one in Christ all things which are in heaven, and which are in earth, In him through whom we also have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him that worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, That we who first believed in Christ, might be to the praise of his glory. In whom ye likewise believed, after ye had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom having believed, ye were also sealed by that Holy Spirit of promise, Who is an earnest of our inheritance, till the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of his glory.
Neither give place to the devil.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
And having spoiled the principalities and powers, he exposed them openly, triumphing over them in him.
And yet ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh to you as to sons, My son, despise not thou the chastning of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, he chastneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. read more. If ye endure chastning, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he, whom his father chastneth not?
If ye endure chastning, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he, whom his father chastneth not? But if ye are without chastning, of which all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons.
But if ye are without chastning, of which all are partakers, then are ye bastards and not sons. Moreover we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we reverenced them: Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?
Moreover we have had fathers of our flesh who corrected us, and we reverenced them: Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? For they, verily, for a few days chastned us as they thought good: but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.
For they, verily, for a few days chastned us as they thought good: but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. Now all chastning for the present is assuredly not joyous, but grievous; yet afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby.
Now all chastning for the present is assuredly not joyous, but grievous; yet afterwards it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby.
Let no man when he is tempted say, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.
Submit yourselves, therefore, to God: resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Behold, we count them happy that have endured. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord: for the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy.
for your adversary the devil, walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour:
For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, delivered them to chains of darkness,
And the angels, who kept not their first dignity, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness to the judgment of the great day.
Whomsoever I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous and repent.
And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star falling from heaven upon the earth, and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and there arose a 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 went forth locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power: And it was commanded them, not to hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only the men who have not the seal of God on their foreheads. And it was given them, not to kill them, but that they should be tormented five months; and the torment of them is as the torment of a scorpion, when he stingeth a man. And in those days the men shall seek death, but not find it; and shall desire to die, but death will flee from them. And the appearances of the locusts are like horses made ready for battle; and on their heads are as it were crowns like gold, and their faces are as the faces of men, And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breast-plates as it were breast-plates of iron, and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And they have tails like scorpions, and stings were in their tails; and their power is, to hurt men five months. And they have over them a king, the angel of the bottomless pit: his name in the Hebrew is Abaddon, but in the Greek he hath the name Apollyon.
And the great dragon was cast out, the antient serpent, who is called the devil and satan, who deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out unto the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Therefore rejoice ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them: Wo to the earth and the sea; for the devil is come down to you, having great wrath; because he knoweth he hath but a little time.
And he laid hold on the dragon, the old serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years,
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where both the wild beast and the false prophet are: and they shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.