The Devil in the Bible – Understanding the meaning of the word “Diabolos”

"Sin"

                                                                                     Diabolos

The mission of Jesus, to destroy the devil, can be fully appreciated only when the nature of the diabolos is understood. The use of “devil” in our N.T. locked away the truth; but clerical embarrassment provided a key by which every passage in which it occurs can be flooded with light, and its diverse use seen to be harmonious.

In 35 passages the translators darkened the understanding by using devil as equivalent to diabolos; but desire to avoid offence to royal patron and church dignitary led them in three other cases to provide a key for the truth-seeker which can let in a flood of light. Consistency would have compelled the impolite implication that not only men, but deacons’ wives and old women, might be devils! So we find false accusers and slanderers instead.1 Elymas the sorcerer, a Jewish false prophet, played the same part in Paphos with Sergius Paulus as did the serpent with Eve: to turn him from belief in “the word. of God.” Perceiving him to be “full of all subtilty”, like the serpent,2 Paul appropriately pro­nounced him “son of the diabolos”; and, for his malignant perversion, similarly cursed him.3 The plausible diabolos denied that death was due for sin (the lie long echoed by pagan priest and “christian” pulpit) and suggested God deprived them of equality with elohim4 (the reward He had in store for the obedient)5 – misrepresentation which murdered mankind.6 To this day the cursed snake, in its sinuous slithering through the dust, is a moving memorial of that sinistrous insinuation, and of the destination to which it led the deceived. Sin loves an angry man; enraged emotion is fertile ground for crime. “Let not the sun set on your wrath: neither give place to the diabolos”=give not opportunity to the lawless spirit of the flesh.7

It was against the “world-rulers of this darkness;” the government, authority and priesthood of the Sin-power, the early Christians had to contend. Every means was employed to make them forswear Christ and sacrifice to Caesar. “The complete armour of God” alone could enable them “to stand against the wiles of the diabolos.”8 An ecclesial overseer must not be a new convert, “lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil.” The popular Devil would, of course, commend and foster such a fault! But the actual accuser is identified. The overseer must not only not incur the judgment of the enemy, he must even “have good testimony from those outside; lest he fall into reproach and a snare of the diabolos,”—the critical unbelievers.9 “

The Lord’s servant must . . . be patient under evil, meekly correcting the opposers” who may return to soberness out of the snare of the diabolos, having been taken alive by the Lord’s servant unto the will of God.”10 In vigilant sobriety, the Christians must steadfastly resist another “opponent, a diabolos” in authority, who, as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour “: an apt similitude of the Pagan Sin-power, their persecutor; the author of their “afflictions” and “fiery trial”:11 the diabolos which could inflict “tribulation” and “cast into prison.”12 “Children of the diabolos” are sinners, habitual and unrepentant; fathered, as it were, by the first inciter to trans­gression: in contrast to “the children of God” who work righteousness, in whom “the works of the diabolos” are on their way to destruction by God’s Son.13

“The diabolos“14 with whom “Michael (=’one like God’, viz. Moses, appointed ‘as God’15) the archangel” (= chief representative)16 “contended”, was an aggregation “despising dominion” setting aside iordships); almost certainly Korah & Co., 250 rebellious princes,17 who, resenting his pre-eminence, falsely accused him of usurping authority over “the body of Moses.”18 Moses did not presume to pronounce railing judgment, but left the “rebuking” of this organised diabolos to “the Lord.”19 Con­stantine, overthrowing the enthroned Pagan serpent-seed, is, in symbol, another “Michael”, casting “the great dragon, that old serpent called the diabolos the accuser of our brethren”, down from the political heaven of rulership; his days numbered!20 Sin, being co-existent with flesh and blood in all ages, the same symbols serve to represent the spirit that ever “worketh in the sons of disobedience”,21 but which will be  “bound” (firmly restrained) for 1000 years.22

To devise eternal torment for the Devil of tradition by casting him into a lake of fire and brimstone,23 would be ludicrously futile; bestowing a reward most congenial! But, for the diabolos of Scripture, it represents the utter and abiding destruction of Sin in every sense and manifestation. No wonder clerics have wondered “if it be lawful to personify sin”! 24

Reference

  1. 2 Tim. 3:3.
  2. 1 Tim. 3:11; Tit. 2:3.
  3. Gn. 3:1. 3 Ac. 13:10, 11.
  4. Gn. 3:4, 5.
  5. Gn. 2:9; 3:22; Lk. 20:36; Rv. 2:7.
  6. Gn. 3:19; Jno. 8:44.
  7. Ep. 4:27.
  8.  Ep. 6:11.
  9. 1 Tim. 3:6, 7.
  10.  2 Tim. 2:24-26.
  11. 1 Pt. 5:8, 9; 4:12.
  12.  Rv. 2:10.
  13. Jno. 3:8, 10; 1 Co. 15:54-57; He. 2:14. But the idea of the Arch-fiend of Othodoxy being destroyed by a man’s dying would be absurd.
  14. Jude 8:9.
  15. Ex. 4.16.
  16. See Angels panel, June ’54.
  17. Nu. 16:1-5, 32.
  18. As Christians. by baptism, become “the body of Christ,” so Israel, via cloud & sea. became ” the body of Moses,” 1 Co. 10:2 (Gr. ” immersed into Moses “).
  19. Incongruous indeed, art’s depiction of the soul-seeker, in literal combat for the corPse of Moses! ” Similar situation in Zec. 3; see Satan panel.
  20.  Rv. 12:7-14.
  21.  Ep. 2:2.
  22. Rev. 20:2 ” 20:10 Torment.
  23.  Judicially try, test, examine, Mt. 18:34; Rv. 14:10. ” Day & night for ever & ever” symbolises permanence of triumph of Divine law.
  24. . W. H. Gillespie, in The intro to whose Parerga, p. 59, Jas. Urquhart records his finding that “distinguished clergymen, among other intelligent & thoughtful friends,” hold “that the devil of Theology does not exist.”