What does Evil look like in the Bible? Willie Jennings and Janette Ok

Dec 2, 2025

42 mins

Episode Description

Video version: https://youtu.be/5PiffZEeBhk?si=2QWsXPEvv6m9MJzV

What do Christians mean when we talk about evil, and how does the Bible shape our understanding of it? In this Theology Lab video with Willie Jennings (Yale Divinity School) and Janette Ok (Fuller Seminary), we explore the complex and often uncomfortable question: what do we call evil, and how do we recognize it in the world and in ourselves? They discuss Christian Nationalism and what Jesus's prayer, "deliver us from evil," means to them right now. We look at topics like evil, hate, evil, the anti-Christ. Looking at the gospels, the book of Acts, the letters of John (1 John, 2 John, 3 John), this Theology Lab conversation with Willie Jennings and Janette Ok trace how Scripture defines evil, how the church has wrestled with it, and what it means for believers today.

This conversation is designed for Christians and anyone navigating faith, theology, the Bible in community. If you’re interested in theological learning, biblical study, and wrestling honestly with hard questions in faith, this video offers a thoughtful, contextual, and faithful approach.

Check out the New Testament in Color commentary, which features work by Janette Ok (editor): https://www.ivpress.com/the-new-testament-in-color?srsltid=ARcRdnpFzsrsUSdD0pXrGLggUKgePS8WRb24I-C8wU10orQqf3NCetco

Check out Willie Jennings' Act's Commentary: https://www.amazon.com/Acts-Theological-Commentary-Bible-Belief/dp/0664234003

Contains original music (licensed) from Ian Post, "I Promise"

0:00 Introduction

2:00 What is evil and sin?

7:00 Discomfort with "the Anti-Christ"?

8:45 Why don't we respond to seeing violence?

15:25 The disciples are tied to the prison

16:45 Why theology matters 20:06 How do the Bible's authors struggle to name evil?

25:20 Correcting self-righteousness

27:20 1 John and evil

30:10 Can worship resist evil?