The Devil and Satan – Part eight

Background of the early writers

That the early writers were influenced by their pagan background can easily be illustrated. On the subject of the devil we have this quotation from Tertullian. “The philosophers acknowledge there are demons; Socrates himself waited on a demon’s will. Why not? Since it is said an evil spirit attached itself specially to him even from his childhood. The poets are all acquainted with demons too; even the ignorant common people make frequent use of them in cursing. In fact, they call upon Satan, the demon-chief, in their execra­tion’s” (Apology, ch. xxii).

The Scriptural background

In the Old Testament the use of the word devil appears just four times and occurs only in the plural form. In every instance where it is used, it refers to heathen deities, or idols. A case in point is Deut. 32:17: “They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not.” The Hebrew words translated devils are sair and shed; the latter is the common word for “goat.” There is no etymological link between these Hebrew words and the New Testa­ment word diabolos.

The word Satan in Hebrew is a common noun and means opponent or adversary. The Hebrew word is carried over to the New Testament, and is used on several occasions of persons. Jesus said to Peter: “Get thee behind me Satan.” In other situations, the sinful inclinations of the human heart are termed “Satan:” Peter said to Ananias, “why hath Satan filled thine heart …why hast thou conceived this thing in Mine heart?” (Acts 5:3-4). Ananias’ fraud originated in his own heart with his own covetousness; this sinful impulse is metaphorically termed Satan -­”adversary.”

The word devil in the New Testament is a translation of the common Greek word diabolos, meaning false accuser. Jesus used the word of Judas Iscariot in John 6:70. “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” The term is also applied to the sinful tendencies of human nature and to those organizations of men dominated by sin. Heb. 2:14 is an example of the former usage: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he [Jesus Christ] also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” The latter use is seen in Rev. 2:10: “behold, the devil [pagan governmental authorities] shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried…”

The Second Century

There are not many references to the subject in the early second century writings, and this in itself is evidence that it had not achieved the importance it would have in later periods. Incorrect ideas on the subject were prevalent, however, almost from the beginning, and after the second century true teaching about the devil and Satan was almost unknown in the established church.

Clement, bishop of Rome

The epistle of Clement to the Corinthians (c. AD 100), the only writing of his that survives, is an exhortation to holiness, addressed to the believers of Corinth. The epistle includes an exposition on the origin of sin, envy in particular, and gives examples beginning with Cain. There is no mention of the devil in this connection. Clement also writes of the atoning work of Christ, again with no allusion to the devil.

Much is written about the proneness of men to sin, and Clement comments, addressing Hebrews 1:13, “And again He saith to him, ‘Sit thou on My right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.’ But who are his enemies? All the wicked, and those who set themselves to oppose the will of God.” In this epistle, the enemy of God (and of the believer), is seen as man himself, rather than the devil or Satan.

Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna

The epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians (AD 120) is the writer’s only work that is now available. This epistle is an exhortation to righteousness and contains admonitions to overcome the flesh. There is no mention of the devil, demons or Satan in this connection.

The only use of the terms occurs in a section that includes a warning against false doctrines. “For whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is Antichrist; and whosoever does not confess the testimony of the cross, is of the devil; and whosoever perverts the oracles of the Lord to his own lusts, and says that there is neither resurrection nor a judgment, he is the first-born of Satan. Wherefore, forsaking the vanity of many, and their false doctrines, let us return to the word which has been handed down to us from the beginning, ‘watching unto prayer.”

Mathetes to Diognetus

The epistle of Mathetes (AD 140) includes a treatment of the subject of redemption with no allusion to the devil or Satan as playing a part in the fallen state of humanity.

