Milton Justifies the Ways of God to Man
The very famous poet Milton wrote a poem called Paradise Lost, which has twelve volumes. It is a famous epic poem. This poem tells the story of Adam, Eve and Satan. It is about the obstinacy of Satan, the banishment of Adam and Eve, and their repentance over disobedience. The major purpose of writing this is to justify the ways of God to man.
From the first opening line, he says that he will try to justify the ways of God to man; that is, why things are predestined. He wants to tell us that there is a reason behind it. He says he will justify the ways of God to man, and he achieves this purpose by addressing the issue of the paradox of man's free will; he explains God's introduction of evil to mankind, giving a logical explanation as to why each was rightfully intended as part of God's plan.
The argument against God states that if God is the creator of everything and he knows everything that is and will be, then we can not justify his ways. Because he created man, knowing that man would fall; with free will comes God's punishment for disobedience, and this is how evil is introduced by God.
From the very first line, Milton says:
"Of Man's First disobedience
and the fruit of that forbidden
tree, whose mortal taste
Brought death into the world,
and all our woe,
with loss of Eden"
In these lines, Milton justifies God's way by arguing that man made the mistake of tasting the forbidden fruit. Because of disobedience, he was expelled from heaven. If man disobeys God, God leaves him to their own dark desire. God can not take the side of evil. God gives him liberty to do whatever he can. He created hell and heaven; good and evil, to test man.
Some critics think that God originates evil because God is the creator of everything. According to Christian belief, to say that God originates evil is not a correct statement; one could refer to Derrida to justify the way of God. He says that:
"One can not truly know the things unless one knows what that thing is not."
It means that an object or idea is nothing, especially if there is nothing to compare it to. Thus, man can not truly know good without evil. Milton justifies that God introducing evil would be necessary for man's true happiness.
This is also supported by Adam himself after being punished, when he realises :
“that all this good
of evil shall produce, and evil turn to good."
This quote represents the theological concept of the "Felix Culpa" (the fortunate fall). Adam is realising that God is so powerful and benevolent that He will take Satan's evil actions and twist them to create an even greater good for humanity (the arrival of the Saviour).
So, Adam is relieved after hearing from the archangel "Michael" that goodness will come out of their temporary punishment. This reveals that God's grace was the key to man's timeless joy. By restoring man to the path of goodness, God has demonstrated the justice of His ways.
Milton’s portrayal of free will is central to justifying God's ways to humanity, showing that man's own choices led to his downfall.
Satan says:
"What though the field be lost?
All is not lost—the unconquerable will,
And study of revenge, immortal hate,”
While Satan's downfall is destined to happen, his refusal to repent remains a choice of his own free will. He becomes obstinate and takes revenge on God and his creatures. Milton says that if Satan followed the principle instructed by God, he would remain an Archangel. If he repents of his deeds, then he could restore his position. Adam and Eve repent of their deeds, and through this repentance, they find their salvation. They were saved from further miseries. But Satan suffers endless suffering.
Satan is the epitome of evil who possesses all characteristics that God rejected as sin. He is filled with jealousy, revenge, and deception and is exceedingly proud above all others. Pride is the mother of sin. It is a distraction. For instance, when he sees the new creation of paradise in all its glory, his jealousy comes forth. God's severe punishments of Satan are due to his reluctance to repent or due to his obstinacy and stubbornness in his sin. He did one evil after another. It is persuasive that “knowing the difference between good and evil makes it easier to do good"
Blinded by a lack of true wisdom, Satan fails to distinguish between good and evil—an ignorance that ultimately plunges him into a sea of fire and a pit of eternal destruction. He became obstinate, and he commits sinful deeds; He says he fell into an abysmal depth from which he can't get out:
"To do aught good never will be our task,
But ever to do ill our sole delight,
As being the contrary to his high will
Whom we resist.”
His primary intentions are embodiments of evil and will surpass God's power, and his second purpose is to divert man's mind from God and govern his mind towards detraction. He asserts that his sole purpose is not to do good but to do evil for the sheer delight of his soul. It highlights his total corruption, showing that he consciously rejects goodness and finds absolute pleasure only in doing evil to spite God. Sin may initially appear alluring, yet its essence remains inherently destructive. Deeds pursued merely for momentary delight are destined for repentance, for they provide superficial amusement rather than genuine satisfaction
Ultimately, John Milton’s main goal is to justify the ways of God to humanity, and he succeeds remarkably well in doing so. Through his epic poem Paradise Lost, Milton carefully explains the story behind the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden, showing that their downfall was the result of their own free will rather than any unfairness from God. At the same time, he paints a vivid picture of Satan as the true embodiment of evil, exposing how pride and rebellion lead only to ruin. By bringing these powerful portrayals together, Milton clearly demonstrates that God’s actions are entirely fair, wise, and justified.
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