“All it takes for evil to triumph in the world is for good men to do nothing.” Edmond Burke
Many people are familiar with the above quote by Edmond Burke. Whenever a great cause against injustice is begun, these words are invoked. Burke's statement assumes the following three premises:
1. Good and evil exist in the world
2. There is an ongoing battle between the forces of darkness and light.
3. Either by your action or your inaction, you are on one side or the other.
This battle between good and evil has been played out so often in the movies that it now evokes images of the good guys getting ready to go to war with the bad guys. Somehow lost, is that evil must be confronted on a daily basis, and confronted personally, it isn’t great armies that confront evil, it is one person making a decision, one person choosing to stand for what is right, one person willing to put themselves at risk to engage what God declares evil.
While Edmond Burke’s quote is known by the masses, however, less well known even to Christians, is this passage:
“The Son of God appeared for this purpose: That He might destroy the works of the devil.” 1John3:8
As Christians, Christ calls us to confront evil in the world. We can choose not to, but if we choose not to, are we not in fact choosing the side of evil?
As Christians, the question is: How are we to confront evil in the world. My example from the Bible for how to do that is probably not the example you would be expecting; because you probably do not know the background information that sets the scene (thus understanding the culture of the bible is important). Nevertheless, I think it is a prime example of how Christ Himself models confronting evil.
As Jesus prepares to begin his final journey, His walk to Jerusalem to be crucified on the cross we find the beginning passage:
When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” Matthew 16:13
Caesarea Philippi? Why Caesarea Philippi? Jesus did nothing by coincidence, nothing by happenstance, there was a reason that He chose to take his disciples all the way up to Caesarea Philippi. However to understand it you must know about Caesarea Philippi.
During the times of Old Testament, the city of Dan was built in the same area. In I Kings 12:28-29, King Jeroboam made two golden calves and set them in Bethel and Dan. At Caesarea Philippi, there is a massive wall of rock that is well over 100 feet straight up and about 500 feet wide. By the time of Christ, at this massive rock face the Greeks offered sacrifices to the goat god, Pan and created a place for idol worship at the mouth of a cave from which flowed one of the three streams that form the Jordan River. Now called Banais in the country of Lebanon, the rock face of the cave had alcoves carved into it where idols of the gods were placed. In Jesus's day, it was known as the Rock of the Gods. Further reinforcing the site’s attraction for worship, Herod the Great built the city of Caesarea Philippi on top of this enormous rock along with a temple dedicated to Emperor Augustus, who had given him the town. Following Herod’s death, it was enlarged and rededicated by King Philip to honor the Caesar in Rome. Caesar considered himself a god and King Philip was eager to worship him as such.
Caesarea Philippi was a center of Greek-Roman culture, a city known for its pagan worship, with the prestigious status as the capital city of Herod Philip’s domain, and with a very significant Gentile population. A city and temple that was built on top of this massive wall of rock for one purpose, to give honor to these false gods, Caesar and Pan. It was here that Jesus chose to bring His disciples, to ask them this important question:
"But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:15-18
Try to imagine Jesus standing before this massive rock of pagan worship, as he speaks with Peter (the rock). Jesus does not do the "holy huddle.” He does not retreat into the four walls of a nice safe church to keep evildoers out. No, Jesus calls His disciples out into the heart of the pagan culture, to the very gates of hell itself.
How are we to confront evil in the world? Jesus is calling you to go out into this pagan culture, to the very gates of hell itself, and be ambassadors for Christ. To stand up, for what God declares good, to do, not just say.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.” Matthew 5:14
If you desire to get an understanding of Biblical times, places, and customs, try this bible.
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