Hebrews 2:14 claims Jesus’s death destroyed Satan’s power—why does evil still thrive if Satan’s power was truly nullified?

I. The Claim of Hebrews 2:14

Hebrews 2:14 reads: “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—”. The passage asserts that, through His incarnate life and sacrificial death, Jesus rendered powerless the one described as possessing the power of death. From a literal reading of the Greek text (καταργέω, commonly translated “destroy” or “render powerless”), the focus is on a decisive disarming rather than annihilation of existence. This profound statement raises the question at hand: If Satan’s power is destroyed, how is it that evil evidently continues to operate in the world?

II. The Nature of Satan’s “Destroyed” Power

Though the English term “destroy” can indicate total elimination, in the biblical context (especially within this verse) it more precisely denotes the breaking of ultimate authority or the legal hold that Satan had. As further clarified by passages such as Colossians 2:15—“And having disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross”—the work of the cross shatters the enemy’s ultimate claim on humanity.

Scripture consistently emphasizes that the devil’s influence is severely curtailed by Christ’s victory, even though Satan continues to exercise a limited, parasitic role in a fallen world. The once-binding dominion of the devil over those in sin has been undone; yet the final, visible, and universal dissolution of his activities awaits God’s appointed time (cf. Revelation 20:10).

III. The “Already, But Not Yet” Tension

Many aspects of scriptural teaching operate under what theologians often term the “already, but not yet” tension. Christ’s death and resurrection inaugurated the kingdom of God (Luke 17:20–21) and secured Satan’s defeat, yet the fullness of that victory unfolds progressively until the consummation of all things. Romans 8:22 states, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time.” The creation groans, still experiencing the effects of sin and the fallen world, even though Christ has already accomplished His decisive victory.

Jesus Himself frames this tension in Matthew 28:18: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.” Despite this complete authority, believers still endure trials, persecutions, and spiritual battles (cf. Ephesians 6:12). These realities do not deny Christ’s sovereignty but highlight the progressive unfolding of God’s plan and the final judgment that will permanently banish evil (Revelation 20:10).

IV. The Limited but Real Influence of Evil

Even though Scripture declares Satan’s authority is nullified, evil remains an active presence in the world for several interwoven reasons:

1. Ongoing Spiritual Warfare: 1 Peter 5:8 warns, “Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Though legally condemned (John 16:11), Satan still tempts, deceives, and influences. Believers are called to resist (James 4:7) and engage in spiritual warfare.

2. Human Participation in Sin: James 1:14–15 declares, “But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin...” Humans retain the capacity to choose rebellion; the vestiges of the fallen nature and personal sin can give evil a foothold (Ephesians 4:27).

3. God’s Redemptive Plan: The sovereign plan of God allows a period in which humanity experiences moral choice in a fallen world, enabling individuals to respond to the Gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 communicates God’s patience in allowing history to progress, “not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.”

V. The Role of Christ’s Victory in the Believer’s Life

For those who trust in Christ, the devil’s claims of condemnation and spiritual bondage are broken. Romans 8:1 testifies, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” and John 8:36 assures, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Believers share in the triumph of the cross by faith. The destruction of the devil’s power is a present reality for the Christian’s standing before God:

- Removal of the Fear of Death: Because Christ has conquered death, believers no longer face the penalty of eternal separation. Hebrews 2:15 continues that Jesus freed “those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”

- Empowering the Church: Christ bestows the Holy Spirit (John 14:16–17), enabling believers to walk victoriously. While evil persists, the church is empowered to stand firm, spread the Gospel, and display God’s kingdom in word and deed (Acts 1:8).

VI. Evidence That Evil’s Ongoing Influence Does Not Undermine Christ’s Victory

1. Biblical Consistency: Old Testament prophecies repeatedly show an ongoing struggle between good and evil—yet they prophesy a Messianic triumph (Isaiah 53; Psalm 22). The New Testament proclaims that Messiah’s triumph has occurred (Luke 24:25–27) and will be fully manifest when Christ returns.

2. Early Manuscript Support: Ancient copies of Hebrews and other New Testament books (such as the papyri P46, dated around the late second century) consistently preserve the teaching of Christ’s triumph and Satan’s ultimate defeat. This textual continuity buttresses confidence that the biblical claim in Hebrews 2:14 is integral to the earliest Christian belief.

3. Historical and Archaeological Markers: The growth of the early church under persecution (as evident in documents such as the writings of Tacitus and Pliny the Younger in the early second century) demonstrates that Christ’s followers believed they served a victorious Lord, despite external evil forces. This readiness to endure martyrdom resonates with the conviction that, though Satan’s evil persists, it is a vanquished force with no final hold on believers.

4. Philosophical Consistency: The continuing presence of evil in a world where Christ reigns points to a process in which humans actively participate and choose. The biblical framework holds that God honors free will, and in this interim age, individuals can still practice wrongdoing. Yet God’s redemptive plan draws humanity toward a culmination that permanently removes evil (Revelation 21:4).

VII. The Future Consummation of Christ’s Victory

Revelation 20:10 affirms a coming day when the devil is cast into the lake of fire, ending his influence entirely: “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur...” This consummation underscores that, while Satan’s authority has been decisively undermined (Hebrews 2:14), the final visible eradication of his power is yet to come. Scripture shows the incremental unveiling of God’s kingdom, culminating in the return of Christ (Matthew 24:30) and the resurrection of the dead (1 Corinthians 15:22–26).

In the meantime, believers continue to pray as taught in Matthew 6:10: “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” The existence of evil should not be interpreted as a sign that Satan’s power remains equal or unconquered, but rather that creation is in a transitional period, awaiting God’s appointed completion of redemptive history (Acts 3:21).

VIII. Practical Implications for Overcoming Evil in Daily Life

1. Resist the Devil and He Will Flee: James 4:7 instructs, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” As a practical application, believers invoke Christ’s victory by faith, living in subjection to God.

2. Promote God’s Kingdom: Evil’s lingering presence calls for active involvement in prayer, evangelism, and righteous living (Ephesians 6:18; Matthew 5:16). The church stands as a testimony to Christ’s triumph in a fallen context.

3. Hope in the Second Coming: The knowledge of evil’s final defeat engenders hope (Titus 2:13), encouraging perseverance and pointing to the eternal age free from sin and suffering (Revelation 21:4).

IX. Conclusion

Although evil visibly thrives in the current age, Hebrews 2:14 declares that Jesus has nullified Satan’s ultimate power. Christ’s sacrificial death dealt a decisive legal blow against the devil’s dominion, ensuring that believers are no longer slaves to sin or fear of death. However, the outworking of that victory persists in the present tension between the kingdom of God “already” established in Christ’s resurrection and ascension, and the kingdom “not yet” fully realized until His return.

Evil continues because of humanity’s ongoing ability to choose sin, the nature of spiritual warfare, and the temporal patience of God in offering salvation to all. Yet these realities do not undermine the finality of Satan’s defeat. The certainty of Christ’s resurrection—corroborated through scriptural accounts, manuscript evidence, eyewitness testimonies, and the explosive growth of the early church—testifies that the enemy’s power is under judgment. This hope drives believers forward, assured that while evil still manifests in the world, it stands as a rebellion already crushed at its core, destined for permanent removal when God’s plan finally reaches its consummation.