Cold is the absence of heat; so is evil the absence of good? What would absolute zero good look like? Evil maybe? Or is there some force that is unequivocally evil?
This question began when a theology student called the snake in the garden (Gen 3) evil. (I recently heard a minister call the snake; satan) But,no where does it say the serpent is evil; crafty and later on cursed.
As I discussed this with people around me, it soon became evident that there were several connotations of evil. So we began to try to pin that down. I am interested in your input.
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Hmm, there has been lots of discussion in our home this past few days.
First, theoretically, absence of heat is absolute zero – 0 deg Kelvin. However, the scale of good and evil goes below ‘zero’ good. I would regard the atrocities of the world as way below ‘zero’ good.
Second, about the references to evil (or not depending on your interpretation) in scripture, I agree that in the Genesis reference to serpent (and most OT refs) there is no mention of evil or Satan, just the serpent (Strong’s “A snake”). Strong’s has a different explanation of serpent in Ex 7: 2 : (“1 dragon, serpent, sea monster, 1a dragon or dinosaur, 1b sea or river monster, 1c serpent, venomous snake.”)
But again no mention of Satan or evil. And so it is with other references to serpent, even though there are some variations.
NT mentions serpent on many occasions but this serpent is different to most OT references (the NT serpent has the same Strong’s number throughout “a snake, figuratively (as a type of sly cunning) an artful malicious person, especially Satan: - serpent.”)
Revelation is inclusive and one name covers all: Rev 20:2 “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years”.
Strong’s definitions are:
the dragon: (“a fabulous kind of serpent (perhaps as supposed to fascinate): - dragon,”
that old serpent: (“a snake, figuratively (as a type of sly cunning) an artful malicious person, especially Satan: - serpent.”),
the Devil: (“a traducer; specifically Satan (compare [H7854]): - false accuser, devil, slanderer.”)
and Satan: (Of Chaldee origin corresponding to G4566 (with the definite article affixed); the accuser, that is, the devil: - Satan).
I look forward to some other comments that will clear this all up once and for all (or maybe leave me more confused that ever)
Mal
"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made..." (Gen. 3:1)
Whether he was Satan or not I don't know. But in his craftiness, upon reflection, the consensus of the church has been that he was at the very least acting Satan-like -- doing what Satan does elsewhere in scripture -- presenting temptation.
The Genesis 3:1 notes in the NET Bible are quite good with this passage.
If you take seven crayons, each a color of the rainbow and draw on a piece of paper mixing them all up, what do you get? You get black or darkness.
If you take a prism and spread a white light you get the same colors spread out showing that these same colors in the visible realm are all making white or light.
I think this mystery can also explain good and evil. Good is the combination of all things in a visible spectrum (in the Spirit).
Evil is the combination of all things in the physical realm.
I'm not saying that all things physical are evil, but there is something to be said about our walk in salvation, that being the casting off of our physical selves and becoming more in the Spirit, more Christlike. And another point, what part of us goes into heaven when we shed our tent?
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