Why did God allow suffering?
BREAKDOWN
The profound question of why God permits suffering is one that has challenged humanity throughout history, often termed the problem of evil or theodicy. From a biblical perspective, the allowance of suffering is intricately linked to the introduction of sin into God's perfect creation and the preservation of **free will**. In the pristine state of the Garden of Eden, humanity lived in perfect harmony with God, free from pain, sorrow, and death (Genesis 1:31). However, through the disobedience of Adam and Eve, sin entered the world, bringing with it a curse that affected all creation, including human experience (Genesis 3:16-19). This act of rebellion, chosen freely by humanity, introduced suffering as a consequence, not as God's original design. While sin is the ultimate origin of suffering, the Bible also reveals various purposes for its continued presence in a fallen world. Suffering can serve as divine discipline, refining faith and character, much like a refiner's fire (Job 23:10, Hebrews 12:7-11). It can draw individuals closer to God, fostering dependence and humility when human strength fails (2 Corinthians 1:8-9). It can also be a means by which God's glory is displayed, or His redemptive plan unfolded, even when the immediate reason remains mysterious to human understanding (John 9:3, Romans 8:28). Ultimately, God did not remain distant from suffering but entered into it profoundly through Jesus Christ, who endured immense suffering and death on the cross, offering a definitive answer and eventual triumph over sin and its effects (Isaiah 53:4-5, 1 Peter 2:21-24). The promise of Revelation 21:4, where God will wipe away every tear and there will be no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain, points to a future where suffering is finally eradicated, reaffirming that it is a temporary aberration, not God's eternal will.
KEY TERMS
free will
The ability of individuals to make choices and decisions independently, a core concept in the biblical explanation of suffering's origin.
sin
An act of rebellion or disobedience against God's will, which the Bible identifies as the root cause of suffering and brokenness in the world.
divine discipline
God's use of trials or suffering to refine, instruct, or correct His people, leading to spiritual growth and maturity.
Jesus Christ
The Son of God, who, according to Christian theology, entered human suffering and endured the cross to overcome sin and death, offering hope and redemption from suffering.
Revelation 21:4
A prophetic biblical verse that promises a future state where God will eliminate all suffering, death, sorrow, and pain in a new heaven and new earth.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Genesis 1:31
God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Genesis 3:16-19
To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.” To Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ the ground is cursed for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Thorns also and thistles it will bring out to you; and you will eat the herb of the field. By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Job 23:10
But he knows the way that I take. When he has tested me, I will come out like gold.
Hebrews 12:7-11
It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with children, for what child is there whom his father doesn’t discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have been made partakers, then you are illegitimate, and not children. Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to discipline us, and we gave them reverence. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? For they indeed, for a few days, disciplined us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. All discipline for the present seems to be not joyous but grievous; but afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
2 Corinthians 1:8-9
For we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning our affliction which happened in Asia—that we were weighed down exceedingly, beyond our power, so much that we despaired even of life. Yes, we ourselves have had the sentence of death within ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead.
John 9:3
Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be revealed in him.”
Romans 8:28
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.
Isaiah 53:4-5
Surely he has borne our sickness and carried our suffering; yet we considered him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was on him; and with his stripes we are healed.
1 Peter 2:21-24
For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was cursed, he didn’t curse back. When he suffered, he didn’t threaten, but committed himself to him who judges righteously; who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed.
Revelation 21:4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”
ORIGINAL LANGUAGE ANALYSIS
רָע
suffering
Definitionevil, bad, calamity, misery, adversity, distress
חַטָּאת
sin
Definitionsin, guilt, offering for sin
πάθημα
suffering
Definitionthat which is suffered, a passive state, an affection, suffering
πονηρός
evil
Definitionbad, evil, wicked, malignant, troublesome
αὐτεξούσιος
free will
Definitionhaving power over oneself, independent, free
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
The ancient Near East, including cultures surrounding ancient Israel, often viewed suffering as a direct consequence of displeasing deities, the capriciousness of fate, or the work of malevolent forces. Unlike these polytheistic worldviews where gods could be arbitrary, ancient Israel's monotheistic theology, as revealed in the Torah, grounded suffering primarily in a breach of the covenant or a departure from God's righteous laws. Archaeological discoveries from sites like Ugarit and Ebla reveal mythologies where gods inflicted plagues or famines, but these were typically external events without the deep moral and relational implications found in the Hebrew Bible. The Israelite understanding, particularly evident in texts like Deuteronomy, linked prosperity to obedience and affliction to disobedience. However, the Book of Job introduced a profound nuance, exploring the suffering of the righteous, which challenged the simplistic 'retribution theology' and highlighted the mystery of divine wisdom. During the Second Temple period and the Greco-Roman era, Jewish thought grappled with suffering under foreign oppression, leading to developing concepts of martyrdom and messianic hope, often anticipating a future deliverance that would abolish all pain and evil. This historical and cultural backdrop underscores the unique biblical claim that suffering originates not from divine malice or weakness, but from humanity's free choice to rebel against a good and sovereign God.
THEOLOGICAL INSIGHT
Theologically, God's allowance of suffering is a profound expression of His commitment to genuine relationship, which necessitates **free will**. Without the capacity for choice, love would be coerced and meaningless. The Bible posits that God, in His perfect wisdom, deemed the creation of beings capable of freely choosing to love Him more valuable than a world where suffering was impossible due to predetermined obedience. Furthermore, suffering, though not God's ideal, is frequently woven into His redemptive tapestry, serving as a catalyst for spiritual growth, drawing humanity to repentance, and ultimately pointing to the cosmic necessity of Christ's atoning sacrifice. It highlights the vast difference between humanity's fallen state and God's perfect holiness, fostering a longing for the renewed creation where suffering will cease entirely.
COMMENTARY SYNTHESIS
Rashi (Jewish)
Rashi, commenting on the narratives of the patriarchs and the giving of the Torah, often interprets suffering (e.g., exile, famine) as a direct consequence of sin or a divine test to strengthen faith and devotion. He frequently connects suffering to the concept of 'middah kneged middah' (measure for measure) in God's justice.
Maimonides (Rambam) (Jewish)
In 'Guide for the Perplexed,' Maimonides classifies evil into three types: natural evils (e.g., disease, natural disasters), evils arising from human actions against each other, and evils arising from humans' own actions against themselves. He argues that evil is a privation of good, not an active substance, and that most suffering arises from human free will and the inherent limitations of the physical world, which God permits for a greater good.
Augustine of Hippo (Christian)
Augustine, in 'Confessions' and 'City of God,' famously articulated the concept that evil is not a substance but a privation of good, a 'defection from being.' He linked suffering directly to the Fall of humanity and original sin, seeing it as a just consequence of humanity's rebellion against God. However, he also taught that God can use suffering providentially to refine believers and to lead to repentance and a deeper reliance on divine grace.
John Calvin (Christian)
Calvin emphasized God's absolute sovereignty and providence over all things, including suffering. He viewed suffering not as arbitrary but as serving God's wise and just purposes—whether for discipline, testing and strengthening faith, or conforming believers to the image of Christ. For Calvin, understanding suffering requires submission to God's incomprehensible will and trust in His ultimate goodness, even when His reasons are veiled.
Matthew Henry (Christian)
Matthew Henry's commentaries frequently focus on the practical spiritual lessons to be gleaned from suffering. He often highlights how trials serve to humble individuals, deepen their dependence on God, reveal the sincerity of their faith, and prepare them for future glory. He consistently points to God's ability to bring good out of affliction and to the comfort and strength available through prayer and Scripture during difficult times.