Matthew 9:4 (KJV)
And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
I’d like to begin with this definition of the word evil from Webster’s 1828 dictionary:
“Evil is natural or moral. Natural evil is anything which produces pain, distress, loss, or calamity, or which in any way disturbs the peace, impairs the happiness, or destroys the perfection of natural beings.
Moral evil is any deviation of a moral agent from the rules of conduct prescribed to him by God, or by legitimate human authority; or it is any violation of the plain principles of justice and rectitude.
There are also evils called civil, which affect injuriously the peace or prosperity of a city or state; and political evils, which injure a nation in its public capacity.
All wickedness, all crimes, all violations of law and right are moral evils. Diseases are natural evils, but they often proceed from moral evils.”
It’s not improper to think of or call something like ill will evil. It is to think harmful or hateful thoughts toward another person. This certainly applies to our text: the scribes were thinking hurtful and hateful thoughts within themselves toward Jesus.
But evil has a deeper definition, generally the one we most often apply to the word—moral ill, and even further, spiritual ill, when one breaks the rules of conduct prescribed by authority, society, and most importantly, God.
It is purely evil to take a life, to cause harm to others, to rob and to injure them. And this pure evil is, at its core, the result of spiritual evil—to have low thoughts of God and of Christ.
#EvilInTheHeart #JesusKnowsOurThoughts #MoralVsNaturalEvil #PureEvilStartsWithin #ThinkOnChrist
The Five Faces of Evil: And the One Way to Cleanse Them
❓ What do you think—does evil begin with actions, or with thoughts in the heart?
The Bible says in Matthew 9:4 that Jesus knew the thoughts of the scribes and asked, “Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?” Evil isn’t just outward—it starts within. That truth explains the struggles we see in our world today: natural, moral, civil, political, and spiritual evils all flow from the heart’s rebellion against God.
š If you’re searching for Bible answers about sin, evil, and God’s truth, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments. How have you seen evil begin in the heart and spill over into actions?
š² Hungry for more solid, biblical teaching? Visit marvinmckenzie.org for Bible studies, videos, and resources rooted in the King James Bible.
š Join our community in studying God’s Word and strengthening your faith.
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