The verse that we are examining today is I Thessalonians 5:22. This verse has frequently been interpreted as “abstain from all appearance of evil.” The meaning that is assigned to this verse goes something like this: we should stay away from anything that even looks like evil. Other than the fact that this is impossible to do, there are several problems with this interpretation.
First, it is simply not accurate. The word that is translated ‘appearance’ actually means form, figure or kind. It should say abstain from all kinds or forms of evil. Out of the 10 commentators that I read, not one of them holds to the view that we are to avoid the ‘appearance of evil’. They all agree that the verse is teaching that we should avoid all kinds and forms of evil. As Vincent says the word that is translated as ‘appearance’ is actually never used in “the sense of semblance [appearance]“. It means form or kind.
Second, when this verse is interpreted as ‘avoid all appearance of evil’ we then not only have to differentiate between right and wrong but also what may appear as wrong. As Fausset says, “There is no intent to draw a contrast between appearance and substance in this verse.” Christ died to save us from actual sin, not what some may view as sin. It is our sin that separates us from God, not those things that others may view as looking like sin. This truth can even be seen in the life of Christ. Jesus healed the sick on the sabbath, ate with publicans and sinners, and even interacted with prostitutes, actions which bore the appearance of evil, but which were not to be abstained from on that basis.
Third, as Christians our standard of right and wrong is based solely on Scripture…no one will argue that point. If something is indeed wrong, it is wrong because the Bible says so. When we attempt to avoid everything that even looks like evil, we are throwing that standard out the window. We are no longer concerned with being obedient to Scripture…our focus is on what other people think. Living based on the opinions of others either leads to legalistic living or liberal living…it never results in biblical living. When this is our goal we no longer have a solid foundation of right and wrong. We settle for a standard of right and wrong that is relative to the views of those around us.
The truth of this passage is found when verse 21 and 22 are viewed together. We are to test the teaching and practices that we see; then we are to retain the good (vs. 21), and reject the evil (vs. 22). Paul is reiterating a truth that is mentioned in Romans 12:9. There he says, “Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” What appears wrong to God…is wrong and is outlined as wrong in Scripture. What appears wrong to others may or may not actually be wrong depending on that person. I choose to live by the standard of Scripture; not by a subjective, wishy-washy, man-made, extra-biblical standard. How about you?
June 15, 2009 at 11:08 am
Great stuff Jeremy, i can’t believe it but i’ve actually never heard that verse explained so well before (or that way) and for some reasons, I haven’t take the time to check it out myself.
June 15, 2009 at 2:22 pm
Jeremy, great series. I wonder if you might consider taking on 2 Cor 6:14? I’ve never been happy with any commentaries I’ve seen on this verse because it is sandwiched between two passages where Paul is telling the Corinthians to “open their hearts to him.” No one I have seen so far takes this into account.
There’s another good article on 1 Thes 5:22 by Daniel Wallace at http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=1478
June 23, 2009 at 10:31 am
Yep :) A better translation would be something like, “Avoid evil at it’s appearance.” When sin appears, avoid it, flee from it, do not give it opportunity – an idea that is repeated over and over in Scripture.
June 30, 2009 at 5:15 am
Stephan, there is a reason you’ve never heard that verse explained like that.
Curious that you read 10 commentaries, but somehow missed out on reading Matthew Henry in there:
This is a good means to prevent our being deceived with false doctrines, or unsettled in our faith; for our Saviour has told us (John vii. 17), If a man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God. Corrupt affections indulged in the heart, and evil practices allowed of in the life, will greatly tend to promote fatal errors in the mind; whereas purity of heart, and integrity of life, will dispose men to receive the truth in the love of it. We should therefore abstain from evil, and all appearances of evil, from sin, and that which looks like sin, leads to it, and borders upon it. He who is not shy of the appearances of sin, who shuns not the occasions of sin, and who avoids not the temptations and approaches to sin, will not long abstain from the actual commission of sin.
Sometimes the Bible means what it says, and says what it means.
June 30, 2009 at 8:09 am
Joshua, Thanks for your comment. I would actually say that what you read in the English is usually what is meant, not just sometimes. But then there are times when the KJV does a very poor job of translating a passage in line with its intended meaning and in context. This is clearly one of those times.
You are right in saying that I didn’t use Matthew Henry’s commentary. This was intentional. The Matthew Henry Commentary is devotional not exegetical. His focus was not on exegeting scripture. As a result, I believe Matthew Henry has a wrong interpretation of this passage. The fact that most all other commentators agree with this point confirms that.
I would encourage you to study this passage in detail. I am convinced that when you do you will see that the interpretation that I offered in this post is accurate. Thanks again for your comment.
June 30, 2009 at 10:17 pm
Jeremy,
Thank you for your series. I’ve enjoyed it tremendously. I do have a question about this verse. Is Paul’s suggestion not to do what offends the weaker brethren a Kind of avoiding the “appearance” of evil?
I’ve always heard this verse interpreted the opposite of what you’ve said, so I’m letting the truth of what you said soak in.
July 1, 2009 at 3:28 pm
I am assuming that you are referring to I Corinthians 8:9. I believe that Paul was warning against flaunting their liberty and purposefully trying to get others to do something that they did not feel comfortable with. Remember, they did not have all the Scripture, so a lot of these issues they were dealing with were new to them.
They had been told in the Law not to eat meat that had been offered to idols. That was the only authoritative direction they had been given on this issue. This was not about doing something that appeared to be wrong, to some of them it was wrong based on the Scripture that they had at that time. Others had been taught by Paul about liberty and this is where the conflict came from.
So this issue was not about preferences or varying interpretations of Scripture or doing something that appeared to be wrong, it was about transitioning from a life under the law to a life under grace. I’m not even sure that this idea of being a stumbling block can even take place today in the same way as it did then. We have the completed Scripture to guide our lives….they didn’t and that is why they needed Paul’s guidance.
I do think that the principle that we can take from this passage in I Corinthians is that knowledge tends to cause us to be puffed up and love tends to cause us to build up. We should each help others become more like Christ. So to answer your question, I do not think that this verse supports the idea of abstaining from the ‘appearance’ of evil.
October 13, 2010 at 7:01 pm
So…a question (sorry, this came up in a google search…I know this is an old blog post). I am a believer and am blessed to live with two other believers. When one of my roommates’ boyfriend comes over, however, he sleeps in the family room on the couch because we don’t have any guy friends nearby and the only other option would be for him to rent a hotel room. However, to my neighbors downstairs, this looks like he’s coming over to sleep with her, of course. Our neighbors know we claim to be Christians. So how would I confront her about this based on a Biblical verse? For technically they are doing nothing wrong, however, no one would believe them. It is one thing to base morality on the “wishy-washy” like your point was (and I agree with it), but I feel that it is another thing for the appearance of evil to mar the witness we have for Christ. What does the Bible have to say about that?