Bible Question:
who created satan? when did satan come into being? what are the names for satan? |
Bible Answer: Satan (Excerpts from Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. To read the entire article, go to http://bible.crosswalk.com/Dictionaries/BakersEvangelicalDictionary) 'The Hebrew word satan [f'f] means "an adversary, one who resists." It is translated as "Satan" eighteen times in the Old Testament, fourteen of those occurrences being in Job 1-2, the others in 1 Chronicles 21:1 and Zechariah 3:1-2. There is some dispute as to whether it should be taken as a proper name or a title. In Job and Zechariah the definite article precedes the noun (lit., "the satan" or "the accuser"). Thus some argue it should be a title, while in 1 Chronicles (no article) it should be a proper name. The word is used also of various persons in the Old Testament as "adversaries, " including David (1 Sam 29:4), Rezon of Damascus (1 Kings 11:23,25), and the angel of the Lord (Num 22:22,32).' ____________________ '"Satan" occurs thirty-six times in the New Testament, eighteen of that number in the Gospels and Acts. The Greek term satanas [Satana'"] is a loan word from the Hebrew Old Testament, and twenty-eight of the total occurrences are accompanied by the definite article. Often in the Gospel accounts Jesus is in contact with Satan directly or indirectly. He was tempted by Satan (Mark 1:13). In the famous "Beelzebub controversy" Jesus made clear his intention to drive Satan out of people's lives and to destroy his sovereignty (Matt 12:26; Mark 3:23, 26; Luke 11:18). He liberated a woman "whom Satan (had) kept bound for eighteen long years" (Luke 13:16). Paul spoke of his being sent to turn people "from the power of Satan to God" (Acts 26:18), and that the works of the "lawless one (were) in accordance with the work of Satan, " in doing sham miracles, signs, and wonders (2 Thess 2:9). Christ will come, he wrote, to overthrow that agent of Satan.' ____________________ 'The other common appellation for Satan in the New Testament is "the devil" (diabolos [diavbolo"]), not found in the Old Testament, but thirty-four times here, meaning one who is traducer, a slanderer. The word often translates satan [Sata'n] in the Septuagint (either as "the satan" or an "adversary"). In the New Testament the "devil" becomes "an evil principle/being standing against God." 'In the New Testament the word appears to be used interchangeably with "Satan." Mark refers to "Satan" five times, but never uses "devil." Matthew has three of the former, but six of the latter. The Fourth Gospel has one instance of "Satan" (with none in the Epistles of John), while the "devil" (as Satan) occurs twice in the Gospel and three times in the Epistles. 'Jesus would drive out "the prince of this world" by his cross (John 12:31); the latter would have no hold on Christ, for he was without sin (14:30); and Satan stood condemned at the bar of God's judgment (16:11). While the devil has had a career of sinning "from the beginning, " the Son of God came to destroy his wicked works (1 John 3:8). Those unable to hear and receive Jesus' words belong to the devil, who is their "father" (John 8:44)—they share a family likeness to him. 'Believers need to exercise care about anger, so as "not to give the devil a foothold" (Eph 4:26). They are to don God's full armor so as to stand against the devil's schemes. With the shield of faith they are to thwart his "flaming arrows" (Eph 6:11,16). Ultimate victory comes by "the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, " as the devil is cast down from heaven to the earth (Rev 12:11).' Walter M. Dunnett See also Demon; Evil; Sin Bibliography. H. Bietenhard, NIDNTT, 3:468-72; O. Bocher, EDNT, 1:297-98; D. J. A. Clines, Job 1-20; W. Foerster, TDNT, 2:1-20; E. Lanyton, Satan, A Portrait; D. W. Pentecost, Your Adversary, The Devil; G. von Rad, Old Testament Theology. ____________________ Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology. Edited by Walter A. Elwell. Published by Baker Books, a division of Baker Book House Company. Bibliography Information Elwell, Walter A. "Entry for 'Satan'". "Evangelical Dictionary of Theology". (http://bible.crosswalk.com/Dictionaries/BakersEvangelicalDictionary) |
Up | Down View Branch | ID# 107261 | ||
Questions and/or Subjects for Bible general Archive 2 | Author | ||
|
EdB | ||
|
punkiedo | ||
|
brown_65473@yahoo.com | ||
|
kalos | ||
|
TheFinalSQL | ||
|
sojourner3 | ||
|
brijul | ||
|
JCrichton | ||
|
justducky2 | ||
|
Just Read Mark | ||
|
christian7 | ||
|
leslieleal |