Explaining the Existence of Evil
Welcome Back! Today, we’ll be Looking at Matthew 2:13-22a and discussing why God allows the existence of evil. As disciple-makers, sooner or later, we are going to have to explain why God allows evil in the world.
So let’s dive in.
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The Gospel – Matthew 2:13-22a
When the Magi had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and flee to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the Child to kill Him.” So he got up, took the Child and His mother by night, and left for Egypt, where he stayed until Herod died. This fulfilled what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:
“Out of Egypt I called My Son.”
When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the Magi, he was filled with rage. Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, according to the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was spoken through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt. “Get up!” he said. “Take the Child and His mother and go to the land of Israel, for those seeking the Child’s life are now dead.” So Joseph got up, took the Child and His mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there.
Commentary
Sending orders, he put to death all the boys in Bethlehem (Matthew 2.16)
According to the text, Herod was threatened by the news of the birth of a new king, who was said to have been born in Bethlehem. To eliminate this threat, Herod ordered the massacre of all male children two years old and under in the town.
The question of why God would allow such a horrific event to occur is a complex theological issue but as disciple-makers it’s a question we will have to answer. Part of the answer is that God gave humans free will, including the ability to make evil choices. With freewill comes relationship. If we choose to obey, we love. If we choose to disobey, we hate. We are not robots that mechanically comply with the Creator’s instructions. We have a choice. In this case, Herod chose to commit this heinous act.
On the other hand, God allows suffering and evil to exist in the world as a consequence of human sin and disobedience. The Bible teaches that sin entered the world through Adam and Eve’s disobedience, and its effects continue to be felt in the world today. From this perspective, the slaughter of the baby boys in Bethlehem was a tragic consequence of human sin and evil. In other words the question is not “Why do bad things happen to good people?” The real question should be, “Why do good things happen to bad people?” When we consider the total depravity of man it puts things in perspective.
What did Jesus say about it?
There is no record in the Gospels of Jesus directly addressing the specific event of Herod’s slaughter of the baby boys in Bethlehem. However, Jesus did teach about the broader issues of suffering, evil, and God’s sovereignty in the world.
For example Jesus and his disciples encounter a man who was born blind. The disciples ask Jesus who sinned, the man or his parents, that he was born blind. Jesus responds by saying that neither the man nor his parents sinned, but that the man’s blindness was an opportunity for God’s works to be displayed in him (John 9:1-3).
On another occasion, Jesus responds to a question about a recent tragedy in which Pilate had mixed the blood of Galileans with their sacrifices and another incident where a tower fell and killed 18 people. Jesus says that those who died in the tragedy were not more guilty than anyone else, but that all people must repent or they will likewise perish (Luke 13:1-5).
Jesus’ teachings emphasize the importance of repentance, faith, and obedience to God, regardless of the circumstances we may face. He also emphasizes the importance of trusting in God’s sovereignty and his ultimate plan for the world, even when we don’t fully understand it.
The simultaneous presence of freewill and sovereignty, both of which are found in the Bible, may appear to be contradictory to us. However, this conundrum is what I refer to as a “divine tension.” It cannot be explained by human reasoning, yet God transcends human logic. He is not confined by the limitations of our understanding or the laws of nature that we perceive. As the creator of all things, he operates within and beyond the confines of natural law.
Here’s some more verses that help explain the existence of evil;
Free will and human responsibility:
Genesis 3:1-7 – Adam and Eve’s choice to disobey God.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 – God gives humans the freedom to choose between life and death.
Joshua 24:15 – Joshua exhorts the Israelites to choose to serve God or other gods.
The effects of sin and evil in the world:
Romans 5:12-19 – Sin entered the world through Adam, and its effects are felt by all humanity.
Galatians 6:7-8 – We reap what we sow; our choices have consequences.
James 1:14-15 – Temptation leads to sin, and sin leads to death.
God’s justice and love:
Psalm 33:5 – God’s love and justice are inseparable.
Isaiah 55:8-9 – God’s ways are higher than our ways, and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts.
Romans 8:38-39 – Nothing can separate us from the love of God.
My Story
After following Jesus faithfully for three decades, I encountered some tumultuous waters. Without any apparent cause, I began to limp, followed by significant cognitive issues and muscle spasms. This led me on an eight-year journey of medical appointments and tests, eventually resulting in a diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which has an average life expectancy of 2-5 years. Despite the daunting prognosis, my faith in Jesus remained unwavering due to the discipleship I had received regarding suffering. I understood that God was not punishing me, but rather that He was aware of my condition long before I was born. Having walked with Him, I knew that He would provide everything I required to not only survive but to thrive in my relationship with Him. Though my convictions had been tested in small ways previously, I had never been through a trial of this magnitude. I am grateful for the biblical instruction I had received throughout the years and for the individuals who invested in my life as a disciple. Now, a decade after my diagnosis, I have not blamed or rejected God for this “evil” and my faith in Jesus remains steadfast due to my biblical viewpoint and excellent mentors.
Our Action Plan
Answering tough questions is an important part of our role as disciple makers. One of the most challenging issues we face is the problem of evil, pain, and suffering in the world. To prepare ourselves for these difficult conversations, there are a few steps we can take:
- First, we can delve deeper into the Bible and study topics like the free will of man, the sovereignty of God, and the origin and effects of sin. By gaining a better understanding of these concepts, we can be better equipped to address questions about why evil exists in the world.
- Second, it’s always helpful to seek advice from other experienced disciple makers. They may have encountered similar questions and can provide insight into how they have tackled the tough questions in their own ministry.
- Finally, we can talk to people of faith who have faced significant trauma or suffering and ask them how they were able to maintain their faith during those difficult times. Their personal stories can provide us with valuable perspective and inspiration as we seek to guide others through their own struggles.
The question of why God allows evil is a complex theological issue, but as disciple-makers, we must be able to answer it. The story of Herod’s slaughter of the baby boys in Bethlehem provides a tragic example of the consequences of human sin and disobedience. While God allows free will, including the ability to make evil choices, He also allows suffering and evil to exist as a consequence of human sin. Jesus’ teachings emphasize the importance of repentance, faith, and obedience to God, regardless of the circumstances we may face. We are called to trust in God’s sovereignty and his ultimate plan for the world, even when we don’t fully understand it. Ultimately, we must accept the divine tension of God’s simultaneous presence of freewill and sovereignty, recognizing that God transcends human logic and operates within and beyond the confines of natural law.
ToBeLikeJesus 