The devil; Satan
In our New Testament (NT), "the devil" is first mentioned in Matthew 4 and Luke 4; Mark, in his comparable, very brief mention, has the name “Satan” in place of “devil” (1:13). The setting is Jesus’ “temptation”: Will Jesus pay heed to the evil one's prompts to take the easy way? (I suppose under the conventions of writing it makes sense to capitalise the word that seems to be used as a name.)
In the pages of the NT, evil forces are taken seriously, but not feared, by those who follow Jesus.
There came a stage when Jesus expanded his reach in his community by delegating and sending out. This involved followers confronting the works of evil: Summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every[a] disease and sickness.[b]...
Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you received, freely give. ...
If anyone does not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town. (Matthew 10: 1,8, 14-15, CSB). Mark and Luke have comparable reports. I note that "spirit" and "demon" are used as equivalents (see further following).
People may hear, but refuse to accept. They make a choice. You and I are responsible. As per the (earlier) parable of the Sower: These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them (Mark 4:15, NRSVUE). If the message is denied germination it is lost; actually, is quickly taken. (Why would that be, do you think?)
Jesus soon further expanded the work of his followers. They would confront demons, also called spirits. (It is possible here he even signalled that his mission was to the whole world.) Later the Lord chose 72[a] other followers and sent them out two by two to every town and village where he was about to go...
When the 72[a] followers returned, they were excited and said, “Lord, even the demons obeyed when we spoke in your name!”
Jesus told them:
I saw Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. I have given you the power to trample on snakes and scorpions and to defeat the power of your enemy Satan. Nothing can harm you. But don't be happy because evil spirits obey you. Be happy that your names are written in heaven! (Luke 10:1 & 17-20, CEV). Clearly the peak opponent is called Satan. Satan is the enemy; a fallen enemy, but still relevant. Satan could never win the "war", but was, and is, capable of harm - yet. Satan's works are described under demons.
The image of falling from heaven is in the Old Testament (OT) and thus was familiar in that community. In a passage of future hope, the powerful and cruel king of Babylon was to be brought low:
You, the bright morning star,
have fallen from the sky!
You brought down other nations;
now you are brought down.
I'll sit there with the gods
I'll be above the clouds,
just like God Most High.” (Isaiah 14:12-14, CEV) That king was quite wrong!
"Your enemy". Jesus spoke of God's enemy the devil: Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
“‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”(Matthew 13:24-30, ESV). This was the parable.
Later, Jesus gave his explanation of that parable: Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”
Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.
“Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! (Matthew 13:36-43, NLT).
The devil's work is seen in the world through the devil's actions and the devil's representatives, but people can not safely eliminate those "people who belong to the evil one". Imposed righteousness does not get God's will to be done. Laws and justice are valuable and necessary, but have their limits. (God will deal with the evil! The enemy's time is limited.)
On many occasions we see references to spirits, or demons. One time Jesus described their ill-effects and persistence: “When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest, and not finding rest, it then says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ Returning, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first” (Luke 11:24-26, CSB). In that place the narrative refers to Jesus driving out demons. Jesus spoke of the (apparently) common practice of driving them out. See previous posts, including "Jesus: no ghost".
From the beginnings Jesus was in conflict with evil: And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons, and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him (Mark 1:33-34, NRSVUE). The demons had to go, and had to be silent.
Jesus confronted the devil (Satan) directly. Broadly, the works of the devil were described in terms of demons or spirits. They get numerous mentions in the Gospels. There was never any competition: And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God” (Mark 3:11, ESV). These malicious invaders were evidently clearly recognised and sometimes, but not always, were associated with disease.
The story ended, as it were, in Jerusalem. As Jesus' predetermined trial is imminent we find him referring to this world's ruler: Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people[a] to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die (John 12:31-33, NRSVUE). The ruler of this world? That ruler was losing power.
A little further on we read: I am telling you this before I leave, so when it does happen, you will have faith in me. I cannot speak with you much longer, because the ruler of this world is coming. But he has no power over me. I obey my Father, so everyone in the world might know that I love him.
It is time for us to go now (John 14:29-31, CEV). That ruler would seem to be victorious at the execution of Jesus. Seem! The true story was not so obvious as the trappings of human power. Those passing identities were actually on the losing side! (Readers who enjoy C.S. Lewis will know his great portrayal of the witch's "triumph" in "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe".)
