Eschew
## What Does Eschew Mean? The term "eschew" comes from Old French and means to avoid, shun, or abstain from something. In a biblical context, it carries a strong moral weight, implying a deliberate and purposeful turning away from wickedness, sin, or evil influences. It is not passive avoidance but an active, willful rejection.
## Eschewing Evil in the Book of Job The most prominent examples are found in the description of Job. God Himself declares Job a man who is "blameless and upright, one who fears God and turns away from evil" (Job 1:1, 1:8, 2:3). The original Hebrew uses the verb sur, meaning to turn aside, depart, or remove. Job's character is defined by this active, habitual practice of eschewing evil, which forms the foundation for the testing of his faith in the subsequent narrative.
## The New Testament Call to Eschew Evil The call is reiterated in the New Testament. The apostle Peter, quoting Psalm 34:14, instructs believers: "Let him turn away from evil and do good; let him seek peace and pursue it" (1 Peter 3:11). The Greek verb used here is ekklinō, meaning to deviate, turn aside, or avoid. This connects personal holiness with active peacemaking, framing eschewing evil as the necessary first step toward positive godly action.
## A Foundational Ethical Principle Eschewing evil is a foundational principle for biblical ethics. It presupposes the ability to discern between good and evil and the moral responsibility to choose the good. This concept is woven throughout Scripture, from the warnings in Proverbs to "turn away from" foolishness (Proverbs 4:15) to Paul's exhortation to "abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thessalonians 5:22). It represents the practical outworking of repentance and sanctification in a believer's life.
Biblical Context
The concept appears explicitly in the King James Version in Job 1:1, 1:8, and 2:3, describing Job's core righteous character. It is commanded as a principle for all believers in 1 Peter 3:11. While the specific word "eschew" is archaic, the action of deliberately turning from evil is a major theme across both Testaments, particularly in wisdom literature (Proverbs, Psalms) and apostolic instructions for holy living.
Theological Significance
The command to eschew evil underscores the biblical view of human moral agency and responsibility before a holy God. It teaches that faith is not merely intellectual assent but involves active, daily choices to reject sin. This aligns with the doctrine of sanctification—the process of becoming more like Christ. It reflects God's own holy nature and His desire for His people to be set apart, demonstrating that righteousness involves both rejecting the wrong and actively pursuing the good (Isaiah 1:16-17).
Historical Background
The cultural context of Job presents a man whose righteousness is measured by his tangible actions in avoiding evil, a virtue highly prized in ancient Near Eastern wisdom traditions. The Greek philosophical world also valued the concept of turning from vice (kakia) to pursue virtue (aretē). Peter's use of the concept in 1 Peter, written to persecuted Christians, grounds their identity in active moral choice rather than passive victimhood, calling them to visibly distinct ethical conduct within the Roman Empire.