“As long then as the former time endured, God permitted us to be borne along by unruly impulses, being drawn away by the desire of pleasure and various lusts. This was not that He at all delighted in our sins, but that He simply endured them; nor that He approved the time of working iniquity which then was, but that He sought to form a mind conscious of righteousness, so that being convinced in that time of our unworthiness of attaining life through our own works, it should now, through the kindness of God, be vouchsafed to us; and having manifest that in ourselves we were unable to enter into the king­dom of God, we might through the power of God be made able to do so. But when our wickedness had reached its height, and it had been clearly shown that its reward, punishment and death, was impending over us; and when the time had come which God had before appointed for manifesting His own kindness and power…He gave His own Son as a ransom for us…”

Pagan deities as demons

Following a denunciation of the Greek gods and their immoralities, Ta­tian (AD 150) refers to them as demons. And then, he comments: “We were not created to die, but we die by our own fault. Our free will has destroyed us; we who were free have become slaves; we have been sold through sin. Nothing evil has been created by God; we ourselves have manifested wickedness; but we, who have manifested it, are able again to reject it” (Tatian: To the Greeks).

Another writer of the period equates demons and the devil to the gods of the heathen. “Avoid the worship of the temples, the oracles of demons…All of you shun absolutely the law of the devil” (Commodianus: The Instructions, ch. xxxv).

The Turning Point

In his First Apology and in his Dialogue with Trypho, Justin Martyr (AD 110-165) associates “devils” with the pagan gods, a point of view that is basically scriptural. At the same time, the Dialogue contains the first assertion in Christian literature that “devils” are angels who had sinned and were cast out of heaven. Justin records his argument on this subject with Trypho, a Jew, and it is significant that to this Jew, who was well read in the Hebrew Scriptures, the idea was new and unacceptable.

“On this, Trypho, who was somewhat angry, but respected the Scriptures, as was manifest from his countenance, said to me, ‘The utterances of God are holy, but your expositions are mere contrivances, as is plain from what has been explained by you; nay, even blasphemies, for you assert that angels sinned and revolted from God.”

In reply Justin produces several Scriptures as supposed “proof.” When examined in their context, however, the verses are readily seen to offer no support at all for Justin’s incorrect position.

Isaiah 30:1-5: Verse 4 reads: “For his (Pharaoh’s) princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes.” Justin quotes the verse this way: “For the princes in Tanis are evil angels.” There is no basis for such a translation. “Ambassador” is from the Hebrew word malak, often translated “messenger.”

Zech. 3:1: “And he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.” Justin paraphrases the verse, substituting the word devil for Satan. In fact, “the adversary” here represents the Samaritan opponents of the temple builders; they are so designated by Ezra. “Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel…” (Ezra 4:1).

Job 1:6: Here again, Justin substitutes the word devil for Satan, but the Hebrew words have different meanings and are not interchangeable.

Psalm 96:5: “For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens.” Justin quotes this verse: “the gods of the nations are demons.” The Hebrew word rendered “idols” is eliyl which means “a vain thing.” Again Justin’s preconceived idea has controlled his interpretation.

Origen (AD 230) indicates that there was some uncertainty among Christians of his day on the subject of the devil, but he yields to those who followed the “fallen-angel” theory. Moreover, he testifies that the devil “contends with the human race, inciting and instigating men to sin” (De Principiis, ch. ii).

Conclusion

A summary of the doctrine of the devil and Satan, as it should have been taught, is provided in these quotations from Tertullian and Origen.

“For if the heathen believe in theft gods, which are idols (‘which have ears, and they hear not; they have eyes, and they see not’), that they can do all things, though they be but devils, as saith the Scriptures, The gods of the nations are devils,’ much more ought we, who hold the right, excellent and true faith, to believe in God, since also we have proofs of His power” (Tertuffian: On the Resurrection, ch. 5).

“Now he who in the Hebrew language is named Satan, and by some Satanas — as being more in conformity with the genius of the Greek language — signifies, when translated into Greek, “adversary.” But every one who prefers vice and a vicious life, is (because acting in a manner contrary to virtue) Satanas, that is, an “adversary” to the Son of God, who is righteousness, and truth, and wisdom” (Origen: Against Celsus, Book VI, ch. xliv).