The "ruler of this world" concept seems to reflect the ruler picture we find in the much earlier testing (temptation) of Jesus: So he took him up[a] and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. The devil said to him, “I will give you their splendor and all this authority, because it has been given over to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. If you, then, will worship me,[b] all will be yours.”
And Jesus answered him,[c] “It is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve[d] him only” (Luke 4:5-8, CSB). Was the devil just lying about the kingdoms being given over to him, or does the claim reflect so much of human experience? The NT does see Satan as the prince of this world, which, nevertheless, is still God's! Always.
Much later, with the arrest at hand, we have a lengthy prayer prayed by Jesus. He included:
I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. (John 17:14-15, ESV) Jesus asked that those who belong to him be kept safe and protected. Jesus' followers faced (face) the direct threat of the evil one.
At one place Jesus encouraged his followers to ask:
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’ (Matthew 6:11-13, NIV) Consider the requests in the key prayer for the life of the follower: The name of God to be revered (honoured); God's kingdom to come; God's will to be done; for needs of the day; for forgiveness; for protection from the evil one. This last falls into the daily need group.
Unbelieving people may naturally align themselves with the devil. Jesus was blunt: You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44, NIV). Sad to remain in that deceitful family.
Writer C.S. Lewis invented a serious account of humorous communications between "senior" and "junior" devils. In the "Screwtape Letters" he makes the point that their greatest success is in creating the lie that the devil does not exist. Not exist? Surely human history, including our own, and even current (world) events, make clear that evil is all too real. Evil operating physically through humans. Scheming, manipulating, twisting, deceiving, bullying, abusing, exploiting, forcing, taking, silencing, torturing.
Abuse of power, especially by males who have power over females, is opposed and contested by our community, but ....
We can trust and pray. We can (should) speak up.
Mark, and Matthew, report an astonishing moment in the life of Jesus, not easily interpreted. Then he began to teach them that it was necessary for the Son of Man to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, be killed, and rise after three days. He spoke openly about this. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning around and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are not thinking about God’s concerns[a] but human concerns.” (Mark 8:31-33, CSB). Peter did not like Jesus' prediction one bit. He did not want to hear it. He thought he could rebuke Jesus. He refused to let what Jesus said be true. Jesus said what lay ahead was necessary. No, said Peter. In clinging to his own ideas, holding to community expectation, Peter made himself in that instance the adversary of Jesus. Jesus rebuked Peter's unbelief; that clinging to popular ideas and desires. But, how was Peter to be called "Satan"? Probably it is that Peter, perhaps even representing the group, at that moment was doing the work of Satan; being the adversary of Jesus. (The capitalisation of "Satan" is arbitrary and may be confusing.)
It must have been a confronting experience for Peter; for them. (Of course, more was likely said. Perhaps he, or they, repented and asked forgiveness?) There is no suggestion of any "casting out" being involved. Reading on it is clear their minds were still confused. In time, after the event, they would truly grasp that they actually have joined a Servant who suffers, who gives himself; a ransom.
Did any disciple ever again try to correct Jesus? I doubt it. The incident is unique and stands alone - not even part of Luke and John.
(Note the context bookending the above moment: First by Peter stating their recognition of Jesus as the Christ, and then by Jesus giving further teaching to disciples and the crowd. Jesus simply continued with his instruction and purpose. Yes, their Christ [Messiah], but all the disciples had to change their thinking, still..)
And today, can people be unwittingly doing Satan's work? See above.
Addendum:
Other NT writers refer to the devil. Paul, Apostle of Jesus, wrote to believers in Rome:
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39, NIV). Nothing can!
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21, ESV). Get the best of evil, conquer it - by doing good. Good-doing. (Paul acknowledges elsewhere that crime, punishment and law are separate realities.)
Then, writing to a large Greek city, there is his unique description of Satan hiding from us in plain sight: For such boasters are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is not strange if his ministers also disguise themselves as ministers of righteousness. Their end will match their deeds. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15, NRSVUE). Even that early, the concern there is the threat posed by convincing, camouflaged, fakes. Human accreditation is no doubt useful; it is no guarantee.
I am reminded of Jesus' earlier words: Watch out for false prophets! They dress up like sheep, but inside they are wolves who have come to attack you (Matthew 7:15, CEV). It is obvious the false sadly serve the interest of the enemy.
The last book of the Bible [NT] sees the devil again in sharp focus, including graphic description of the ultimate end of the evil one and of the works of the evil one. "Revelation" may not be easy reading but the overall picture is clear.
God bless you!
Allen Hampton
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