Encyclopedia of Dogmatic Theology

Is This Reincarnation of Souls?

Is This Reincarnation of Souls?

Among the questions answered in the Friday meeting at the Cathedral, and which are sent to the magazine.

Is This Reincarnation of Souls?

Question

What does the Bible mean by saying that John the Baptist came “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Luke 1:17), and by saying that “this is Elijah who is to come” (Matthew 11:14)? Does this mean reincarnation of souls?!

Answer

John the Baptist’s coming in the spirit of Elijah means that he came with Elijah’s style, method, approach, and spirit in work.

John was, like Elijah, an ascetic, dwelling in the wilderness and mountains. Like him, he wore camel’s hair and girded his waist with a leather belt. Like him, he was courageous in speaking the word of truth, preaching and rebuking. Just as Elijah rebuked King Ahab, John the Baptist also rebuked King Herod.

Therefore, he came in the spirit of Elijah, that is, in his manner and style. As we say: they were all praying with one spirit, one soul, and one mind.

When Elijah ascended into heaven, Elisha asked from him a double portion of his spirit. This does not mean Elijah’s actual soul, but rather his power, style, courage, and asceticism.

As for reincarnation of souls, Christianity does not believe in it. For when the soul departs from the body, it does not return again to this body or to any other body. Rather, if it is righteous, it goes to Paradise, and if it is wicked, it goes to Hades. But it does not return again to the body.

What Is the Meaning of Evil?

Question

I read in the Book of Isaiah that God is “making peace and creating evil” (Isaiah 45:7). How can the holy God be the creator of evil?

Answer

The word “evil” cannot be understood here as meaning sin, because God is always holy, destroying evil and reproving the wicked.

Rather, the word “evil” is sometimes taken to mean afflictions, troubles, and trials.

As happened with righteous Job, when afflictions came upon him in the trial and he lost his possessions and his children, he said: “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10). Of course, he did not mean sin by the word “evil” here, because no sin came upon him from God, but rather afflictions and trials. Concerning these afflictions, the Scripture says: “When Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place” (Job 2:11).

Thus, these afflictions and trials in the story of Job were called evil, not in the sense of sin, but in the sense of troubles according to people’s understanding, because they are not loved.

In this same sense, the Lord spoke concerning the sin of the children of Israel, saying: “Behold, I will bring evil upon this place and upon its inhabitants, even all the curses that are written in the book” (2 Chronicles 34:24). Certainly, God did not mean sin by the word “evil” here.

Rather, the Lord meant by evil the captivity into which the children of Israel would fall, their defeat before their enemies, and the rest of the punishments they deserved.

Another example of this is the Lord’s saying concerning Jerusalem:

“Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, at which whoever hears of it, his ears shall tingle” (Jeremiah 19:3). He then detailed this evil, saying: “And I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies… and I will give their carcasses to be food for the birds of the heavens and for the beasts of the earth. And I will make this city desolate and a hissing… Thus will I break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter’s vessel, so that it cannot be made whole again…” (Jeremiah 19:7–11).

Therefore, we must understand the meaning of the word “evil.” If it means afflictions, then it is possible for them to come from God as discipline for people, or as an encouragement for them to repent, or for any spiritual benefit that may come through trials.

Thus the Scripture says: “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you fall into various trials” (James 1:2). And just as the word “evil” may have two meanings—sin and affliction—so also the word “good” may have two meanings: goodness in the sense of righteousness, and good in the sense of wealth, abundance, and various blessings, whether material or otherwise.

The phrase “creating evil” here means what people regard as evil, hardship, or affliction, which may also be for good.
For better translation support, please contact the center.